shaky puppy syndrome

• 04-25-2008 10:40 AM

  jenny1 Joined on 04-22-2008 Posts 23 Points 0

  shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact Hi. does anyone have any info or point me in the right direction re shaky puppy syndrome? I never heard of it before.and neither has my vet. Pup concerned is a border terrier little girl, aged now about 9 weeks. The shaking was quite bad from the head and went down her body but as she became mobile, the shake seems to travel down her body towards her tail but the head is no longer affected. Someone told me about shaky puppy syndrome and said it may now be in the border terrier breed....but I never heard of it to start with. Any help here at all? thanx. rural north east scotland

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• 04-25-2008 10:58 AM

  In reply to jenny1

  JackieG Joined on 04-15-2008 Central Texas Posts 237 Points 105

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact Don't know if this is at all helpful but my Jack Russell Terrier was diagnosed with white shaker dog syndrome several years ago.  Treatment consisted of valium initially and then prednisone (steroid) for about a month.  Veterinary specialist said many dogs have to stay on the steroids for the rest of their lives but my dog was weaned off and has had only one relapse.  Treated with steroids for two weeks.  This may not be related in any way but thought it might give you some information.  Good luck with your puppy. JG

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• 04-25-2008 11:21 AM

  In reply to JackieG

  mrv Joined on 09-10-2007 west central OH Posts 2,680 Points 745

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact This is a congenital disorder (often involving the cerebellum Motor control).  It may be the white shaker syndrome or just intention tremors.  The condition may improve.  Some dogs live happily for years, others dont.  You just have to make the best decision you can.  My puppy was euthanized but two sisters with a more mild form are doing just fine (even working in agility).

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• 04-25-2008 10:02 PM

  In reply to jenny1

  janet_rose Joined on 09-10-2007 DFW area, Texas Posts 3,723 Points 330

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact jenny1: does anyone have any info or point me in the right direction re shaky puppy syndrome? The formal name for this syndrome is hypomyelination.  The parents should not be bred to each other again since the problem is thought to be a recessive gene (can also be a in utero infection). www.weimaraner.org/svwc/files/HypomyelinationWCWDCA.doc - Weimaraner hypomyelination Myelin is a substance produced by neurons that is important in promoting fast efficient conduction of signals down the nerve to the muscles to contract.  Without myelin, fine, more precise muscle control is not possible.  Hypomyelination has been described in several breeds of dogs. So far, a genetic defect has been found in all breeds studied, although the exact gene mutation appears to vary among breeds.  http://www.merckvetmanual.org/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/100500.htm - Merck Vet Manual These neurologic deficits [of hypomyelination] may be so severe in some animals that euthanasia is warranted. In some breeds of dogs, such as Chow Chows, the signs slowly dissipate over the first year of life, and the dogs are normal by 12-18 mo of age.  ...  Differential diagnoses include disorders that could cause tremors in young animals. The possibilities are numerous, but some of the more common include glycogen storage disease, lysosomal storage disease, cerebellar hypoplasia, encephalitis, hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia, hyperammonemia, toxins (eg, metaldehyde, organophosphates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, fluoroacetate, strychnine, hexachlorophene, bromethalin), and mycotoxins (eg, penitrem-A).

  Filed under: hypomyelination, shaky puppy syndrome Post Points: 0

• 04-26-2008 3:56 AM

  In reply to jenny1

  jenny1 Joined on 04-22-2008 Posts 23 Points 0

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact Hi. thanx for the reply. This condition is new to me and I can't find out any info at all...The puppy is living with a friend of mine...she called round last weekend and fell in love with the pup so took her home with her. My daughter owns the pups parents but it wasn't a planned litter and there was only this one puppy. We had decided to keep the pup and just see how things went on. The condition seemed to get worse when the puppy was hungry but apart from that, she is a happy little thing and plays and runs around with my dakkies. The pup went to the vets yesterday..not at all helpful.said she is happy just now but he doesn't know what the condition is and he doesn't think she will make it..then he told my friend she should take the dog back to the reeder and get her money back.as if anyone would sell a puppy that had such obvious problems!! The pup was doing much better than she had been when my friend took her.......but since then has had some sort of relapse. The pups parents are my daughters pets....not meant to be bred from.she got them to do agility work with. I will pass on the details to my friend. Thanx very much. rural north east scotland

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• 04-26-2008 4:01 AM

  In reply to janet_rose

  jenny1 Joined on 04-22-2008 Posts 23 Points 0

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact thank you for this.just read your post after I replied to the last one. the parents are both young dogs, mother blue grizzle, father red grizzle aged 2 . The parents are pets and were not bought for breeding.so thats not really a problem re not breeding again. We wondered if the pup had sufferred some sort of trauma at birth or shortly after. Really am grateful for the info provided here. thak you. will pass it on to my friend. rural north east scotland

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• 04-26-2008 5:28 AM

  In reply to jenny1

  janet_rose Joined on 09-10-2007 DFW area, Texas Posts 3,723 Points 330

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact jenny1: The pup went to the vets yesterday..not at all helpful.  said she is happy just now but he doesn't know what the condition is and he doesn't think she will make it "I don't know what the problem is, but I think it will kill her."  What strange logic!! If the problem is hypomyelination, the dog's system may adjust to generate more myelin.  This would undoubtedly be influenced by the nature of the recessive gene (different in different breeds) or of the in utero infection. Your friend's best bet would probably be to take the pup to neurologists at a vet school.  Testing there can actually be cheaper than at a local vet. Look here for vet schools in your area. Can your daughter contact the breeder(s) of her two dogs?  Any possibility that they are brother and sister - or otherwise closely related?

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• 04-26-2008 6:19 AM

  In reply to janet_rose

  jenny1 Joined on 04-22-2008 Posts 23 Points 0

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact Hi. The parents paperwork says the dogs are not related and they were bought as pets. Never heard of this before and the vet is the local one who really specialises in agriculture. My friend was annoyed with the vet.and we agree( odd thing for him to say), he said he doesn't know what it is but she likely won't make it.well it won't be from lack of trying on my friends part. The shaking was quite bad qound 4 to 5 weeks but since then it calmed down and was just a bit of a shiver towards the tail end. My daughter didn't intend breeding but she would have kept this pup anyway and it was never intended to sell her. the friend  is a real doggie person and when she called last week she just picked the puppy up and aske d to keep her.probably cos the pup  wasn't right...she is a good friend and the pup will have the very best of homes with her.with or without the shake.now I feel a bit mean that this is something serious with this puppy and my friend  now has problems. I offered to take the pup back.friend wouldn't hear of it. Just hope it all works out for them both. A neurological vet may be difficult in finding...but we can search. I live in very rural north east scotland...and am not inpressed with the local vets diagnosis or prognosis either. tahnx for the advice. rural north east scotland

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• 04-27-2008 12:55 PM

  In reply to jenny1

  tiffy Joined on 09-10-2007 Tacoma, Wa. Posts 1,612 Points 130	Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact If the dogs were never meant to be bred, I hope they are both being fixed so this doesn't happen again.
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• 04-29-2008 9:05 AM

  In reply to jenny1

  jenny1 Joined on 04-22-2008 Posts 23 Points 0	Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact that question really needed to be asked? rural north east scotland
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• 04-30-2008 3:57 PM

  In reply to jenny1

  janet_rose Joined on 09-10-2007 DFW area, Texas Posts 3,723 Points 330

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact jenny1: I live in very rural north east scotland  If you go to the upper right corner of any forum page and click on "Edit Profile", you can put in your location.  Nothing specific is needed.  "north east scotland" or just "scotland" would do. That way forum members can try to avoid giving you U.S.-centric info.  I am sure my link on U.S. vet schools was very helpful.

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• 04-30-2008 4:08 PM

  In reply to tiffy

  janet_rose Joined on 09-10-2007 DFW area, Texas Posts 3,723 Points 330

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact tiffy: If the dogs were never meant to be bred, I hope they are both being fixed so this doesn't happen again.  Believe it or not, yes, the question did need to be asked.  You would be surprised how many people respond with "No, because ..." or "That will have to wait until ...". Sometimes the problem is money or transportation.  Sometimes it is ownership of the animal(s).  Sometimes folks just don't believe animals should be neutered.  Sometimes surgery presents a health issue.   If money had been an issue, we would have suggested low cost U.S. alternatives, but, of course, those wouldn't have helped you.

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• 04-30-2008 4:14 PM

  In reply to jenny1

  janet_rose Joined on 09-10-2007 DFW area, Texas Posts 3,723 Points 330	Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact jenny1: The shaking was quite bad qound 4 to 5 weeks but since then it calmed down and was just a bit of a shiver towards the tail end. I am delighted to hear this!  The pup may never be completely normal, but it sounds like it has a good chance of living a good life with or without see a neurologist.
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• 04-30-2008 6:18 PM

  In reply to janet_rose

  jenny1 Joined on 04-22-2008 Posts 23 Points 0

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact Hi. Actually, most of the info we have recieved on this condition has come from border terrier breeders in USA...very little about it for us to search for over here. I am surprised that anyone who had bred a pup like this would even think about doing it again.we are so lucky there is only 1 pup involved. She was doing really well and the shake was just in her tail end and only a little but over the weekend she was taken back a bit and the shaking got much worse and she developed a high temperature and very rapid breathing. She was taken immediately to the vet who told my friend to take the puppy back to the breeder  and get her money back.seems some people just don't listen.....we were prepared to keep the puppy anyway, it was my friend who pleaded to take her.knowing there was a problem. rural north east scotland

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• 04-30-2008 10:17 PM

  In reply to jenny1

  janet_rose Joined on 09-10-2007 DFW area, Texas Posts 3,723 Points 330

  Re: shaky puppy syndrome Reply Contact jenny1: I am surprised that anyone who had bred a pup like this would even think about doing it again. There are even folks who will allow their pets to repeatedly breed and raise pups in a Parvo infected yard - even though the pups always get Parvo and die.  I just don't understand folks like that.  jenny1: we are so lucky there is only 1 pup involved. Yes, but there could have been other pups that died early in the pregnancy and were reabsorbed. jenny1: she developed a high temperature and very rapid breathing. That is very worrisome - especially since a high temperature can cause further damage.  Have you tried antibiotics?  If the cause of the shaking was a uterine infection, rather than a genetic defect, the pup may have the same infection.

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