Ventricular empyema in a dog diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and immediate postmortem cerebrospinal fluid culture

Abstract A 1‐year 5‐month‐old, female, neutered springer spaniel presented collapsed in extensor rigidity. The dog had undergone ovariectomy 6 weeks previously, and a tooth root abscess was documented 2 months before this. Neurological signs were first reported 24 days after surgery, starting with lethargy and tremors, which progressed to generalised tonic‐clonic cluster seizures with inter‐ictal neurological deficits by 33 days after surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a conspicuous fluid–fluid level in the lateral ventricles consistent with ventricular empyema. Treatment was declined in favour of euthanasia, but postmortem cerebrospinal fluid sample showed marked pleocytosis with elevated protein and cultured a heavy growth of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius . The magnetic resonance imaging findings and positive cerebrospinal fluid culture were consistent with bacterial meningoencephalitis. Aetiology in this case was unknown, but may have been secondary to haematogenous spread, which is a rare but potential sequel to abdominal surgery, or intracranial extension of an oral infection.