Kate H
Well-known member
Just adding a bit on dilated ventricles from my experience with Oliver. From a scan, it looks as if the ventricles must be full of fluid pushing them out to bigger than they should be. In fact, of course, if they were completely full of fluid, the fluid wouldn't be able to move in and out, which it still does, only slower than it should. So you have a cavity in the brain partly full of CSF, which like all liquids finds its own level. I find that Oliver is more uncomfortable when he lies with his jaw flat on the floor (the Cavalier Prayer Position!) or on his bedding. In that position, the CSF is, so to speak, horizontal and exerting maximum pressure on the back of his eyes. This is also when he squints most in strong light, presumably because the CSF pressure is doing maximum interference with the mechanism of his pupils. If I either make him change position, or gently roll him over on his side, he stops whimpering, so presumably his headache is eased.
A lot of 'presumablys' here! I can only pass on what I have observed and so often we can only guess at our dogs' pain and experiment with what helps. But this definitely seems to help Oliver.
Kate, Oliver and Aled
A lot of 'presumablys' here! I can only pass on what I have observed and so often we can only guess at our dogs' pain and experiment with what helps. But this definitely seems to help Oliver.
Kate, Oliver and Aled