Congenital Hydrocephalus At Puppy

Congenital hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricular system of the brain.  The pathophysiology of central nervous system damage associated with hydrocephalus is complex and involves destruction of the ependymal lining of the ventricles, white matter damage by interstitial fluid accumulation and eventual neuronal injury in the cerebral cortex. Advanced diagnostic methods are radiology, ultrasound, CT, MRI, EEG.Treatment of hydrocephalus are medical and surgical methods. At medical management, prednisolone (0,2-0,5 mg/kg PO q12hr), furosemide (0,5-4 mg/kg PO q12-24hr), acetazolamide (10 mg/kg PO q6-8hr) and omeprazole (10 mg q24hr dogs less than 20 kg) are used.  The goal of surgical treatment of hydrocephalus is to continually divert excessive CFS from the ventricles to peritoneal cavity.   

A thirty day old male dog was presented to Animal Hospital with abnormal appearance of cranium, reluctanced to move and amorosis. At clinical examination, he had normal vital parameters. He included a large, dome-shaped head, open fontanelles and bilateral ventrolateral strabismus.


 Diagnosis of congenital hydrocephalus was based on radiography and ultrasonography. Radiography suggested hydrocephalus in puppy skull bone thinnes, persistent fontanelle, open cranial sutures and liquid opacty on internal side of the skull.









 Ultrasound of brain was performed through a persistent dorsal midline fontanelle. Enlarged ventricules appeared anechoic region. Congenital hydrocephalus was diagnosed with clinic, radiologic and ultrasound findings.

Syringomyelia in a Calf

Syringomyelia, is the spinal cord malformation which occurs acquired or congenital at dogs, horses and camels. In general, clinical symptom is that newborn calves aren’t be able to rise or have incoordination at hind limbs. Congenital spinal cord malformations usually occur espacially in the thoracolumbar region in calves. The common reasons of congenital malformations are genetic, nutritional factors, enviromental factors such as viral infections and toxins with fertilization techniques. Akabane, bovine viral diarrhea, blue tongeu, cache valley infections and schmallenberg virus (SBV) have caused congenital anomalies.

Case History
Holstain breed, female, 1 month-year-old calf was presented with the complaint of unable to rise to feet after birth  Animal Hospital. The calf originated from a dairy type holstein farm, which had been artificially inseminated. There have been any birth calves with congenital malformation up to now. The owner reported that the calf was born normal and good condition at parturition.

In physical examination, the calf was healthy but it couldn’t rise to hind lims. When it was supported from hind limbs manually, it could move. However, it was inability  to move by itself. Because of permanent lying, hind lims espacially left side, and caudal abdomen were wet and there were some wounds on left side. It had scoliosis at thoraco lumbar region.  In palpation of vertebral column, it had disorderd several processus spinosus from T10 to L2. Muscels of hind limbs were atrophic bilaterally.

At neurological examination, cranial and peripheral nerves were normal, but at hind limbs withdrawing reflex was weak.



At radiological examination, laterolateral and ventrodorsal view of thoracolumbar region, the irregular intervertebral areas, sinostosis on the spinal process and vertebral scoliosis were remarked between T₁₀-L₂ segments.





Informing the weak prognosis to the patient owner, the calf was euthanized humanly after permission. 
On necropsy, synostosis with mild scoliosis and cavitation which placed in processus spinosus of thoracic 10-11-12 and lumbar 1-2 vertebrae were observed. After removing dorsal parts of these vertebrae, transversal enlargement and collapse, approximately 6 cm in length, were noticed on the spinal cord. In cross sections, there were  cystic cavitations, approximately 1 cm in diameter, close to dorsum and only a thin layer was covers this space.  

In the histopathological examination, a cavitation involves both grey and white matter was seen in the spinal cord. Foramen centrale was intact as separately from the cavitation. There was no lining cell layer on the internal surface of the cavity.

             As a result of clinic, radiologic and pathologic examinations, vertebral malformation and syringomyelia were diagnosed. 

Facet Joint Locking at a cat

   A seven month-old, female, domestic short-hair cat referred to Animal Hospital with lateral position by animal lover. Clinically, the cat was lateral lying position and couldn’t move. At palpation, the cat had pain and irregular bone border at left scapula. At spinal cord palpation,  she had pain at regio interscapularis and irregular thoracal vertebra. At neurological examination, the left hindlimb withdrawing reflex decreased and other neurologıc examination findings were normal.

At radiological examination, facet surfaces of third and fourth thoracal vertebrae were abnormal localization and border of left scapula couldn’t been follow.

Based on the clinical and radiological finding, facet joint locking and fracture of left scapula were diagnosed in this domestic short-hair cat.

The patient was operated with inhalation anesthesia. Induction was made with xylasin and ketamine. The patient was given sternoabdominal lying position and then was located on operation table. Thoracal vertebrae was reached with dorsal approaching technique. A kirschner pin was located in proc.spinosus of the first, second, third and fourth thoracal vertebrae. A tention wire was implemented from first to fourth. There was no evidence  color change of medulla spinalis. After operation, muscles were closed with simple continent knotting and the skin was opened with simple knotting. The left scapula was immobilised by dressing. At postoperation period, the patient was awake.