Canine sterile steroid-responsive lymphadenitis in 49 dogs

To report clinical and laboratory features, treatment responses and outcome in dogs diagnosed with sterile steroid-responsive lymphadenitis in the United Kingdom.

Medical records of dogs diagnosed with sterile steroid-responsive lymphadenitis from 2009 to 2016 at six specialist referral centres were evaluated retrospectively.

The study included 49 dogs. Springer spaniels appeared to be over-represented (16 of 49 dogs). Young dogs (median age: 3 years and 9 months) and females (31 of 49) were frequently affected. Clinical presentation was variable, with pyrexia (39 of 49), lethargy (35 of 49) and anorexia (21 of 49) the most commonly reported clinical signs. Lymph node cytology or histopathology demonstrated neutrophilic, pyogranulomatous, granulomatous or necrotising lymphadenitis without a detectable underlying cause in all cases. Because a sterile immune-mediated aetiology was suspected, all dogs received prednisolone, which was followed by rapid resolution of clinical signs and lymphadenopathy in most cases.

Sterile steroid-responsive lymphadenitis should be considered in dogs with pyrexia of unknown origin with inflammatory lymphadenopathy if no underlying cause can be found and often responds well to immunosuppressive corticosteroid therapy.