Ayurvedic Aspects Of Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis (GME)

ABSTRACT

Hey, if you are owning a pet then you must know the importance of taking care of your fur baby. Dogs as you know are one of the most intelligent animals but a stimulus is needed by them for developing their Brain. This only can be done by us by giving them Brain training. If you are a dog owner and giving them only shelter, food and water is not enough, you must take care of their mental health also. If you put effort into developing their Brain, they are so intelligent that they will learn things really very easily, besides if they are not developing any mental condition. There are a lot of conditions which affect their Brain and in those conditions it is somehow difficult to develop their Brain. One such condition we are going to study today is GME (Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis). Let’s study about this condition in detail in the upcoming article.

INTRODUCTION

Commonly nobody heard about GME or any other form of CNS reticulosis till the time they don’t have a dog with any of the conditions of the Brain. One is the general process of inflammation which involves infiltration of the normal tissues by the immune system. On the other hand, granulomatous inflammation is characterized by infiltration by the mononuclear cells. It is not clear from where the infiltration of the cells of GME occurs. Maybe they come from the circulation or maybe it comes from the proliferation of the local cells present already. So till date the common thing that one must understand about GME is that it is an immune mediated condition which involves T-lymphocytes that send inappropriate signals. This condition is not cancerous but is definitely different from other inflammatory Brain diseases.       

CAUSES OF GRANULOMATOUS MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (GME)

The only cause considered is noninfectious but also considered to be idiopathic. As the lesions closely resemble those that are seen in allergic types of meningoencephalitis. Some study shows the cause must be immune mediated but some study also shows at a time this condition may be a result of any abnormal response to any infectious agent. Few cases turned out with a search of viral DNA from some virus which includes canine herpesvirus, canine parvovirus and canine adenovirus in Brain tissues of dogs.  

CLINICAL FEATURES OF GRANULOMATOUS MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (GME) 

Most commonly the patient is a dog of small breed with young to middle-age, but any dog with any of the breeds can get affected. The signs seen in this case totally depend upon which area of the nervous system is involved. Commonly seen symptoms includes: 

• Seizures
• Drunken gait 
• Neck pain
• Blindness
• Walking in circles
• Tilted head
• Facial abnormalities
• Listlessness
• Weakness   

The above mentioned symptoms are commonly seen and may come acutely or may become more prone. Certain breeds have genetic predisposition to this condition which includes Chihuahua, Maltese, Dachshund and miniature poodle.  

TYPES OF GRANULOMATOUS MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (GME)

There are Three Types of GME: 

• Focal GME: Which is limited to only one location in the NS (Nervous System)
• Disseminated GME: This is type which involves more than one locations 
• Ocular GME: The ocular one involves optic nerve

The dog may suffer from more than one type of GME but most commonly is the disseminated type of GME. The focal type has slower onset that is from 3-6 months and the disseminated has more rapid onset that is from 2-6 months. The prognosis of the focal one is better than the disseminated one. The ocular one may lead to sudden and permanent blindness. This type of GME may affect one or both eyes, not a life-threatening condition.    

DIAGNOSIS OF GRANULOMATOUS MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (GME)

If you notice any of the symptoms of GME it is a must to take your dog to the veterinary doctor for a clear diagnosis and start the treatment as soon as possible. First of all a blood analysis and urine analysis is done to monitor their general health. Also these tests are must along with physical examination to determine which kind of medications can be given to the pet. For examining the Brain issues MRI and Spinal tap is to be done. In the case of GME cancerous cells may be found in the CSF fluid. This condition must be diagnosed very clearly because if it gets misdiagnosed then the treatment might mislead the situation. The differential diagnosis includes conditions such as Fungal encephalitis, Viral encephalitis, parasitic encephalitis and cancer. The definitive way of diagnosing this condition is biopsy of the granulomatous cells.         

AYURVEDIC VIEW OF GRANULOMATOUS MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (GME) 

Ayurvedic Veterinary Science is an alternative treatment for Animals. This system deals with any kind of health condition of the dogs. Presently this part of Ayurvedic science is working really well and effectively treating the animals with wonderful results. Pashu Chikitsa is the basic concept that is taking care of the health of the animals. This concept of chikitsa divided into different sublines, that is, sectors are divided into various numbers for diagnosing and managing the condition of different kinds of animals. Such as Go Ayurveda for cow’s, Gaja Ayurveda for elephants, Ashva Ayurveda for horses and like that many other sectors are divided. 

So in this article we are talking about the condition Granulomatous Encephalitis (GME) – a condition in dogs. This condition as per modern is characterized by growth of granulomatous cells in the various parts of the Brain. According to Ayurveda all the neurological conditions are associated with vitiation or aggravation of Vata dosha. In this condition the aggravation of Kapha Dosha is also associated. So for managing this particular condition there is a need to balance the Vata Dosha as well as eliminate the Vata Dosha. Other than that there is a need to rejuvenate the affected cells, so for this Planet Ayurveda is providing various remedies that we are going to discuss below.   

HERBAL REMEDIES FOR GRANULOMATOUS MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (GME) BY PLANET AYURVEDA

Planet Ayurveda is a herbal company that has been serving mankind for more than 20 years of time. This company is growing very tremendously in the field of Ayurveda. The supplements made by Planet Ayurveda are GMP certified, ISO certified and the company achieved a Global Business award for its great work. All the formulations are made up under the strict guidance of M,D. Ayurveda practitioners and devoid from any kind of added preservatives, synthetic material, etc. The products manufactured by Planet Ayurveda almost works in managing every kind of health concern. As they serve mankind they also serve animals with the same efforts. For the condition of GME in dogs Planet Ayurveda provides the following effective remedies. Further let’s see how these supplements help a dog in getting a good quality of life.    

1. Neuro Plan Syrup 
2. Brahmi Capsules
3. Ashwagandha Capsules
4. Vrihat Vatchintamani Ras

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

1. NEURO PLAN SYRUP

Neuro Plan Syrup is one of the herbal syrups formulated by Planet Ayurveda. The syrup is made up of various herbs such as Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), Mandukaparni (Centella asiatica), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shunthi (Zingiber officinale) and various others. This herbal juice is especially formulated for maintaining health of the Brain. Basically this syrup manages the condition by maintaining overall Nervous health.    

Dosage: 10 ml twice daily with meals. 

2. BRAHMI CAPSULES

Brahmi capsules is one of the effective capsule formulations for Brain health. These capsules are made up with the help of standardized extract of single herb Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri). Brahmi consists of miraculous properties such as powerful antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory effects, anti cancerous, etc. These properties help in eliminating granulomatous cells, rejuvenating the neuron cells and reducing inflammation.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice daily with meals. 

3. ASHWAGANDHA CAPSULES

Ashwagandha capsules are formulated by Planet Ayurveda with the standardized extract of herb Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). These capsules consist of properties such as rasayana (rejuvenating), balya (strengthening) and Vata shamaka (Vata balancing). These capsules with the mentioned properties effectively balance the Vata dosha, prevent further deterioration of the neurons and help in strengthening and improving the quality of life of the dog.  

Dosage: 1 capsule twice daily with meals. 

4. VRIHAT VATCHINTAMANI RAS

Vrihat Vatchintamani Ras is one of the best ras preparations for Vataj Conditions. The formulation is available in tablet form and consists of ingredients such as Swarna Bhasma (Calyx of Gold), Abhraka Bhasma (Calyx of Mica), Rajata Bhasma (Calyx of Silver), Giloy Swaras (Tinospora cordifolia) and various others. Mainly this remedy helps in managing the condition by pacifying Vata Dosha. Beside this the remedy is one of the best Ayurvedic rejuvenators so helps in deteriorating the neuron cells by preventing the further growth of the granulomatous cells.    

Dosage: 1 tablet twice daily with meals. 

CONCLUSION

In this article we discussed the GME condition in dogs and ayurvedic treatment for granulomatous meningoencephalitis. Granulomatous inflammation is characterized by infiltration by the mononuclear cells. There is no definitive cause of this condition, different studies show different causes. Symptoms included Seizures, Drunken gait, Neck pain, Blindness, Walking in circles, etc. Three types of GME are there – Focal, disseminated and ocular one. The condition has poor prognosis with modern treatment but we can make the quality of life of the dog good with Ayurvedic treatment. Ayurveda helps in managing this condition with balancing Vata dosha, rejuvenation and preventing further damage to the healthy neuron cells. For this Planet Ayurveda provided with various safe herbal and herbomineral remedies for your dog. So with these remedies make your dog’s life better.