Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with hydrocephalus and low sodium from hormone imbalance
By Shiel, Robert E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2009·School of Agriculture·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion associated with congenital hydrocephalus in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 13-month-old male bichon frise was brought to the vet because he was having intermittent seizures, unsteady movements, unusual behavior, and drinking and urinating a lot. The vet found that he had low sodium levels and discovered he had severe hydrocephalus, which is an abnormal buildup of fluid in the brain. By restricting his water intake, the dog's sodium levels improved, and his symptoms became less severe. This case highlights the importance of checking for brain issues when diagnosing certain hormonal problems in dogs.
People also search for: bichon frise seizures · dog drinking a lot and urinating · hydrocephalus treatment in dogs
Abstract
A 13-month-old, male bichon frise was examined for the investigation of intermittent seizures, ataxia, abnormal behavior, polyuria, and polydipsia. At presentation, clinical and neurological examinations were unremarkable with the exception of mild truncal ataxia and a domed skull. Severe hyponatremia and hypoosmolality were identified, and following diagnostic testing a diagnosis of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) was made. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed changes consistent with severe hydrocephalus. Water restriction resulted in increased serum osmolality and a reduction in severity of clinical signs. The current case report documents SIADH associated with hydrocephalus in a dog. Structural brain disease should be excluded before a diagnosis of idiopathic SIADH is made.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19723849/