Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with hydrocephalus and syringomyelia walks after shunt surgery
By Tani, K et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2001·Department of Veterinary Surgery, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hydrocephalus and syringomyelia in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 3-month-old male Japanese cat was unable to stand due to neurological issues caused by hydrocephalus (fluid buildup in the brain) and syringomyelia (fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord), which were diagnosed using MRI. Despite his condition, he was managed with medical treatment for several months. Eventually, he underwent surgery to place a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, which helped drain excess fluid. One week after the surgery, his neurological condition improved significantly, and follow-up MRIs showed that the fluid buildup had decreased. The cat was able to walk well and was doing much better overall.
People also search for: cat hydrocephalus treatment · cat syringomyelia symptoms · Japanese cat unable to stand · cat surgery recovery · cat neurological issues
Abstract
A 3-month-old male Japanese cat with feline parvovirus infection, showing central and cervical nerve abnormalities, was diagnosed as hydrocephalus and syringomyelia by use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The cat was maintained clinically by medical treatment even though he could not stand. The MRI scans obtained about 5 months later showed that the ventricles had increased in size and the cervical syrinx had extended into the thoracic spinal cord. Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt was performed. One week after surgery, neurological conditions had improved. At the postoperative MR images, the ventricles had decreased in size and the syrinx in the cervical and thoracic spinal cord could no longer be seen. The cat was still alive and was able to walk well.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11789613/