CH Cats, cerebellar hypoplasia, cerebellar hypoplasia in cats. Cerebellar ataxia in cats: causes, symptoms, treatment, recovery period and veterinary advice

There are several reasons why you can directly encounter ataxia. Some can be prevented, the likelihood of others depends little on us, but we need to know about them at least in order to quickly respond if necessary:

• genetic inheritance;
• infectious diseases, causing pathologies CNS and brain;
• cerebral edema;
• traumatic brain injuries;
• severe poisoning with toxins, household chemicals;
• hunger or systematic malnutrition;
• acute deficiency of B vitamins and folic acid.

The main reason for the manifestation of pathology is genetic inheritance. Although in the case of acquired ataxia it is more difficult to identify the most common cause:

• consequences of the ear diseases, in particular otitis media;
• traumatic brain injuries, which may take several years to affect;
• the appearance of various neoplasms;
• complication after certain infectious diseases;
• hypovitaminosis B12 and folic acid.

Types of ataxia

Ataxia is divided into several types, depending on the affected area:

1. Sensitive. Affects the cat's ability to bend and straighten its joints. Chances of cure only with the earliest possible diagnosis;
2. Cerebellar. It can be static (loss of balance) or dynamic (impaired movement). It starts with small manifestations of awkwardness and maintaining balance. In the case of a genetic factor, it is incurable, with traumatic cause the chances of recovery are real;
3. Vestibular. It starts with all movements becoming slow and very careful. For more late stages the body tilt changes to the left or right side, the animal stops moving straight.

There are two main types of vestibular disorders in cats. They are divided into peripheral and central disorders. The central disorder occurs in the brain, and the peripheral disorder occurs in the inner ear. Usually, the central disorder has an organic cause and when it is eliminated, the disorder stops. The main symptoms of vestibular disorder in cats:

• falls;
• loss of coordination;
• tilting the head to one side;
• movement in a circle, rocking;
• stumbling on level surfaces;
• constant and frequent movement of the eyes in different directions (nystagmus).

General symptoms

Except individual signs diseases characteristic only of one of its forms, there are several common symptoms, by which ataxia can be determined:

The most obvious symptom of ataxia is a violation motor activity. This may manifest itself in one of the options described below, although most often they complement each other:

• trembling and/or sudden angular movements. The entire body or individual parts (head, paws) can be involved. It usually appears when the pet is trying to concentrate on some task (eating, changing direction);
• lack of control over the body. The cat can move straight ahead quite well, but is incapable of any sudden change of direction (jump, turn, descent or ascent). In more severe cases the pet is powerless to reproduce the sequence of the simplest movements, staggering and falling even while remaining in place;
• poor spatial orientation. The animal is unable to correctly calculate the distance to objects, constantly bumping into them.

Diagnostics

Ataxia is often obvious to a professional veterinarian when initial examination. But to fully understand the situation, it is necessary to collect all the anamnesis data. Have there been any injuries (even several years ago), how and what does the cat eat, what severe infections has it suffered? If possible, how her mother’s pregnancy progressed. Examination of the ears with an otoscope is mandatory.

X-rays, ultrasound, or even an MRI will be needed to confirm the diagnosis and identify or rule out tumors, hemorrhage, or swelling of the brain. In some cases, if you suspect a brain infection or spinal cord, you need to do a cerebrospinal fluid analysis.

Only a physiological examination and study of the animal’s medical history can help in diagnosing disorders of the vestibular apparatus. Along with the examination inner ear cats must also be carried out full complex neurological examinations. A blood test will evaluate general state pet health.

Perhaps it will help find out the cause of the vestibular disorder. It is recommended to conduct a complete blood test, including biochemical and sugar content. It would be nice to have the results of a urine test (general and Nechiporenko) to determine the normal functioning of the liver and kidneys, to rule out the toxic nature of the disorder.

If the disease cannot be diagnosed even after these tests, then it may be necessary to spinal tap, MRI, skull x-ray. If the results of these tests are negative, then central vestibular disorder can be safely excluded from the list possible reasons diseases, despite the similarity in the manifestation of symptoms.

However, since we are talking about vestibular syndrome, it is very important to determine what type of vestibular disorder your pet is suffering from. And all this is definitely a prerequisite for a pet treatment program.

Treatment of ataxia in cats

In the case of a genetic cause, it is only possible death. Most often, veterinarians offer timely care without waiting for complications to occur (constant headaches, attacks with loss of consciousness, spasms, inability to feed independently).

If the cause is traumatic or tumor, then the chances of long life more real and largely depend on early diagnosis. Most often, antispasmodic and sedative drugs and B vitamins are prescribed. Surgical intervention is possible.

It should be remembered that even in case of recovery, the cat will no longer be the same, since brain injuries never go away without a trace, and the owner needs to be prepared for the fact that the animal may be left with limited capabilities.

In general, vestibular disorders do not require treatment or require only minor treatment. Symptomatic, as a rule. Usually, in case of nausea in an animal with this disease, drugs such as diphenhydramine, miklesin, no-spa, riabal, cerucal, etc. are recommended. They will help your pet cope with the consequences “ seasickness" If the basis of the disease is idiopathic, then healing will take longer (several weeks).

The most important thing in vestibular disorder is to exclude dangerous situations when a cat can harm itself. Preferably on initial stage diseases visit veterinarian. He can appoint medications, which will help the animal endure the disease more comfortably, and will give you competent advice.

Treatment on an outpatient basis and at home

Consequence of damage to either the posterior columns of the spinal cord, or its roots, or peripheral nerves. The same is true for pathologies of the parietal lobe cortex and thalamus.

Tumors and diseases of the intervertebral discs in cats also affect the development of sensitive ataxia.

The main problem is that the animal is not able to bend and straighten its limbs at the joints. The ability to consciously determine the direction of movement is lost.

There is pain in the neck and back area, movements are also painful, and the cat tries to move as little as possible. At severe form defeat, any movement is simply impossible.

If the brain is damaged in a small part, and treatment was prescribed as quickly as possible early stage, there is a chance that the animal will return to normal healthy life.

Prevention of ataxia

Despite the fatality of this disease, you still have too many conditions in your hands for a full and healthy life for your pet.

Have you noticed that your cat is starting to have problems with coordination of movements? This condition may be associated with damage to the cerebellum, which is responsible for orientation in space.

Causes of cerebellar ataxia in cats

Cerebellar ataxia in cats, it usually appears immediately after birth and is caused by maternal panleukopenia during gestation. The cause of the disease in an adult animal can be:
lack of thiamine (vitamin B1) in the body. The reason may be fresh River fish- it contains an enzyme that destroys thiamine;
skull injury;
tumor, cerebral edema;
otitis;
poisoning;

Overheating;

Encephalitis;

Damage to the brain stem;

Spinal cord injury;

Cerebellar atrophy;

Spinal disc disease.

Symptoms of ataxia in cats

There are several types of pathology depending on the location - cerebellar, vestibular, sensitive, psychogenic and frontal ataxia. According to the severity of the course:
ataxia in mild form is manifested by a change in gait, cats sometimes fall, but in general special problems not visible;
at moderate form disease, the animal’s movement is difficult, the cat often falls;
With severe ataxia, the animal can no longer walk independently.
At the first stage of the disease clinical symptoms are expressed by a noticeable lack of coordination of movements. Cats move quite confidently in a straight direction, but have difficulty turning. The animal has difficulty walking up the stairs and often bumps into obstacles. When walking, it is noticeable that in order to take the next step, the cat needs to concentrate and transfer its weight to the supporting limb. Frequent or too sharp turns of the head cause dizziness and loss of sense of reality. IN calm state trembling may occur.

Localization of damage in ataxia

Ataxia is often caused by the following damage: - cerebellum.
- spinal cord.
- sensory nerves.
- vestibular system.

Important questions for ataxia

How long does the cat last?
Did ataxia begin to appear after the injury?
Has the cat eaten chemicals or poison?
Are there other symptoms?
Were there any birth injuries when the kitten was born?
Was the cat sick? infectious diseases? Are there any kittens with ataxia in the litter?

Diagnosis of ataxia in a cat

If you notice the symptoms listed above in your cat, get ready before you carry out medical checkup, the doctor will ask you the following questions:
Is there a similar pathology in your pet’s family?
Could the cat have been poisoned by poison or household chemicals?
Did the animal fall from the balcony?

In most cases, a visual examination is sufficient to diagnose ataxia, but to be completely sure, the veterinarian must rule out other diseases with similar symptoms. A general and biochemical blood test will reveal a lack of macro- and microelements. Inspection ears will provide not only material for cytological examination, but will also allow us to draw a conclusion about the presence of otitis, the consequence of which is a lack of coordination.
X-ray is not the best informative method diagnostics, but with its help it is possible to determine skull trauma, internal secretory otitis, neoplasms in the inner and middle ear. A more accurate picture will be shown by CT or MRI.

Treatment of cerebellar ataxia in cats

Treatment of the disease depends solely on the nature of the change in the cat's behavior.
In case of poisoning, it is imperative to find out what could have poisoned the animal. In any case, the cat will be assigned Activated carbon, absorbing toxin. Injections with supporting compounds are often indicated.
An animal with a skull injury should be taken to a veterinary hospital immediately. If the brain is damaged, there is a high probability that the cat will die or become a “vegetable” forever. In such cases, only euthanasia is recommended. If the injury is compatible with life, then immediate surgery will be needed.
The deficiency of thiamine is compensated for by a balanced feed that does not contain thiaminase, with B1 injections.
Brain hypoplasia cannot be treated in any way, but often does not progress. An animal with ataxia will live its entire cat life and can even have completely healthy offspring. Such a cat, of course, will never be able to show its former activity and playfulness. However, your pet will be just as friendly and affectionate.
Lysosomal disease also cannot be treated, but the prognosis for the future of the animal is very unfavorable. Sometimes it is possible to maintain a cat on a diet for a while, but this will not last long and, ultimately, it will die.
Diuretics and corticosteroids for hydrocephalus can somewhat reduce inflammation, but there is no prospect of even a slight improvement in the condition.
If the brain tumor is amenable to chemotherapy or there is hope for success surgery, then the chance for complete cure small, but still there. Otherwise, nothing short of euthanasia will alleviate the suffering of the animal.

Many kittens exhibit unusual behavior almost immediately after birth. Pet owners often notice strange movements of small kittens associated with poor coordination of movements. Cerebellar ataxia in cats appears at any age, but most often the symptoms of the disease are observed when the animal is just taking its first steps.

The disease can be either acquired or hereditary. This disease is associated with hypoplasia of the cerebellum, a part of the brain responsible for coherence of movements, balance coordination and muscle memory. Cats with ataxia find it difficult to navigate and move in space on their own - with severe damage to the cerebellum, the pet becomes dependent on the owner.

“Can ataxia in cats be cured?” - many people ask a similar question. But the success of treatment depends on the stage of the disease (mild, moderate, severe). Veterinarians also distinguish several types of ataxia:

• cerebellar;
• vestibular;
• spinal;
• propriorective.

Cerebellar ataxia can be congenital or acquired; during the disease, damage to the structures of the medulla oblongata occurs, which is expressed in serious symptoms. Vestibular ataxia is diagnosed in adult animals; its appearance is provoked by brain tumors and lesions of the inner ear apparatus.

The spinal type of the disease occurs as a result of a violation of the structure of the spinal cord. Lesions of the roots and peripheral nerves of the spinal cord and tumors intervertebral discs influence the development of proprioreceptive (sensitive) ataxia. Success further treatment largely depends on the correct diagnosis.

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

After studying the section on what it is - ataxia in cats, a logical question arises regarding methods for diagnosing and treating the disease. Diagnosis of the disease begins with identifying and analyzing the following symptoms:

• unsteady gait;
• change in head position;
• problems with distance estimation;
• tremor when walking or running;
• presence of nystagmus (rapid eye movements);
• severe headaches.

Most symptoms of ataxia in cats are determined visually, if present. negative manifestations Pet owners should consult a doctor as soon as possible. To confirm the diagnosis, the veterinarian conducts diagnostics, including collecting basic tests and drawing up a detailed medical history.

The specialist examines all medical history data and groups information about previous injuries, severe infections and viral diseases. The veterinarian finds out whether the cat's mother has been infected during pregnancy. An examination of the ears and a visual analysis of the kitten’s behavior are carried out. An MRI examination will confirm or refute the presence of pathology.

How to treat ataxia in a cat? The disease associated with congenital underdevelopment of the cerebellum cannot be treated. But modern medicine offers therapeutic programs that will help your pet better tolerate the symptoms of the disease - games to improve fine motor skills and development of animal coordination.

The acquired form of the disease can be cured with medication. The following medications and methods are used to treat ataxia in cats at home:

• vitamin B complexes;
• antibiotics (fighting infections);
• diuretics (improving the outflow excess liquid in the brain);
• droppers from saline solutions(for intoxication);
• physiotherapy and massage.

Causes of the disease

The disease in question can be congenital or acquired. Congenital form The disease sometimes develops due to the kitten's hereditary genetic predisposition. Damage to the cerebellum occurs in sick kittens during the period of intrauterine development.

This situation arises due to the influence negative factors on the mother's body during pregnancy. If a pregnant cat has suffered from panleukopenia, then the cubs develop cerebellar hypoplasia, which cannot be cured.

The causes of the acquired form of the disease form a more extensive list. Ataxia can develop for the following reasons:

• past infections causing central nervous system pathologies;
• serious inflammatory processes;
• severe chemical poisoning;
• constant malnutrition or hunger;
• helminthic infestation;
• traumatic brain injury (fall from height);
• swelling and tumors of the brain.

Previously, cubs with ataxia were euthanized in most cases, since the disease had not been studied. IN modern world problem pets are increasingly found loving owners, which can make it easier negative symptoms diseases.

Ataxia in cats - serious illness, imposing restrictions on the life of a pet. However, many people willingly take pets into their home with similar disease, because ataxia only causes damage to the cerebellum, but does not affect the mental abilities and memory of the four-legged friend.

Cats with congenital cerebellar hypoplasia are distinguished by special behavior: they are affectionate, kind and quickly become attached to their owners due to their dependence on human help. The demand for these animals is closely related to their friendly nature.

Ataxia is a coordination disorder. As a symptom very often accompanies diseases after damage to the central nervous system(CNS). In addition, the cat does not exhibit any chaotic movements, convulsions or paralysis. Muscle tone in the paws it is either completely normal or very slightly reduced.

Ataxia can be static or dynamic. In the first case, the animal is not able to maintain balance even while standing still, and in the second, the cat is thrown from side to side, but only while moving. It is divided into 3 broad groups depending on the location of the lesion.

Cerebellar ataxia

In this case, the pathology of motor skills was provoked either by a genetic factor with a developmental defect in the structures of the brain, or by a mother cat who fell ill with panleukopenia for later pregnancy.

Hypoplasia of the cerebellum occurs, which controls coordination and regulates voluntary and involuntary movements.

The unusual nature of the kitten becomes obvious when the kids grow up and become active. And in some cases, particularly attentive owners can detect violations immediately after birth. Most cats with cerebellar ataxia move sideways or diagonally.

Cerebellar ataxia differs from other types of ataxia: nystagmus - involuntary very rapid movements of the eyes, trembling of the head when the animal is focused on something, and tremor of the back of the body during movement. When the cerebellar vermis is damaged, static-locomotor ataxia develops.

According to the severity, it can occur in mild form, moderate and severe. With mild, falls occur periodically, the cat actively walks and runs, with moderate, movements are not easy for the animal, the cat often falls, but still moves. And the severe degree does not even allow you to get up on your paws.

Unfortunately, the disease cannot be treated. But with proper care, a kitten has every chance of living as long as a normal one. healthy cat. He does not experience any pain, his intelligence is completely preserved, and after the age of 1 year, movements become more coordinated and consistent. If deterioration begins, this only means that ataxia has been joined by another neurological disease with similar symptoms.

By nature, cats with cerebellar ataxia are very affectionate and friendly. Owners of such animals note their unusual intelligence, close emotional connection and strong affection. Throughout its life, a cat perceives its owner or mistress as a big mother.

Reference!

Kittens with to varying degrees cerebellar lesions.

Vestibular ataxia

The diagnosis is made in two cases: with an affected structure of the inner ear and with tumors of the brain stem or medulla oblongata.

Animals over 10 years of age are most susceptible to the disease. The cat has difficulty standing, can walk in circles, or fall over on one side.

The head is either thrown back or tilted towards the affected side. Movements are slow and careful. Concomitant strabismus and nystagmus are often found, and in some cases there is also periodic vomiting.

The appearance of vestibular ataxia is provoked by:

• otitis;
• brain tumors;
• bacterial infections and abscesses of the ear canal;
• too intense and traumatic to the ears;
• medication overdose;
• use of aminoglycoside antibiotics;
• liver or kidney dysfunction (in rare cases).

Attention!

Cat with a stricken vestibular apparatus may periodically sit in the corner, pressing his forehead against the wall. We often see this exact pose of the animal in a series of “funny” photos. Meanwhile, the pet suffers from a severe headache and is in dire need of veterinary care.

Sensitive ataxia (proprioceptive)

The consequence of damage to either the posterior columns of the spinal cord, or its roots, or peripheral nerves. The same is true for pathologies of the parietal lobe cortex and thalamus.

Tumors and diseases of the intervertebral discs in cats also affect the development of sensitive ataxia.

The main problem is that the animal is not able to bend and straighten its limbs at the joints. The ability to consciously determine the direction of movement is lost.

There is pain in the neck and back area, movements are also painful, and the cat tries to move as little as possible. In severe cases, any movement is simply impossible.

If the brain is damaged in a small part, and treatment was prescribed as quickly as possible at an early stage, there is a chance that the animal will return to normal healthy life.

Causes of ataxia in cats

There are several reasons why you can directly encounter ataxia. Some can be prevented, the likelihood of others depends little on us, but we need to know about them at least in order to quickly respond if necessary:

• genetic inheritance;
• infectious diseases causing pathologies of the central nervous system and brain;
• cerebral edema;
• traumatic brain injuries;
• severe poisoning with toxins, household chemicals;
• or systematic malnutrition;
• acute B vitamins and folic acid.

General symptoms

In addition to individual signs of the disease, characteristic only of one of its forms, there are several general symptoms by which ataxia can be identified:

Diagnostics

Often, to a professional veterinarian, ataxia is obvious upon initial examination. But to fully understand the situation, it is necessary to collect all the anamnesis data. Have there been any injuries (even several years ago), how and what does the cat eat, what severe infections has it suffered? If possible, how her mother’s pregnancy progressed. Examination of the ears with an otoscope is mandatory.

X-rays, ultrasound, or even an MRI will be needed to confirm the diagnosis and identify or rule out tumors, hemorrhage, or swelling of the brain. In some cases, if a brain or spinal cord infection is suspected, a cerebrospinal fluid test may be necessary.

Treatment on an outpatient basis and at home

The entire treatment regimen for ataxia, if possible and relevant, always directly depends on the root cause of the disease. Therefore, the list of prescriptions and dosages of drugs are never the same, even for the same form. And in this section we will provide only generally accepted medical recommendations in practice:

Important!

Please remember that any information on the Internet is for informational purposes only. Never prescribe medications to your cat without first examining and consulting a veterinarian.

Prevention of ataxia

Despite the fatality of this disease, you still have too many conditions in your hands for a full and healthy life for your pet.

Reference!

Problematic coordination of movements of a cat with ataxia is very well corrected physiotherapy. Exercise and play with the animal as often and for as long as possible. This not only brings him a lot positive emotions, but is also a necessity in case of illness.

Useful video

You can see how ataxia manifests itself in the video:

Conclusion

And finally, if you find a kitten on the street or adult cat with signs of ataxia, try to help them as much as you can. They deserve it happy life no less than other animals.

Never rush to “ease” the fate of an animal by euthanasia, except in the most indisputable cases. Often, when it seems to you that a cat or kitten is “suffering,” the animal may simply live and not even be aware of its problem.

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