Today, the miniature dog and brachycephalic breeds are found in many of our homes. Behind the sweet aspect that the morphology of the skull of these dogs presents, there can be a malformation that can have consequences on the he alth of our pet.
This is a nervous pathology with a complicated treatment. If you want to know more information about this disease and the care it requires, we advise you to continue reading this article on our site on how to care for a dog with hydrocephalus?
What is hydrocephalus in dogs?
Hydrocephalus is a malformation in which abundant cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricular system of the brain. This accumulation causes the cerebral hemispheres to increase in size and, as a consequence, the skull itself also increases. Depending on the location of this fluid, it is classified as internal, external or communicating hydrocephalus
Animals that possess it are characterized by a characteristic physical :
- Domed skull.
- Round skull.
- Prominent skull
- Bilateral strabismus.
Types of hydrocephalus in dogs
Hydrocephalus in dogs can be congenital or acquired:
- Congenital hydrocephalus: there are breeds that present this condition congenitally, being the most frequent congenital malformation of the nervous system in domestic animals. Examples of hydrocephalic canine breeds are small and brachycephalic dogs, such as chihuahuas, pomeranians, shih-szu, etc.
- Acquired hydrocephalus: Less common is acquired hydrocephalus, although it can also occur in our pet as a result, above all, of severe trauma to the skull.
As a curiosity, we will point out that there are Siamese cats that suffer from it or acquire it due to viral diseases, such as feline infectious peritonitis.
For more information, you can consult this other article on our site about Hydrocephalus in dogs - Symptoms, prognosis and treatment.
Symptoms of hydrocephalus in dogs
To understand how to care for a dog with hydrocephalus, we are going to describe the symptoms that a dog suffering from hydrocephalus can show illness:
- Seizures.
- Stupor/coma.
- Forgets learned behaviors (cognitive dysfunction).
- Walks in circles (vestibular dysfunction).
- Press your head against the wall (head-pressing).
- Develops aggressive behaviors.
- Squint.
- Blindness.
All these symptoms are common to other diseases, so a correct differential diagnosis is very important.
Hydrocephalus in dogs: prevention and diagnosis
The diagnosis and prevention of hydrocephalus in dogs will largely depend on the type of canine hydrocephalus we are talking about.
Congenital hydrocephalus in dogs
If it is congenital hydrocephalus, it will present before 6 months of age.
To reach a definitive diagnosis, the animal's clinical history, advanced imaging tests and the predisposition of certain breeds must be taken into account. In addition, it is necessary to check that the dog does not have another congenital malformation.
One way to avoid this congenital pathology is through responsible breeding with he althy animals.
Acquired hydrocephalus in dogs
When acquired hydrocephalus is suspected, it is necessary to look for the primary causes: traumatisms, infections, inflammations, neoplasms, etc
So, a good diet, vaccination, deworming, avoiding exposure to toxins, etc. will reduce the chances of getting it.
If your dog is acting strange, you can take a look at this other article about Ataxia in dogs - Causes and treatment.
How to care for a dog with hydrocephalus?
The medical care that a dog with hydrocephalus requires is based on a treatment of the clinical signs that it presents as a result of increased pressure intracranial. The considerable increase in the volume of fluid exerts a great pressure from the inside on the nervous tissue, which causes its degeneration and destruction.
When generating neurological conditions, their care and treatment is focused on stopping through drugs/surgical techniques seizures, drowsiness, blindness, incoordination, pressing, etc Our veterinarian will propose a treatment and will tell us if hospitalization and additional tests are required. However, on the other hand, the handling care that we can carry out at home are:
- Avoid jumping from surfaces that are at a considerable height as much as possible.
- Control horseplay with other animals and people.
- Treat the skull gently when we carry out hygienic habits, such as baths, teeth cleaning, ear cleaning and eye cleaning.
- If you have any nervous symptoms, go to the vet so that it doesn't go further and you have a better prognosis.
- If you also have open fontanelles, be careful handling them.
- Enrichment of the environment through games and learning techniques.
- There are dogs with congenital hydrocephalus that do not show symptoms throughout their lives. That does not mean that they do not have it subclinically and it is necessary to monitor that they do not develop symptoms.
- Avoid collars on walks, better with a harness.
- Balanced diet.
- Vaccine and antiparasitic protocol up to date.
- Control of other diseases.
- Nutritional supplements that help with cognitive dysfunction.
If you have a chihuahua with hydrocephalus, you may be interested in this other article about 10 curiosities about chihuahuas.
