hydrocephalus?
 

HI does anyone have a dog with hydrocephalus? Im just curious about it and want to know more. I dont have a dog that has it. i just want to know more about it from someone with experience or someone that knows more about it than i do.

Had one, She passed away March 19th. She was 11 yrs old. Maybe I can answer your questions. What did you want to know?

Like what causes it, does it immediately show at the birth of the puppy. How and what are the treatments whatever you think are good things for people to know about it. thanks

I had one, "Bear" died at 15 weeks. It caused multiple seizures leaving him blind & deaf and then he died.

She showed no signs at birth. At around 1 year she started having stomach problems, spent several hundred trying to find out what was causing it . Then as quick as it came on , it was gone. Then at 5 it started all over again only this time she almost died.They did blood test after blood test, scoped her tummy and sent cultures to the lab and NOTHING. Then they took x-rays and again nothing, then as quick as it happened it was gone again. Then when she was 9 it started all over, this time we were sent to WSU. They did an MRI and a spinal tap and there it was, she had a deformity at the base of her skull putting pressure on her spinal cord. Spinal fluid was going in faster then it was exiting out. They put her on pred. and nexium it slows the spinal fluid so it has more time to exit the brain and cause less pressure. Then when she was 11 she had her 1st seizure 5 hours she had a 2nd and that one killed her. Aside from the few things this illness caused , she had a very normal life. These symptoms are not always present, I believe seizures are most common. My Sassy only had 2 in her life and that was at the end. This is a condition that is most common in the King Charles. But unfortunately we are seeing more and more of it in Yorkies, due to bad and careless breeding. And as usual it's the dog who suffers the most. Because you can bet it's not the people selling them. This condition is very similar to Chiari Syndrome in people.

Sorry Huge mistake. It was not nexium it was Prilosec ( omeprazole ). This condition is congenital. Sometimes it shows at birth but not always. Mine had a subarachnoid cyst that grew larger wirh time.

did she have a soft spot on her head that never closed up or where her eyes funny like they say they have sunrise eyes. Or a dome shaped head?

Mine had none of those things, her only symptom was the stomach issue. That is a symptom most often along with 1 or more others. But it was Sassys only symptom.

what kind of stomach problems? thanks

I've had 2, many years ago and they were as you described.. and didn't live long, even with Vet help. I've not had any problems with Hydro or Cleft pallets (knock on wood) since I've used HT 42 by Royal Canin. It's a Breeding formula supposed to help birth defects. You feed it after the heat cycle begins. Love it!!

hmmm i have to remember that good info thanks...:D

Sudden onset vomiting. The vet did every test known to man kind for stomach issues and anything that could cause stomach issues nothing showed. The last time it happened 3 yrs ago our vet sent us to WSU and they looked at her records from the previous 2 times in the years before. They said our vet ran all the rite tests, the only tests he didn't run were the MRI and the spinal . That's what he sent us to WSU for . WSU did the MRI first and thats what told them what and where the problem was. The spinal told them how slow the spinal fluid was flowing.Apparently the stomach issues are not at the top of the list of symptoms and they usually have other symptoms as well but Sassy had no other symptoms. However when we were speaking with the Dr's at WSU before the MRI and spinal, they told us they suspected Hydrocephalus. And remember she had not yet had any seizures at that time. Her first seizure happened in march and her second 5 hrs later and she died . The vets all told us there is really no explanation as to why she lived passed birth. She was our little miracle

So are you a breeder, are you thinking of breeding. Or do you have a dog you suspect has a problem?. Something had to click in your brain to make you think of this illness.