Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Hydrocephalus

The disease in brief

This is a compression of the brain by an accumulation of fluid that causes ischemia of the nervous tissue. The disease is mainly congenital, but could occur in an adult following an infection or a cerebral shock. This anomaly has a wide variety of possible causes, but in practice it is often difficult to find the origin of the problem.

The congenital disease can be hereditary in Holstein, Hereford, Jersey, Ayrshire, Shorthorn and Charolais breeds. It can be associated with other anomalies, such as alpha-manosidosis or chondrodysplasia, showing the variety of possible causes of this problem.

It can also manifest itself in the newborn in vitamin A deficiency.

Certain plants such as Veratrum californicum or Conium maculatum can induce hydrocephalus.

Infectious causes: In cattle, the viruses involved are bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus, bluetongue virus (BTV), and Schmallenberg virus.

Clinic & diagnosis

Hydrocephalus is suspected when a calf that is not viable and cannot drink or stand up after birth has the following:

-A deformation of the skull that takes the shape of a ball or a dome; this deformation is not always visible or may be absent.

-He shows one or more of the following nervous signs: A drowsy appearance, or he seems stupid in his learning, Tremors or myoclonus, convulsions may be present. 

Or regarding his posture: he has difficulty supporting his head, or puts it vertically; when he walks, ataxia, hypermetria, turning in circles;

Or at the ocular level, an absent blink reflex to threat or a non-pendular nystagmus

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-Non-specific bacterial meningoencephalitis (or BHV5 virus or other) NV13.1

-Vitamin A deficiency NV21

-Hydranencephaly N205

-Necrosis of the cerebral cortex NV20

Confirm a suspicion?

There is no specific test to confirm hydrocephalus in a living animal; at autopsy, distension lesions of the ventricles allow confirmation.

Among the possible causes of the congenital form, a dry tube of blood can easily be taken from the mother to test for BVD, FCO or Schmallenberg viruses, whenever this infectious origin is suspected.

Prognosis and treatment

No treatment or improvement possible.

Prevention

No specific prevention of hydrocephalus.

References

Jerusalem L. (2013) How to deal with a congenital anomaly with nervous symptoms in a newborn ruminant - Faculty of Medicine of Créteil - 122 p.