Hydrocephalus & congenital dermoid sinus cyst in anterior fontanel in 5 wk old yorkie

[yorkiesincommon]

Originally Posted by Bitsy

Sounds to me like she really is a good neurologist. She definitely knows what she is talking about and giving good advice. I hope it makes you feel better at least knowing what you are dealing with, and having a plan for what is to come. This is such an awful condition...sometimes there is little that we can do.

You are doing all you can do for him. The rest we have to trust to God. We may not always like the outcome, but He is with us through it all.

By the time my Peyton was old enough and weighed enough, the damage was just too severe. He would have really suffered if I let him continue, and I would never want that.

Reading what your neurologist said makes me feel better. I kept wondering if something could have been done if they would have caught it earlier. It sounds like any earlier wouldn't have worked either.

My heart goes out to you. I will pray for Bubba and for you. I'm here if you need me.

We can only do all that know to do and sometimes the outcome was never in our hands and we were there to give them the support to briefly walk through this life. I am just going to focus on what I can do and if I run into an obstacle I will follow the instructions and keep on going. I will always have hope because I believe that is what we are suppose to do. I do not think there was anything more you could have done for Peyton. You gave him a beautiful life and helped to pass into the Lord's hands. You sought out every avenue open to you and gave it your all. I commend you and I am so sorry for his passing because words are so much more brave than our hearts. Mary

[yorkiesincommon]

Update on Chad and Bubba. Bubba is stable and biding his time to 12 weeks old at which time he will go for his evaluation to see if brain surgery will be possible to remove or cap off the dermoid sinus. Update on Chad, Chad is holding his own and is now on solid foods, antibiotics, nebulizer to reduce the incidence of aspiration. Thanks to everyone ho has been there to reach out and to help. Mary

[Bitsy]

I'm glad to hear this. They sure were blessed with you for their "momma". Keep up the awesome work, and best of luck!

[yorkiesincommon]

Update on Chad (new name Bodie). Chad keeps aspirating even his solid food and of course that continues the pneumonia. The vet says to stop the sub q for hydration because we have been doing it for so long 4 weeks. He is still on amp injections twice daily. Yesterday and today are really bad days. I am feeding him little l/d tiny meatballs trying to minimize the food from coming back into the area where it can be aspirated. I feed him every 4 hours. He just turned 7 weeks old. I am concerned he is really in distress and the vets (all 3 of them) keep saying not to get my hopes up. I am going to try a little ped in a bottle. So far to get any fluid in him to stay, I lay him on the curve of my neck so his head is up and support him from underneath yet letting his body stretch down so tummy contents stay down. It is a balancing act. I am totally failing with the Rob dm and the saline spray. How can you get the spray in such tiny little nostrils. I have the smallest spray bottle I could find to put it in and still can not get enough in the nostrils. Tonight at his next feeding, I am going to add the 2 drops of Rob dm to the bottle of l/d mixture and see if he will take it. He hates it so bad. He shakes his little head violently to get it out of his mouth. I know he may not win this battle but I welcome any advice because he has so much fighting spirit and I see it waning a bit right now. I will try any new advice that someone has that helps administer any of these meds. Thanks for all of your support and advice. I appreciate all the prayers as well.

[lillymae]

Bumping. I'm sorry I can't help. Hopefully someone will be on soon that can offer suggestions.

[yorkiesincommon]

Update on Chad (Bodie)... Today I put 1 part Pedialyte 1 part formula and 2 parts canned l/d and 2 drops of Robitussin DM and made the hole in the nipple a little bigger. He kept most of it down (1 ounce) he still refluxed a little up and through the nose but shook most of it off tossing his head and licking his little nose. I hate the little panic look he gets when it all starts up his nose. He kind of runs and looks wild for a minute or so. I pick him up and pat him a little until he gets rid of the refluxed food and try to keep him upright until the rest can get further down the digestive track. The ticket is that I found a way to get the Robtussin in him. He is 7 weeks and loves to take his meal form the bottle. It has to be held at a 45 degree angle. He is bottle fed then and alternately laps his canned food and that is his feeding schedule every 4 hours. This way he gets the fluids he needs and the canned food is easier for him to retain from refluxing. He is back on antibiotics again. He had 2 days off but started getting worse and so back on again. I think he is about 1 1/4 pounds now. I tried to make an inverted cone to put on his face and mist his nostrils with the ocean nasal spray but I am not sure which one of us got the most of that ordeal. If anyone has figured out how to more successfully administer nasal drops to such a tiny little fellow, I am all ears. I don't think any of the 3 vets (different offices) agree with a diagnosis. No one is certain if he can out grow this or if this is going to be how it is for him always. Two vets think that is the scenario and say he will eventually die of aspirate pneumonia. If anyone knows anything, I welcome all insights. He is 7 weeks old now and I just know he is meant to survive. Thanks for all the prayers and support. PS Little Bubba is holding his own and we are waiting until he is 12 weeks to see about surgery. High concern the dermoid sinus cyst in the fontanel may be more involved into brain tissue but so far, no seizures and he is eating, drinking, peeing, pooping, and playing lightly. Those have got to be good signs.

[lillymae]

Well the med & food mixture sounds like it's working well. I don't think there is any better way to get the nasal spray . You are doing everything you can for him at this point. You have my Prayers that he keeps holding his own until he's big enough for surgery. If he is meant to survive this, I believe he will with all you have done & are doing for him. You are a very good Doggy MaMa. Have you had him to a Vet school ? if not , I would highly recommend it.

[yorkiesincommon]

I had no idea it was possible to take them to a vet school. There is one in Gainesville, just 3 hours north. I will give them a call and see if they can give me some answers. I have 2 puppies in critical condition. This one is Chad and he is suspected of having megaesophagus which is deadly. The 2nd puppy has a dermoid sinus cyst in the anterior fontanel and will involve brain surgery after he reaches 12 wks. old. The puppies belong to my best friend but she gave me the pregnant female because they have a show dog pregnant and the two were aggressive to each other so I own the mother but the puppies are hers but she is unable to manage this type of care and is paying what she considers resonable vet bills. I know the 2 would not make it if I did not do what I can for them. I am having the mother fixed at 6 mos. after the delivery of these pups because something is not right. She has a hard time producing enought milk as well. Thank you so much for the suggestion. I will check it out immediately.

[Lizzie07]

Originally Posted by yorkiesincommon

I had no idea it was possible to take them to a vet school. There is one in Gainesville, just 3 hours north. I will give them a call and see if they can give me some answers. I have 2 puppies in critical condition. This one is Chad and he is suspected of having megaesophagus which is deadly. The 2nd puppy has a dermoid sinus cyst in the anterior fontanel and will involve brain surgery after he reaches 12 wks. old. The puppies belong to my best friend but she gave me the pregnant female because they have a show dog pregnant and the two were aggressive to each other so I own the mother but the puppies are hers but she is unable to manage this type of care and is paying what she considers resonable vet bills. I know the 2 would not make it if I did not do what I can for them. I am having the mother fixed at 6 mos. after the delivery of these pups because something is not right. She has a hard time producing enought milk as well. Thank you so much for the suggestion. I will check it out immediately.

I can't say enough good things about the Univ of FL in Gainesville. About twenty years ago I took a cat of mine there who had cancer. They treated him with radioactive implants and he lived another nine years. He spent a week at UF, and I got a call everyday from a student. They took such good care of him! I will forever be thankful to them for saving my boy.

A fews years after that I took my first IG to them about this recurring spot in her mouth that she got. Again, wonderful treatment and I finally got a definitive diagnosis.

I was living on Merritt Island at the time, btw. Small world.

I hope you can get help for these poor babies, they deserve a chance. You are an angel to try so hard to help them.

[yorkiesincommon]

This is the very information that I was so eager to hear about, thank you so much. I sent a private message to let you know how much the time you took to respond has helped. I live in Melbourne, FL. Again, thank you.

[yorkiesincommon]

update on Bubba now named Draco. We wanted him to have a name to live up to so we call him Draco. He is still very stable and we now know the cyst contains brain matter and fluid. The cyst sticks up through the soft spotby about 14 inch and is that in diameter as well. You can see through the skin (looks like a very large blister). They still want to wait and see if we can see improvement and if he continues to do well hold until 6 months. The brain is covered here only by a thin layer of skin and it sticks out like a mini marble on the top of his head. The prognosis if this does not recede on its own is very poor. At 6 months they will do a CT and after that we should know how involved the process to resolve the cyst is. It is possible, we will not be able to do anything and that he will live his life this way and I understand it proabably will be a short one. He stills your heart and that is very difficult but we are determined to make a difference for every day he has and cease any opportunity to better his survival chances if they present themsilves. Thanks for all the support. Mary

[kjc]

Thanks for the update.... keeping you all in my prayers...

[Lolasmom1211]

How are these two little babies doing? I have just read about them this morning. Did you get a chance to take them to University of Fl? I can tell you from my experience that not only is it cheaper to take them to a teaching hospital, but if it is not what they originally thought it was, they will keep on until they find out what it is. As much as I love my local vet and specialists, it was hit and miss...we would test for one thing and if it was not that, then we would have to wait and set up another test and wait for those results, etc...at the teaching hospital, they do it all at once and get to the bottom of it because they have all the resources right there. Bless you for taking care of these sweet babies...

[yorkiesincommon]

Originally Posted by Lolasmom1211

How are these two little babies doing? I have just read about them this morning. Did you get a chance to take them to University of Fl? I can tell you from my experience that not only is it cheaper to take them to a teaching hospital, but if it is not what they originally thought it was, they will keep on until they find out what it is. As much as I love my local vet and specialists, it was hit and miss...we would test for one thing and if it was not that, then we would have to wait and set up another test and wait for those results, etc...at the teaching hospital, they do it all at once and get to the bottom of it because they have all the resources right there. Bless you for taking care of these sweet babies...

They are under care of a team of doctors and one is from U of F and is in touch with them. They have each had a battery of test and now we are waiting for them to get 6 mo old. Chad has a swallowing disorder that they have no cases in which small dogs have ever survived to be diagnosed and can not believe that Chad is now thriving and 3 months old. Draco has a defect; soft spot that has defect in the layer beneath the skull as well and brain matter protrudes out the soft spot about 1/4 inch high and wide. He will need a CT at 6 months to determine the depth of defect. He is also a case study because soft spots occur ones with this type of protrusion is very rare. Both boys are being studied but that does not save me any dollars but sure is good for research for future little ones. Chad can only eat a/d, not anything else cooked, mixed or what have you......We are all stable for now and in a holding pattern. Thanks for your support and concern. Warm regards, Mary

[kjc]

Glad they're hanging in there... keeping you all in my prayers....