A Message from Lilli Kate

“There’s a puppy saved from a puppy mill whose owner was going to bash her head in with a shovel.  She has a domed head and one eye smaller than another, and the vet says she has hydrocephalus and should be put down.  Is there a reason to be so negative?”

Fortunately, this message made it to a member of Almost Home Dachshund Rescue Society who had some experience with hydrocephalic dogs and her answer was even more simple:  “NO!”

Thus began Lilli Kate’s new chance at life as a transport was arranged to move her from Michigan to her new foster home in Texas.  In addition to her domed head, Lilli had no vision in her left eye, vision loss in her right eye, a noticeable head “bobble” and she circled to the right, more evidence of a neurological condition.  Her foster mom consulted  Dr. Carley Abramson at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston whose research interests include congenital/heritable neurological disorders such as hydrocephalus.

Tests quickly revealed that Lilli suffers from hydrocephalus and, not only was spinal fluid collecting in the ventricles of her brain, but excess fluid had also formed a quadrigeminal cyst  behind the ventricles, which was pressing down on her cerebellum.  The blindness in her left eye was caused by a birth defect, but the vision loss in her right eye and her other symptoms were caused by the increasing pressure of fluid and failure   to remove this pressure would eventually cause her to become blind, then unable to walk, and then loss of other bodily functions.

Lilli Kate could, however, be helped, and Almost Home Dachshund Rescue Society went to work raising funds for surgery for this little girl.  Her surgery involved placing shunts in both the ventricle of her brain and in the cyst to normalize the fluid by allowing the excess to drain through a tube running down her neck and around her side into her stomach.  From the moment Lilli Kate awakened, she has done nothing but thrive.  Before leaving the hospital she was bossing around a cranky cat in the kennel next to her and she was stealing the hearts of the staff.  Lilli no longer circles to the right, her head bobble has lessened, the dome in her head is less pronounced, and her vision has improved.  But, she still steals hearts! Just ask her new mommy!

BY Sandy, Lilli's foster Mom