Adopt a Chow Chow / Shar Pei / Mixed (short coat)
Freedom the Dog needs a home
Meet Freedom! Freedom was born on 9/11. This very special girl is an adorable little cuddler. She loves to be held or lay on the couch with you. Freedom is very calm and smart. She already knows how to sit and is crate trained. House training is also going well, but she will need some more time and patience. Freedom does love to play, but her activity level is low. She has been diagnosed with cerebellar hypoplasia. Freedom was extremely wobbly and had a hard time with fine and gross motor skills when she was very small. She has since overcome and compensated for these problems. She will always be unsteady on her feet so will need a calm home. Her foster says she looks like she is rocking to the music in her head.
Freedom will live a full and happy life despite her minor disability. She is great with kids, cats, and dogs. A home with another dog is a must for her. She needs the company when her human family maybe away. Could you be her furever family?
https://youtu.be/ZfHEeDp1JUQ
No out of state adoptions please.
Not spayed yet. Available for pre-adoption.
To apply to adopt this pet please fill out a Preliminary Adoption Application at http://streetpaws.org/adoption-application/. This application does not commit you to an adoption. It is used to screen those interested to make sure the home is a good match for the pet. We verify vet history on current/previous pets to ensure pets have been spayed/neutered and vaccinated annually. Our adoption fee is $250 for all of our dogs. They have been given age-appropriate vaccinations, are spayed/neutered, dewormed, received flea prevention, heartworm tested and treated if necessary, and micro-chipped.
What is Cerebellar Hypoplasia?
The symptoms of cerebellar hypoplasia are often not noticed at birth, and may not be noticed until the pet begins to be more active from around 6 weeks of age. Incoordination, jerky movements, and tremors may indicate the condition.
Although there is no treatment for this disorder, often pets can go on to live quality lives. As this disorder can present similarly to other conditions it is important to discuss any concerns you may have that your pet is suffering from this disorder with your veterinarian.
The cerebellum is the part of the brain responsible for coordination, balance and depth perception. Cerebellar hypoplasia is a congenital disorder in which the cerebellum is not completely matured at birth. This can be caused by a genetic disposition that affects some canine breeds or a number of conditions affecting the pregnant bitch, such as infection, poisoning, and malnutrition.
Symptoms of Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Dogs
This condition is often noticed from about 6 weeks of age, as dogs begin to gain more movement. This disease is characterized by its non-progressive cerebellar signs. The symptoms your pet suffers from can vary greatly between cases. The symptoms include:
Nystagmus
Incoordination
Ataxia and dysmetria
Intention tremor (tremor that increases at the end of a deliberate movement) of the head and eyes
Wide stance
Disequilibrium (the sensation of being off balance)
Causes of Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Dogs
In order to understand the symptoms your pet may be suffering from it is important to understand the role of the cerebellum in the canine. The cerebellum is located in the lower part of the brain and is part of the metencephalon. This part of the brain is responsible for coordinating muscle activity and establishing muscle tone. Therefore, disorders of this structure may prevent it from functioning properly, causing symptoms such as head tremors, incoordination of the limbs and abnormal posture.
This condition most commonly affects the following breeds
Chow chows
Airedales
Irish Setters
Boston Terrier
Irish Setters
As well as a genetic disposition this condition can be caused by intra-utero infection such as herpes virus, environmental toxins, or poor nutrition during pregnancy.
Diagnosis of Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Dogs
Your veterinarian will perform a full clinical examination, including a neurological examination, on your pet and discuss his history with you. Factors such as the age of your pet when symptoms were first noticed and your pet’s breed may be considered diagnostic features. Your veterinarian may choose to utilise magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain to confirm the condition; however, often the diagnosis is made from presenting symptoms that do not worsen or change and a negative result to parvovirus testing. In post-mortems of animals suffering from this disease, the condition may be seen by a symmetrically smaller cerebellum.
It is important to differentiate this condition from another cerebellar disease, cerebellar degeneration or cortical abiotrophy. This disease may be suspected as similar symptoms present at a similar age, between 4 - 16 weeks of age. Unlike cerebellar hypoplasia, this disease is progressive due to ongoing reduction in cell populations in the cerebellum.
Other cerebellar diseases that may need to be ruled out include:
Inflammatory diseases, such as meningitis
Toxin ingestion
Trauma during birth or early life
Metabolic disease that may have degenerative effects
Treatment of Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Dogs
Unfortunately, there is no treatment for this disease, although many animals who are born with this condition make excellent companion pets. Due to the nature of the disease the symptoms should not worsen for your pet.
Recovery of Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Dogs
To manage this condition for your pet, it is vital that you understand your pet’s physical limitations, your veterinarian will be able to discuss these with you. As your pet may have difficulty controlling movement, you may need to assist your pet when eating and drinking.
For many pets with this condition self-trauma is the most common complication. In order to reduce the incidences of self-harm, providing your pet with a safe environment is an essential part of the management of this disease. Due to the imbalance and wide stance, stairs and uneven ground may cause a hazard. A non-slip, flat surface is an ideal environment for your pet.
In very severe cases of the disease, the reduced life quality caused by this condition may result in your veterinarian recommending euthanasia for humane reasons. As this is often a genetic condition it is important that the parents of this pet are not bred further due to the chance of future litters inheriting this condition.
- Animal: Dog
- Breed:
Chow Chow / Shar Pei / Mixed (short coat)
- Size: Medium
- Gender: Female
- State: Georgia
- Zip/Postal Code: 30253
