Leukoencephalitis and vasculitis with perivascular demyelination in a Weimaraner dog

Aseptic and noninfectious diseases of the central nervous system are being recognized with increasing frequency. After multiple episodes of neurologic illness, this 7-year-old 'Weimaraner dog was euthanatized and submitted fo r postmortem examination. Lesions in the central nervous system were found mainly in the white matter of the cerebral cortex and cervical spinal cord and represented acute and more chronic injury. Necrotizing vasculitis with fibrinoid change and a marked neutrophilic infiltrate dominated the acute l esions. More chronic changes consisted of perivascular demyelination and ac cumulation of foamy macrophages with positive staining for myelin. An immun e-complex (Arthus-type) vasculitis is suspected.