focal head tremors and clumsy

[palepeople]

Molly is about three years old and has always been clumsy. I thought it was normal behavior for rotts until about the age of two when they were no longer gangly and uncoordinated. She also has a head tremor when she is intently looking at some other dog being walked down the road. She also has a high prancing gait with her front paws, as if she is walking on cold wet grass all the time. I thought nothing of any of this but my vet asked if she has always been this way or if it was new. She was relieved to find it wasn't new because then she would suspect parvo. I told her that Molly was the only pup to survive her litter, that her mother didn't have much milk come in, the pups were bottle fed but one by one they all died until one pup remained and had enough milk. The vet thinks the mother was vaccinated with live parvo shortly before or during pregnancy, and that all the pups were essentially ruined during development. Molly was lucky to survive but is neurologically affected for life with the above symptoms. Anyway, the vet says never get vaccinations around the time a female could get pregnant. Anyone ever heard of this condition, and what it might mean for Mollys middle and late years? I searched the net, and all I get is hits on seizures which is totally different. Thanks.

[MARYDVM]

The head tremor, incoordination, and high stepping (hypermetria) are all symptoms of damage to the part of the brain called the cerebellum.

I think your vet is confusing feline parvo virus with canine. In utero infection of kittens with feline parvo virus produces lesions in the cerebellum that cause symptoms like your seeing in your dog. In utero infection of pups with canine parvo virus produces heart defects, not brain damage.

The canine virus known to damage the cerebelum in unborn puppies is the herpes virus. Distemper will do the same thing in newborn or very young pups. If you search for cerebellar disease in dogs you will find some information about different causes. There is also an inherited cerebellar disease - canine neuroaxonal dystrophy - in Rottweilers, although the symptoms usually start around one year of age, and get progressively worse.