Cerebellar hypoplasia

[lehughes]

This is my first suspected cerebellar hypoplasia case in a dog. Mr wiggles cannot sit, stand, walk or crawl. He sorta "bounces" while scooting though. He needs assistance to get to his food and water and to go potty. His tremors get worse with movement (as expected. ) Even in a quad cart he has poor purposeful movement and his feet get tangled up in each other and the cart.

He has nystagmus and bilateral carpal hyperextension. He has mild hyper mobility in his shoulders, stifles, and tarsal joints too but they aren't bad.

His previous vet said his growth would be stunted (doesn't appear to be, as he seems full grown at a lean 38#) and he would not make it past 18 mos old due to organ failure. Currently there are no signs of that (and don't know why they said that anyway) and he is doing well other than he is not very mobile. They encouraged her to euthanize him but she is devoted to him. She has been renting carts for him through his puppyhood and has a body harness for him. He has not seen a neurologist but his mom says her vet sent the neurologist a video to diagnose him. (But what mom said was that the nerve sheaths in the cerebral cortex didn't form properly. )

He is wearing a male wrap because his mom doesn't trust he is fully housebroken and she didn't want him to pee in her car. She has not trained him to do anything because of his mobility challenges but does not feel that he is incapable of learning.

Any pearls of wisdom for me? I am super excited to help this guy. He has had no formal rehab since birth.

SJ

[lehughes]

Hey S.!

Cerebellar ataxia is an topic I intend to cover in an upcoming FourLeg Video!
I had one little dog for whom I looked up what is typically done for people / kids with cerebellar hypoplasia and have come up with a bit of a plan!
Unfortunately, the document I created is at my clinic!

I do have the papers I pulled from:
Here’s the gist:
Balance exercises improve balance, mobility and gait.
Static & dynamic balance in sitting and standing.
Trunk-limb coordination
Gait training
Contracture prevention (ROM / Stretching).
Simultaneous moving of arms and legs
Standing practice (feet close together) - ie on a plank for a dog (eyes open… then eyes closed)
Unilateral stance (one leg standing) - (I’d do hemi-standing)
Any balance challenges
Resistance training (if / when able)
Strengthening (particularly for hind limb / pelvic muscles)
Mini trampoline (just stand on it while you bounce / push on the surface)
Walking practice (for a dog, could use a treadmill)
Body awareness (a suit, ace bandage wraps, a ‘onesie’ if it’s a small dog.
I’d add in playing: tug, rolling a ball, chewing a bone/kong, digging, etc.

For your case, I’d add in vestibulo-occular exercises (hold head, move a treat - so he focuses with his eyes; move treat and allow head to move. Use an ‘H’ pattern.)
Sounds like you’ll need to do lots of ‘bed mobility’ (i.e. put him in a posture and then work on balance, and head movement / following a treat).

AND from the book I’m currently listening to, try lasering the daylights out of his neck… to irradiate the blood that will supply the brain. MIGHT help with healing.

Sounds like one of those cases where you do a lot of trial and error to see where you can make a gain!

Have fun! (And take videos if you would please! It could make a great FourLeg Video!)

Cheers,

Laurie

[lehughes]

Thank you! I will certainly see what I can do in this guy. It's a bit challenging in that the only position he can maintain without assistance is sternal recumbency. Yes, lots of "bed mobility!" Got the owner doing the eye exercises and we did a bunch of laser on his neck!

Thanks again!

S.