Treatment of Open Fontanel in Dogs
For some dogs, the presence of an open fontanel requires no treatment, but may necessitate some special handling. Often, these dogs are adopted into families without other animals or even children, with instructions to avoid any traumas to the head. While it may resolve in puppies, an open fontanel will remain with an adult dog throughout his entire life. For those dogs who have associated or concurrent problems, such as hydrocephalus, treatment is usually needed.
Medications
If caught early, hydrocephalus is treated with medication to reduce both brain inflammation, such as with corticosteroids, and the amount of cerebrospinal fluid produced, often with omeprazole. More severe cases may also need anti-seizure medications, diuretics to help eliminate excess fluid, and electrolytes.
Surgery
For a more permanent solution, a ventriculoperitoneal shunt can be placed. This is a small tube surgically implanted into a ventricle of the brain to take the excess cerebrospinal fluid and safely drain it to another part of the body. As your dog grows, additional surgeries are often required to re-fit the shunt. Complications of this procedure include infections, and over or under drainage. The success rate for a shunt is approximately 80%. While this procedure can help a case of hydrocephalus from worsening, it does not resolve the open fontanel itself.
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Causes of Open Fontanel in Dogs
Open fontanelles are often a congenital defect, but it can be an acquired condition due to a problem that puts pressure on the skull and cause it to be unable to fuse completely. Reasons for open fontanelles to occur include:
Breeds commonly affected with open fontanelles include many toy breeds and short faced, or brachycephalic breeds, such as:
Tiny designer dogs, such as teacup and toy breeds of Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, and Shih Tzus, are most likely to have problems from fontanels that do not close. Puppies with soft spots that never close should not be bred when reaching adulthood, as the condition and associated medical problems can pass on to future generations of puppies.
Open soft spots are associated with a number of physical problems for puppies. While most puppies are unaware of having an open fontanel, there are two main physical problems associated with the condition. One is hydrocephalus, or water on the brain. Also, open-fontanel puppies face a high risk of brain damage from things as simple as careless grooming or falling off the sofa.
Puppies are born with soft spots, or fontanels, in their skulls just like human babies. However, most new puppy owners are never aware of the fontanel because the soft spots close up when puppies are between 4 weeks and 4 months old — before puppies reach adoption age. A puppys fontanel can take longer than four months to close, but its rare. Even more rare, some puppies fontanels never close, indicating potentially serious health problems.
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Chihuahua Puppy with Head Injury to the Molera, or Soft Spot
Some puppies are born with what is called an “open fontanel.” The fontanel is the location on the top of the skull where all of the skull plates join. It is equivalent to the soft spot at the top center of a human babys head. When puppies are born, the bony plates of the skull are somewhat soft and separated. As he grows, these bones will become more rigid and will gradually fuse together. It can take two to six months for the skull plates to fuse and the soft spot (fontanel) to close. In some pups if the fontanel is large, it may take up to 10-11 months for it to close. In very rare cases, the fontanel never closes.
In some breeds, such as the Chihuahua, this open fontanel or molera is actually desired. This means the owner has to be particularly aware as to the sensitivity of this area.
It should be noted that even if the fontanel never closes, the affected pup can still live a full, energetic and active life. The major difficulty with owning a dog with an open fontanel is the constant concern that the spot will be damaged. The dog is unaware that there is a problem and will be as rambunctious as any “normal” dog.
****It is mistakenly assumed that because a Maltese has an open fontanel, he will also have hydrocephalus (water on the brain).While puppies with hydrocephalus will commonly have an open fontanel due to the swelling of the brain, this is not necessarily an indication the puppy will have hydrocephalus. Health Catagory: Congenital Defects