Dr. Roy Kraemer Staff asked 6 years ago
Head Tremors and Incontinence in French Bulldog
Hi Dr. Kraemer,
I found your website and love the information it provides.
I am a first time owner of the frenchie breed. I have a 1 yr old female french bulldog. She has fecal and urine incontinence. Yesterday for the first time she had a head tremors, shaking her head \"no\". It was off and on for 2 hours.
She was responsive and did no show any other neurological signs. Should I be worried about the length of time it occurred?
Also what should I expect moving forward? Is this now a condition she will always have? Could the head tremor be related to her spinal problem? Should I bring her to you for an exam?
I am located in Fresno, CA.
Thank you for your time,
Denise
Dr. Roy Kraemer Staff answered 6 years ago
Answer for Head Tremors and Incontinence in French Bulldog
Dear Denise from Fresno,
I share your concern regarding fecal and urine incontinence. Have you consulted your veterinarian about this issue?
Bulldog Head Tremors
Regarding your bulldog's head tremors, it's essential to determine if they are independent or related to incontinence.
Try distracting her with food or a toy to see if the head tremors cease. If they do, it might be "bulldog idiopathic head shaking" and thus not be directly linked to the incontinence.
Bulldog Incontinence:
Nevertheless, given the significance of the incontinence, I strongly recommend obtaining radiographs and/or an MRI for a comprehensive evaluation.
I'm particularly concerned about the possibility of wedging in her spinal vertebrae, leading to spinal cord compression and incontinence as potential neurological outcomes of such an injury.
French Bulldog Vertebral Malformation and Incontinence:
French bulldogs are known to be prone to vertebral malformations and disc herniations, including conditions like
- Hemivertebra
- Spina Bifida
- IVDD.
These neurological spinal injures could contribute to the observed symptoms.
Bulldog Incontinence Recommended Test:
In addition to specialized tests, consider running general screening tests, such as
- blood
- urine analyses,
- abdominal radiographs
- abdominal ultrasound
- fecal tests
Furthermore, I recommend a bile acid test to rule out a liver shunt (PSS).
I hope this guidance proves helpful, and I encourage you to discuss these possibilities with your veterinarian for a thorough assessment.
Best regards,
Sincerely
Dr. Kraemer Vet4Bulldog
Recommended by Owners Approved by Bulldogs
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