Cerebellar hypoplasia (video of Amy)

[Anikaca77]

Thank you so much for helping and loving Amy. I'm amazed at how tough you say she is. That's great.

[mumpkees]

Sadly, the reason it seems 'more common' in the northeast is because Texas and other southern states still have far too many vets, shelter personnel and others that do not recognize a possible CH kitten when they see one.

When confronted with a kitten who has CH many vets diagnose rabies, brain tumor, neurological disorder, toxoplasmosis. The prevailing opinion of these vets is that a kitten will be doomed to a life of misery or that the prognosis is 'poor'. Kittens w/ CH turned into shelters are euth'd without a second thought. Kittens taken to personal vets often suffer the same fate when client is told of the 'poor prognosis and much suffering'.

Case in point - Teeter and Totter were found in a carrier in front of a petco w/ vet services. The vet there was sure that they were 'rabid', however, thankfully, that day a friend of mine who does adoptions happened to be there and see these two tiny 5 wk old black kittens and said 'hold on - I think that may be CH - let me call a friend'. Sure enough, both are mild CH. Totter turned out to be totally blind and suffer grand mal epileptic seizures (controlled by medication) and a skin condition that totally defied our vets. We kept that under 'control' with mediation also. His sister is also blind and deaf. We lost Totter this past July from a severe reaction to a vaccination. His sister however is doing fine.

I raised my first CH kitten from a rescued stray mother over 35 years ago. I was in a small Alabama town and the vet didn't have a clue what Soaper had. There was little information available in written form but I found a short article in a book describing Soaper to a T. Now some 35 years later, there still is not much information available and still far too many vets that have no idea what cerebellar hypoplasia is. I think the reason that it seems like there are more CH kitties in the northeast and California is because vets there seem to be more ready to 'think outside the box' when confronted with something out of the norm. Their first reaction doesn't seem to be pts, put out of its misery. Thanks to the internet, handicapped pet forums, special needs and most specifically the CH kitty yahoo groups, awareness of this condition is becoming more known. Cat parents when confronted with a kitten w/ CH are refusing to put an adorably sweet kitten full of life who just happens to topple over or shake to sleep. They take their kitten back home and start to do their own research, find groups like this to post their kitten's symptoms and discover their kitten has CH. And just like Lay's potato chips, you can't just have one......... LOL ....... it is so easy to fall in love with their adorable spirits and fierce determination!

[Medusa]

it is so easy to fall in love with their adorable spirits and fierce determination!

Boy, you got that right! When my little Creamsicle first came to me, she could only walk in circles, that's when she could walk at all w/out falling over. Her head swung violently from side to side like a pendulum and it was nearly impossible for her to eat. I had to do my best to hold her head still while trying to get some food into her. My old vet who has since retired stayed up night after night searching the internet but didn't come up w/CH diagnosis. He said that she had a neurological disorder. But before he saw her, one of his associates took a look at her because my vet was out of town and he recommended having her PTS. The thought of her living her life w/out even being able to eat w/out my help was more than I thought she should have to endure and I almost, ALMOST, considered it until he said that because she was so tiny at 6 weeks old, he would have to insert the needle directly into her heart and that it would be painful. Now, I was at work when he told me this over the phone and I said "DO NOT TOUCH HER! I'm leaving work right now to come and get her." I kept the vet's office on my cell phone for the entire drive, insisting that they not hang up on me or I would immediately call them back. I kept saying "DO NOT TOUCH HER." They said "Ok, we understand! We won't touch her." When my vet came back into town, I told him what happened and he hung his head and said "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I think we can save her." Well, long story short, she's a happy 6 year old who does the salamandar walk and is deaf but she's the most lovable, sweet natured kitty kat you'd ever want to see. (Except when I put her in the carrier to go to the vet's office. My new vet, that is. ) It's scary to think that there are still vets out there who so easily say "Put him/her to sleep" w/out even trying to figure out what's wrong. I'm so glad I waited for my vet to come back into town. This little girl came to me at a time in my life when I was ready to give up and I truly feel that she saved my life. CH babies deserve a chance and I'm so happy that there are so many PTers that agree w/me.

[Emeraldgreen]

Cerebellar hypoplasia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Cerebellar hypoplasia is a disorder found in cats and dogs in which the cerebellum is not completely mature at birth. Usually symptoms can be seen immediately at birth in cats, but sometimes can take two months or so to become apparent in dogs. Cerebellar hypoplasia causes jerky movements, tremors and generally uncoordinated motion. The animal often falls down and has trouble walking. Tremors increase when the animal is excited and subside when at ease. There are several bacterial infections, such as herpes, that can result in the disorder in both cats and dogs. However, the disease can also be caused by malnutrition, poisoning, injury or general accidents during development in the fetus.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebellar_hypoplasia"

Hi, I know this thread was started quite some time ago but I was wondering if you knew about this possible connection with the feline herpes virus and CH? Do you know if this means it can develop later on in a cat who has always had the herpes virus? My cat Stinky had herpes when we adopted her at 7 weeks of age. The vet thought she had a 50/50 chance of making it. Her eyes were all goopy and her nose too and she was kind of lethargic. We put her in a steamy bathroom many times per day and teabags on her eyes to soothe them and she made it through. This virus is mostly dormant but if she becomes stressed, it comes back and she is sick all over again. Now we give her Lysine when she starts sneezing after a stressful situation. The Lysine keeps the breakout to about 3-4 days.
I have noticed a few times while petting her that her head does this mild, very slight tremor thing. I pointed it out to my husband and he couldn't see it but I'm really in tune with our cats and I know them so well and I not only saw this once but twice, maybe a month apart and both times were this passed fall. She is 7 years old.
Do you think CH could show up in a cat at this age and start mildly? I'm concerned.
p.s. I will of course look into this and get as much info as I can but I found your thread and thought I'd ask.

[catfamily]

i'm sorry that i don't know but i do know how in tune you are with your cats,like myself,i watch them constantly when i can and almost analize them if i see anything that isn't normal to that individual cat.
my husband doesn't see the things that i do...then later finding i was right he knows how in tune i am with them like you.
to me...it would of scared me also,seeing the tremor...i feel so bad that your kitty mat have this.
i usually to put lysine in all the cans of catfood that i open.it's great that you do that.
maybe it isn't CH but it could be a mild start of it...just keep an eye out and try not to worry to much.

hoping your doing great otherwise Laura

[critters]

It shouldn't be CH newly appearing in a 7 YO. That doesn't mean, however, that something else can't be causing CH-like signs. I'd just keep an eye out in case of further changes.

[Medusa]

My Creamsicle has vestibular hyoplasia which means that the CH also caused deafness. She had all the symptoms of CH and they were so severe that, in the beginning, I feared that her only relief would be to have her PTS. She couldn't stand or eat on her own because her head swung violently back and forth like a pendulum. When she finally could walk, she could only walk in circles. She improved greatly over time, though, and now only falls when she gets too excited. So don't lose hope. My Siamese, Coco Puff, has a slight case of CH and it didn't reveal itself for at least 3 months after he was born, if I remember correctly. I came home from work one day and found him sitting on my kitchen counter top, staring into space and I couldn't get him to snap out of it. He had that slight tremor in his head that you mentioned. After being examined by the vet, it was determined that he, too, is a CH kitty. Now, though, you'd never know it. He hasn't had an episode since and he's so strong! This may be the only symptom that your kitty ever has, although, obviously, I can't say that for sure. My vet, who has since retired, told me that the CH had been caused by a herpes virus yet none of the other kittens that I had rescued during the time I rescued both Creamsicle and Coco Puff ever developed CH. So I don't know. I hope this helps you even if just a little.

[critters]

My vet, who has since retired, told me that the CH had been caused by a herpes virus yet none of the other kittens that I had rescued during the time I rescued both Creamsicle and Coco Puff ever developed CH. .

Are you sure he didn't say distemper, AKA panleukopenia?

[Medusa]

Are you sure he didn't say distemper, AKA panleukopenia?

Absolutely positive.

[Laura's Babies]

Sounds like you have some better answers that what I have. I simply don't know the answer to that. The only experience I have is with Amy's condition that SHE has and I am sure every case is different.

But thanks for bringing this thread forward again. It could hepl do further educating to some that have never heard of CH before.

To add to this thread, updating on Amy. After having Nancy (pet psychic) read Amy and finding out she hurt like she had arthritis all over, and at her suggestion, I now have her on Cosequin for arthritis and it has made a noticable differance in how she feels. It has helped her so much! She still trembles, jerks and falls over but I can see in her face and how she gets around that she isn't in as much pain as before.

[Medusa]

To add to this thread, updating on Amy. After having Nancy (pet psychic) read Amy and finding out she hurt like she had arthritis all over, and at her suggestion, I now have her on Cosequin for arthritis and it has made a noticable differance in how she feels. It has helped her so much! She still trembles, jerks and falls over but I can see in her face and how she gets around that she isn't in as much pain as before.

Y'know, this makes sense. Imagine if you were falling down every day; it would stand to reason that you'd be in pain as if you had arthritis. I'm glad Amy is doing better in that way.

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks for everybody's responses!

My Siamese, Coco Puff, has a slight case of CH and it didn't reveal itself for at least 3 months after he was born, if I remember correctly. I came home from work one day and found him sitting on my kitchen counter top, staring into space and I couldn't get him to snap out of it. He had that slight tremor in his head that you mentioned. After being examined by the vet, it was determined that he, too, is a CH kitty. Now, though, you'd never know it. He hasn't had an episode since and he's so strong! This may be the only symptom that your kitty ever has, although, obviously, I can't say that for sure. My vet, who has since retired, told me that the CH had been caused by a herpes virus yet none of the other kittens that I had rescued during the time I rescued both Creamsicle and Coco Puff ever developed CH. So I don't know. I hope this helps you even if just a little.

That is so interesting! Does Coco Puff have the Herpes virus and does he have outbreaks when stressd?

Your description of Coco Puff reminded me of Paddy. I have also seen his head do this tremor thing, only one time though and very slightly. I've also found him staring in a locked gaze at nothing a couple of times. I've never found Stinky doing this though. I contributed the staring to OCD because of the aggressiveness we were dealing with and his overgrooming. Hallucinating was another symptom on a few websites I checked out. But the tremor thing, I don't know what that would be related to. I have (like so many of us) so much on my plate with serious health concerns with my cats (cancer, asthma, IBD etc..) that when something new presents itself and doesn't happen more than twice, I tend to leave it but continue to watch for it to reappear at which point I'll decide if we need to go to the vet.
Both Stinky and Paddy seem fine otherwise (aside from her Herpes outbreaks and his OCD issues that is!) Paddy was tested for the usual things like FIV before we adopted him but there is no record of herpes, though this may be something he also has.

To add to this thread, updating on Amy. After having Nancy (pet psychic) read Amy and finding out she hurt like she had arthritis all over, and at her suggestion, I now have her on Cosequin for arthritis and it has made a noticable differance in how she feels. It has helped her so much! She still trembles, jerks and falls over but I can see in her face and how she gets around that she isn't in as much pain as before.

I'm so glad that Amy is doing well on the Cosequin. Like Medusa said, it makes sense that her muscles would be sore from falling over. I was also thinking that all that jerkiness must really tax the muscles as well with constant contractions. I wonder if full body massages would help her too? I've often wanted to learn how to do animal massage, targeting certain areas with proper techniques etc.. to give relief to my older dog Muddy. I think there are videos available about massaging pets.

[Medusa]

Thanks for everybody's responses!



That is so interesting! Does Coco Puff have the Herpes virus and does he have outbreaks when stressd?

No, he doesn't have any outbreaks and neither does Creamsicle. My vet showed me how to tell if your cat has brain damage, even if slight. Hold your cat firmly by the hindquarters and allow his/her head and front legs to dangle. If s/he puts his/her legs straight out, no damage. If she wobbles and thrashes and the legs go in every direction, brain damage. (Not a wobble that indicates struggling to get away; a wobble that indicates unsureness.) I can't even do it w/Creamsicle because she's so spastic but I can w/Coco Puff and he does indeed have a slight wobble.

[Medusa]

Sadly, the reason it seems 'more common' in the northeast is because Texas and other southern states still have far too many vets, shelter personnel and others that do not recognize a possible CH kitten when they see one.

When confronted with a kitten who has CH many vets diagnose rabies, brain tumor, neurological disorder, toxoplasmosis. The prevailing opinion of these vets is that a kitten will be doomed to a life of misery or that the prognosis is 'poor'. Kittens w/ CH turned into shelters are euth'd without a second thought. Kittens taken to personal vets often suffer the same fate when client is told of the 'poor prognosis and much suffering'.

I heartily second this opinion! When I first found Creamsicle sick inside one of the outdoor shelters that I had set up, I thought she was dead. She was 6 weeks old and when I shook her, she didn't move. I shook her again and startled her. She struggled to get up and immediately fell over. My vet was out of town and one of his associates took her case and, while I was at work, he called to tell me that he thought she might have rabies and should be PTS. When I asked how it would be done, he said that her veins were too tiny to inject a needle and that he would have to directly inject her heart. I said "Don't touch her! I'm leaving work right now to come and get her." He said that he wouldn't treat her at all but I didn't trust him, so I called back on my cell phone and stayed on the line until I got to the animal hospital. I waited until my vet came back into town, meanwhile taking care of Creamsicle as best I could, keeping her isolated in case she could transmit whatever it was that she had to my other cats. When my vet saw her, he admitted to being baffled but he wasn't one to just write an animal off. He stayed up all night researching her symptoms and he told me that she had a herpes virus that caused the symptoms. With good vet treatment and a lot of love, she now is the happiest cat you'd ever want to see. At times, she can even be a bully w/my other cats! When she gets excited or scared, she reverts to walking frantically in circles and then, of course, she becomes even more spastic and falls a lot. I can't keep her from getting excited because feeding time gets her all worked up. But I can keep her from getting scared and I make sure that she feels as secure as possible. Yes, sometimes she tries to jump up onto the sofa or chair and she misses and she never lands on her feet. She's taken some lumps, that's for sure. But her determination and her sweet, sweet personality are unmatched by any of my other cats before or since adding her to my Fur Posse. Her deafness also means that she needs more stimulation than the other cats do and she loves to reach up and touch your face. I couldn't bear the thought of her doing that while she was being PTS. I couldn't have lived w/myself. She's also partially blind; she has no peripheral vision, so I'm thinking that she may have something other than CH but I don't know for sure. I also don't know for sure if it is indeed caused by a herpes virus. What I do know is that she is the most wonderful, loving, determined, spoiled little cat that I've ever had the pleasure of living with. (Well, she isn't so little any more. She's on Prednisolone for a skin allergy and she's chubbed up.) And she came in to my life at a time when I needed to be saved, too. We saved each other. If you have an opportunity to adopt a CH baby, I encourage you to do so. CH babies need more love than the average cat and they give it back to you a hundred times over.

[Medusa]

Sadly, the reason it seems 'more common' in the northeast is because Texas and other southern states still have far too many vets, shelter personnel and others that do not recognize a possible CH kitten when they see one.

When confronted with a kitten who has CH many vets diagnose rabies, brain tumor, neurological disorder, toxoplasmosis. The prevailing opinion of these vets is that a kitten will be doomed to a life of misery or that the prognosis is 'poor'. Kittens w/ CH turned into shelters are euth'd without a second thought. Kittens taken to personal vets often suffer the same fate when client is told of the 'poor prognosis and much suffering'.

I heartily second this opinion! When I first found Creamsicle sick inside one of the outdoor shelters that I had set up, I thought she was dead. She was 6 weeks old and when I shook her, she didn't move. I shook her again and startled her. She struggled to get up and immediately fell over. My vet was out of town and one of his associates took her case and, while I was at work, he called to tell me that he thought she might have rabies and should be PTS. When I asked how it would be done, he said that her veins were too tiny to inject a needle and that he would have to directly inject her heart. I said "Don't touch her! I'm leaving work right now to come and get her." He said that he wouldn't treat her at all but I didn't trust him, so I called back on my cell phone and stayed on the line until I got to the animal hospital. I waited until my vet came back into town, meanwhile taking care of Creamsicle as best I could, keeping her isolated in case she could transmit whatever it was that she had to my other cats. When my vet saw her, he admitted to being baffled but he wasn't one to just write an animal off. He stayed up all night researching her symptoms and he told me that she had a herpes virus that caused the symptoms. With good vet treatment and a lot of love, she now is the happiest cat you'd ever want to see.

At times, she can even be a bully w/my other cats! When she gets excited or scared, she reverts to walking frantically in circles and then, of course, she becomes even more spastic and falls a lot. I can't keep her from getting excited because feeding time gets her all worked up. But I can keep her from getting scared and I make sure that she feels as secure as possible. Yes, sometimes she tries to jump up onto the sofa or chair and she misses and she never lands on her feet. She's taken some lumps, that's for sure. But her determination and her sweet, sweet personality are unmatched by any of my other cats before or since adding her to my Fur Posse.

Her deafness also means that she needs more stimulation than the other cats do and she loves to reach up and touch your face. I couldn't bear the thought of her doing that while she was being PTS. I couldn't have lived w/myself. She's also partially blind; she has no peripheral vision, so I'm thinking that she may have something other than CH but I don't know for sure. I also don't know for sure if it is indeed caused by a herpes virus. What I do know is that she is the most wonderful, loving, determined, spoiled little cat that I've ever had the pleasure of living with. (Well, she isn't so little any more. She's on Prednisolone for a skin allergy and she's chubbed up.) And she came in to my life at a time when I needed to be saved, too. We saved each other. If you have an opportunity to adopt a CH baby, I encourage you to do so. CH babies need more love than the average cat and they give it back to you a hundred times over.