Cerebellar hypoplasia is a disorder found in cats and dogs in which the cerebellum is not completely mature at birth.
Usually symptoms of cerebellar hypoplasia 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 bacterialinfections, 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. The disease does not get better or worse with age, but the cat or dog can usually learn to somewhat compensate for it. Most afflicted animals can lead a fairly normal life with if special considerations for the animal's disability are taken by the pet's owner.
Hypoplasia and atrophy secondary to an in utero or perinatal viral infection [62].
Cerebellar abiotrophy (see cerebellar cortical abiotrophies) is a post-natal degenerative disorder associated with an intrinsic developmental abnormality of various neurons, especially Purkinje cells, causing their premature death [62].
Cerebellar agenesis or hypoplasia in conjunction with hydrocephalus and hydranencephaly has also been reported in kittens secondary to in utero parvovirus infection, possibly due to vaccination that occurred late in the first, or early in the second, trimester of pregnancy [74].
Feeds |
Contact