Distemper in cats: symptoms, routes of infection, treatment with vodka, treatment at home

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Fact 1:
The disease has many names, but none of them change the essence - it is a deadly infection
Fact 2:
The older the animal, the more successfully it fights the disease, and the symptoms of distemper are weaker.
Fact 3:
Vitafel. Immunoglobulin serum. Affects the causative agent of plague
Fact 4:
Fosprenil. Injection solution based on pine needle extract

For every pet owner, his illness is a disaster. But the plague is a doubly tragedy. You can never predict how it will turn out for a small patient, because the danger of the disease is difficult to compare with any other infections. And the outcome can be the saddest, even with good medical care.

And all because a person can only alleviate the suffering of an animal, reduce pain, and support the affected organs. But the animal will have to fight the dangerous disease on its own. And it depends only on the strength of the body whether the pet will be able to overcome the infection or will go out like a candle, sometimes literally within a day.

Treatment of plague

Every free-ranging cat can become infected with panleukopenia at any time. Popularly, this disease is most often called “distemper”, and there is no cure for it yet. The disease very quickly affects the entire body of the animal, and a person is ready to try any means to save his beloved pet.

Symptoms of the disease. Distemper is very easy to recognize by its external signs. A sick animal begins to refuse food and water, hide from humans and have difficulty breathing. After a couple of days, obvious symptoms appear:

very liquid green feces;
purulent discharge from the nose;
conjunctivitis;
sticky wool;
fever;
inflamed lymph nodes.

Vodka therapy. Feline distemper is treated with vodka in 2 ways:

Vodka or moonshine is diluted in half with water and given to the animal 5 ml per day. The effect of this treatment is visible within the next day. After a few days the pet recovers completely.
Beat a chicken egg with 20 g of vodka and give it to the cat twice a day.

It is better to start treatment immediately if panleukopenia is suspected.

Once blood appears in the stool and vomit, the animal is likely to die.

How to behave during treatment

It is necessary to disinfect and clean the room with a sick animal

Regularly during treatment, it is necessary to clean the eyes of pus with a cotton swab soaked in the drug, and quickly remove feces.

From time to time, the room where the animal is located should be ventilated. During ventilation, it is better to take the cat into another room. The air temperature should be comfortable.

It is necessary to periodically disinfect using a UV lamp or sodium hypochlorite solution. Wet cleaning of the room several times a day is also necessary. Avoid exposing the animal to direct sunlight.

Benefits and harms

Alcohol has a detrimental effect on the entire body if you give your cat too much of the drink. First of all, the liver and stomach suffer. Vodka has a diuretic effect on the kidneys, therefore, in addition to toxins, beneficial vitamins and substances are removed from the animal’s body. Alcoholic drinks destroy the walls of blood vessels, disrupt the functioning of the heart, increase arrhythmia and increase blood pressure. Alcohol also has a negative effect on the nervous system and dulls vision.

However, despite all the listed disadvantages of vodka, there are also positive qualities. It has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Various herbal tinctures, elixirs, balms and rubs are prepared using alcohol. They are used externally internally as a cure for many diseases.

How the virus spreads

The feline distemper virus spreads very quickly and rapidly. Most often, this is feces or urine of a sick or recovered animal. Your pet can become infected from water or while walking. In general, from any place with which the sick animal came into contact.

After a cat has had distemper, the virus remains indoors for six to twelve months, therefore, by treating the symptoms, you may not kill the irritant. Disinfection, alas, is powerless and your task is to continue treatment for a long time.

A person can also be a carrier, however, the disease does not affect people. Please note that your cat can contract illnesses from your shoes. Try to remove outdoor shoes from accessible places.

A reasonable question is: can a cat get distemper from a dog? The answer is no. However, just like you, your dog can be a carrier. Bath your dog thoroughly after walks and only walk in places you know for a long time.

Vodka against worms

If intestinal parasites are detected, you can give your pet vodka. The therapeutic effect consists of the rapid absorption of alcohol into the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in poisoning and death of the worms. It is recommended to give half a teaspoon twice a day. Continue taking for 3 days. After this, in order to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol, feed the cat milk or fermented milk drinks for several days.

How does distemper manifest in cats?

The main symptom of plague is a body temperature of 40-41 degrees

The main symptoms of panleukopenia:

temperature 40-41 o C;
vomiting and diarrhea;
weakness;
dry skin;
sunken eyes;
enlarged lymph nodes in the intestine, which can be felt by palpation.

From the onset of the disease, the pet refuses to eat and drink. He loses interest in everything and almost doesn't get up. The vomit is watery or greenish. Gradually it becomes mucous, with traces of blood.

Feces have a liquid consistency and a foul odor. They also contain blood impurities. Due to severe spasms, the cat cannot drink, although she is tormented by severe thirst. When affected by the heart virus, a dry cough occurs. The cat breathes through its mouth, the mucous membranes become bluish.

Sometimes after these symptoms appear, the cat gets better within a few days. It happens that an animal dies even at the first signs of illness.

How does the virus work?

After the distemper virus enters the cat’s body, it spreads throughout the body through the lymph. Afterwards, absolutely every system of the animal’s body is affected – digestive, nervous, bone marrow and others.

In an adult cat, the first symptoms appear seven days after infection. However, in a small kitten, whose body is smaller and whose immune system is weaker, the first signs are noted two days after infection.

Try to carefully observe the behavior of your pet predator. Any change in behavior can lead to big problems. As soon as you notice something strange, go to the vet immediately.

Distemper in cats symptoms

This article contains the most popular information, thanks to which you can better understand the causes of such a problem and possible ways to solve it, but still do not forget about the need to visit a veterinarian.

Plague in cats: name and chances of survival, incubation period

Panleukopenia is a cat disease often called distemper. Accompanied by dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, the number of leukocytes in the cat’s blood changes. With an advanced form of development, the pet’s chance of survival is reduced to zero; after just a week, the cat’s organs and paws will begin to fail.

The incubation period in cats can last from 6 to 12 days, depending on the method of infection.

Symptoms of distemper in kittens

The first symptoms of distemper in kittens are increased fatigue, lethargic paws, refusal to eat, and fever. More obvious symptoms such as vomiting with greenish mucus, loose stools with blood clots, and a foul odor may indicate infection.

After a few days of illness, wounds and ulcers may form on the skin, mucous membranes and lymph nodes. In this case, the kittens will hide all the time on an instinctive level.

Help with frostbite

In winter, cases of frostbite in furry pets are common. Most often, the tail, limbs, ears or nose are affected. The main signs of frostbite are pale skin in the area of the lesions and the appearance of dense swelling. In severe cases, the skin of the mustachioed tabby becomes covered with blisters or swelling.

Treatment with vodka. In case of significant frostbite, “fire water” comes to the aid of a loving owner. Saving a cat from exposure to low temperatures must occur in strict order:

First, the affected areas should be washed with soap and water. The liquid should not be too cold or hot. You need to start with a temperature of +18-20°C, gradually bringing it to 40°C.
Then the animal needs to be rubbed with vodka, gently massaging the frostbitten areas.
After restoring blood flow to the cat, give the cat another rub.

It is important to remember that if it is not possible to bring a frostbitten pet indoors, you should place it under clothing and warm it with your own heat.

Rubbing with snow is contraindicated for animals.

Also watch the video: Is it worth treating dogs and cats with vodka:

Only vodka can treat a cat with distemper

Complaints about the death of cats and dogs from distemper force us to ask the question: are there effective remedies for this scourge? In the Year of the Tiger, a few days before the Russian New Year, a ginger kitten strayed to us. At that time, we - my wife and pit bull Fredik - lived in a small dacha. The kitten settled in the attic so that our fighting dog could not reach it.

It turned out from our neighbors that down under the mountain in the area of our holiday village, an elderly woman died these days, leaving behind a dozen cats and kittens. It seems that our Kotofey, who appeared to be two months old, was one of her family pets.

After five years, Kotofey fell ill.

This was discovered unexpectedly. For no apparent reason, the cat climbed into the wardrobe and began to hide among the stacks of fresh bed linen, and the day before it was coughing desperately.

We really sounded the alarm when he showed up with a dried crust on his nose and around his mouth, from which a stream of drool flowed. He could not drink or eat and could only hang over the bowl.

An alternative has arisen: take the animal to the veterinarian or try to cure it yourself. I remembered the advice of my friend, who lost his beloved dog to distemper. Veterinarians took almost $300 from him for treatment, but the animal was not saved.

“Don’t hesitate to pour vodka down the dog’s throat,” he advised in case something bad happened to my Fred.

However, unlike Kotofey, the pit bull was thoroughly vaccinated, and at the time of the above-mentioned events he lay buried in a dacha plot familiar to him: he had outlived his usefulness by 13 years of serene existence.

Thus, it was decided to treat Kotofey with vodka.

We don’t keep alcohol at home, but we found a bottle of juniper alcohol tincture. Having diluted it in the required proportion, the wife poured a glass of “fire water” into Kotofey’s mouth. The cat was already excited. He spit and sneezed for a while, and then, to our great amazement, he began to lick himself, which he had not done for the last 4 days. He also regained his swallowing reflex and was able to drink milk.

In the evening we repeated the procedure.

The next day, a very drunk Kotofey ate a little of the meat broth prepared for him and lapped up the milk. At eight o'clock in the evening of the same day they forced him to “skip” another stack. Drunk, he wandered into the bushes and crawled out only after a day had passed.

As a result, on the third day from the start of treatment, we completely eliminated vodka and alcohol from the diet. Even without this, Kotofey developed a beastly appetite: fresh sausages were added to the traditional cat diet as a prize. Well, milk, to cleanse the liver of alcohol, remains on the mandatory menu.

Thus, in three doses of vodka we managed to save our beloved animal from inevitable death. After all, none of the veterinarians gives a 100 percent guarantee of a cure for distemper. It is also reasonable to take into account that if vodka had not helped Kotofey, he would have gone to the next world drunk, without torment or suffering.

This is the kind of stress we went through.

Source: Infotext

Consequences after the disease

Successful recovery does not guarantee that the animal will not have health problems in the future. After an illness, there is a high probability of developing chronic inflammation of internal organs and systems. However, it’s up to the cat’s owner to do everything, because it’s possible to prevent the problem with three simple steps:

Timely vaccination;
Preventive examination at a veterinary clinic, especially if any symptoms are observed;
Careful care for your pet: good nutrition and comfortable living conditions.

Is it possible to treat a cat using N.V. Shevchenko’s method (oil + vodka) according to its weight?

If something happens, you can leave the cat in the hospital until she comes to her senses. Well, if possible, stay close to her.

We recommend reading: What Test Indicators for Mycoplasmosis Should a Cat Have?

Well, here’s a quick question: Is it not scary to give your pet to a doctor who is talked about poorly?

With vodka and butter you are more likely to poison your cat. And if not, then you are unlikely to achieve the desired effect. The cat definitely needs an examination in a good clinic: blood biochemistry, general blood test, ultrasound and X-ray, at least listen to the heart. Based on the conclusion, you can decide whether to operate or not. There are a number of contraindications for operations, when a cat may simply not survive anesthesia and you will lose it on the surgeon’s table (and if the doctor is not particularly good, then the probability doubles). In this case, it is better to simply leave the cat alone and prolong its life with supportive therapy. if there are no contraindications and/or the expected benefits of the operation will exceed the harm, then the operation is necessary.

But 100 km is not that far. If you really want to preserve and prolong the kitty’s life, staying for 2 days in a hotel or rented room while the kitty is being operated on and cared for in a hospital is not so critical.

Prevention of panleukopenia

Following a number of preventive measures will help prevent your cat from becoming infected:

Vaccination. This method is the most effective. Poly- or monovalent vaccines are designed to protect the animal from infection. Most often, drugs such as Nobivak, Multifel, Quadrikat are used for this. It is prohibited to vaccinate weakened, sick, pregnant or nursing pets. The category of animals most vulnerable to this type of parvovirus is kittens, so it is recommended to start vaccinating them from 2 months of age. Revaccination is done 3 weeks after the first vaccination. Sexually mature individuals are vaccinated annually. Before vaccination it is necessary to carry out deworming. It is better to carry it out 2 weeks before the vaccine is administered. In order for the offspring to inherit from the mother passive immunity to this disease, which is valid in the first 2 months of the cubs’ life, the cat must be vaccinated before mating.

Destruction of objects (beds, tray, bowls) with which the infected animal came into contact. If your pet has died from this disease, it is not recommended to get another cat until at least 1 year has passed since the death of the previous one.
Keeping new pets in quarantine for 2 weeks.
Feeding a balanced diet. The animal's diet should consist of meat, fish, dairy products, vegetables, and herbs. If your cat's diet consists of ready-made food, it is recommended to choose only high-quality brands.
Regular use of vitamin and mineral complexes to maintain the animal’s immunity at the proper level. It is recommended to coordinate vitamins with your veterinarian.

Isolating a pet with panleukopenia from other pets.
Regular preventive veterinary examinations. It is recommended to do this at least once a year. This measure will allow timely identification and elimination of the symptoms of a dangerous disease.
If pathologies are identified, immediately begin to eliminate them.
Avoid contact between your pet and stray animals while walking outside.

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Can cats be given eggs?

Eggs are a valuable nutritious product, rich in vitamins, amino acids and easily digestible proteins. Of course, vodka with eggs for a cat with viral diseases, despite the attractive composition of this product (eggs, of course, not vodka), will not help your pet in any way. But adding an egg to the mustachioed gourmet’s diet is possible and even necessary. But in what form and how often should you give eggs to cats? Is it possible to treat a small kitten or a nursing mother? Are there any contraindications to feeding eggs?

Composition and benefits of eggs

The cat is a predator whose diet should consist mainly of animal proteins. However, feeding only meat will lead to indigestion or even chronic liver or kidney disease: the proteins in the diet should be varied and of high quality. By giving eggs to cats, the owner offers the pet another source of protein, along with meat and fish. The proteins contained in the egg are absorbed almost completely and do not harm a healthy cat.

Proteins are made up of individual "beads" called amino acids. Eggs contain a huge variety of amino acids, incl. essential - lysine, tryptophan, methionine, etc. Chicken or quail eggs for cats - a good mood, strong immunity, shiny coat, prevention of heart disease, prolongation of youth and active period of life, strengthening of the skeletal system and much more. Whole eggs are included in any professional food, since nutritionists have long known the role of amino acids in the nutrition of all warm-blooded animals.

In addition to proteins, eggs contain many minerals and vitamins necessary for the normal functioning of the body. The high content of phosphorus, sodium and potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium means healthy blood vessels and joints, strong bones, balance of hormones, acids and alkalis, healthy nerve cells and much more. But

Source

At-risk groups

Kittens under one year of age are especially susceptible to the disease. They have the weakest immune system. Cats between one and six years of age are the hardiest, as this is the peak of maturity. But after six years, the cat begins to age and its biological defense decreases. Also, a pregnant animal is at risk. Its protection, in connection with raising offspring, is not as good as that of an animal at the peak of its activity.

Animals under one year old and over six years old are most susceptible to the disease. Keep a close eye on your pet, get your cat vaccinated against distemper and visit your veterinarian regularly.

Methods and ways of infecting cats with distemper

The virus that causes distemper enters the external environment along with the urine, feces, and saliva of sick cats, as well as those that have recovered from this disease. You can become infected with panleukopenia through hygiene items that come into contact with your cat.

Pets become infected after drinking from a container from which a sick animal drank, while walking on the street where a carrier of the virus was walking. It is not necessary to have close contact. Even if the animal has already been ill, the distemper virus can survive in the house for 6-12 months. After recovery, the cat is still considered a carrier of the virus.

It is possible that feline plague can be transmitted in utero or that it can be carried by blood-sucking insects. Humans can also carry the virus. But he himself does not suffer from the plague. The infection can be brought on by shoes or dirt particles on clothing. Unfortunately, it is impossible to get rid of the causative agent of the disease by disinfecting the premises - it is powerless against the virus.

Summarize

Although the nature of the article is somewhat sarcastic and partly cynical, in fact this is the author’s defensive reaction to all the monstrous nonsense that people do to themselves and their pets.

I repeat that this is the 21st century, people have learned methods of artificial insemination, are transplanting organs, creating bionic limbs, Mars is being colonized, in the end, and there is absolutely no reason to turn to “old-fashioned” methods and all sorts of charlatan theories. Veterinary medicine is a high-tech and highly scientific field that is constantly developing and has stepped far forward since the days of rural farriers and scarce garlic-vodka treatment!

Be wise and merciful, because you are responsible for the life and health of your pet.

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Cats heal people.

Of course, treatment with cats is largely based on the energy exchange between the animal and its owner. According to Eastern medicine, all human diseases arise due to energy imbalance in the body. The process itself consists of absorbing bad energy and processing it. By and large, if you look at it in detail, cats do this out of necessity - that’s just the way cats are designed.

It is bad for a cat when there is not enough negative energy, but it is also bad for her when there is too much of this energy. That is why the furry doctor clearly knows when he needs to stop the “recharging” process and run away from the person. Communication with a cat is also a scientifically proven effective method of treatment and recovery, which, as a rule, goes unnoticed, but is very effective. A cat is a pet that is given to a person to help and should be in every home.

Experts note the special healing energy of these animals, depending on the breed of the cat, but in general the mechanism of such treatment is not important, because there is only one conclusion: after the cat lies next to your sore spot, the pain subsides significantly, and you are on the mend. And if you doubt whether cats cure any diseases, try checking it out.

If the cat likes you, the animal will naturally be drawn to you - and accordingly, in this way you will allow the cat to treat you. In this case, the cat will not only give you its energy, but will also increase its bioenergetic abilities.

This is all the more important because the conditions of the surrounding world are perceived by the human subconscious as a threat; people experience a feeling of fear and uncertainty about the future. Domestic cats absorb these fears, appeal to warm feelings and thereby satisfy the owner's need for security and trust.

Kosh

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Effect of ethanol

There is a myth that ethanol is a natural metabolite. It is not true. There is not a single reaction that occurs inside a living organism that would result in the production of ethanol. At the same time, there are many bacteria in the intestines whose task is to produce vitamins, process fiber, and some of them produce ethanol (about 3 grams per day). However, there are no such microbes inside the cat’s intestines; they exist only in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and other omnivores and herbivores.

Ethanol is a neurotoxic poison, a carcinogen and a drug that suppresses the activity of the central nervous system. Suppression of the nervous system is possible up to coma and death. The lethal dose is 5-8 ml of alcohol per kilogram of weight, that is, for a cat this is about 3-4 tablespoons of 40% vodka (it contains 20 ml) or teaspoons of pure ethanol.

Stages of intoxication with increasing dose

When consuming small doses, the “reward system” is activated, the active substance of which is dopamine. The purpose of these reactions is to motivate the animal to perform certain actions: sex, successful hunting, victory over an opponent in a territorial fight. However, you should not think that you can give your cat alcohol to “relax” it, since the “useful” dose is too small - literally 0.1 ml of ethanol or 0.3 ml of vodka. It is inconvenient to administer such an amount of alcohol even through a syringe.

A further increase in the dose depresses the activity of the central nervous system; every person has seen all these aspects more than once or even experienced it on himself:

the brain’s ability to concentrate on various thoughts decreases, only one idea remains (usually not a good one);
coordination of movements is impaired;
the hunger center is stimulated, that is, the animal’s appetite increases;
the last stage is narcotic dreamless sleep.

Sobering up

It begins simultaneously with intoxication, but since this process is slow, its result is felt only after stopping drinking alcohol.

Sobering up is directly related to the destruction of ethanol.

It goes in 2 stages:

Decomposition of ethanol to acetaldehyde . Several systems in the body are responsible for this; the transformation of alcohol occurs both inside cells and in the blood, liver and intercellular fluid.
Decomposition to acetic acid . This stage of decomposition takes place exclusively inside the cells, which is why the speed of this stage is greatly inhibited.

It is acetaldehyde that is the main cause of all the unpleasant sensations of a hangover. Moreover, the second stage takes much longer than the first. As a result, due to the difference in speed, acetaldehyde accumulates, which is not destroyed immediately, resulting in a hangover.

Harm from alcohol

There is no system in the body that does not suffer from ethanol:

Brain. High dosages lead to pinpoint hemorrhages, necrosis and death of neurons in the central nervous system.
Gastrointestinal tract. The main chemical impact falls on the stomach and duodenum, since ethanol is absorbed very quickly. Gastritis and enteritis develop, ulcers and gastric bleeding are possible.
Liver. Direct damage to hepatocytes occurs under the influence of the poison. In addition, stagnation of bile with severe colic is possible. With constant alcohol consumption, dystrophy and fatty degeneration of the liver develop.
The cardiovascular system. In large doses, ethanol destroys red blood cells and can also lead to cardiac arrest. At the same time, the level of bad cholesterol increases, and the likelihood of atherosclerosis sharply increases.

There are reviews on the forums that some people use alcohol in cases where the cat has been poisoned by something. The stories say that the animal felt bad, but after 2-3 tablespoons the pet, firstly, vomited, and secondly, he began to feel better.

The fact is that such an amount of vodka for a cat is a guaranteed lethal dose. In this case, animals have a standard protective reaction - vomiting. This is exactly the reflex that occurs when such a large amount of toxin is consumed. With a lower dosage, vomiting does not occur. However, some poisons do not cause vomiting.

As a result, it turns out that the cat ate some kind of toxin (there is no nausea, but poisoning occurs), after which the owner gives it a lethal dose of alcohol, which causes the animal to immediately vomit. At the same time, ethanol is absorbed incredibly quickly, that is, 35% enters the bloodstream before reaching the intestines; in fact, its penetration begins in the oral cavity. As a result, the pet additionally receives a narcotic effect, that is, it looks better.

Like any drug, alcohol temporarily improves the animal’s condition, but this does not mean that the condition has returned to normal, the symptoms have simply disappeared.

Canine distemper is a viral disease that attacks immune and nerve cells. Quite a contagious pathogen. An effective treatment for it has not yet been developed. The growth and development of the pathogen occurs exclusively in cells. That is why no ethanol helps against it, since the main effect of alcohol occurs outside the cells, that is, in the blood plasma or in the intercellular fluid.

Inside the cell, acetaldehyde quickly breaks down into acetic acid, which is not dangerous to the virus. Destruction mainly occurs in mitochondria, much less in the cytoplasm (with a 17-fold difference). In this case, the virus multiplies mainly in the cytoplasm of the cell. That is, the pathogen and acetaldehyde have a minimum opportunity to meet.

Finally, cats practically do not suffer from viral canine distemper. Because of this, the rumor that vodka supposedly “helps” is a myth, since cats are highly resistant to pathology. If a cure occurs, it is not thanks to ethanol. But cats have their own “distemper” - panleukopenia. This is also a virus that has similar symptoms and pathogenesis. It also develops in cells, but primarily affects leukocytes and bone marrow.

Finally, even the beginning of the formulation “I went to the vet, they refused to treat, and then I used ...” is false. The fact is that both canine distemper and feline panleukopenia have effective treatments. Plague is treated with rimantadine, a positive result can be achieved in 75-95% of cases (for dogs). Cats are treated with fosprenyl and ribamide, recovery occurs in 75-85% of patients.

This is partly due to the plague of carnivorous animals, which, although it occurs in cats, goes away quite easily and quickly. In this case, giving vodka has nothing to do with recovery, but the uninformed owners decide that it was the alcohol that helped. The myth is fueled in part by canine distemper, which occurs in waves. That is, first there is an acute stage (when they give vodka), then a visible improvement appears, lasting 2-3 weeks (considered “recovery”), after which a neurological stage develops with convulsions and paralysis (perceived as “another disease”).

Clinical picture

The development of the disease can occur with different symptoms - from invisible to pronounced. In kittens and young cats, the disease is often severe and is characterized by the following symptoms:

temperature rise to critical levels;
lethargy and apathy;
loss of appetite, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea;
formation of gas and liquid in the intestines;
development of rhinitis and conjunctivitis;
dull eyes with a clearly visible third eyelid.

Characteristic of a severe course of the disease is the hunched posture of the animal, which sits over a bowl of water or food, but does not touch it.

A severe form of viral infection often ends in the sudden death of the animal.

A mild or asymptomatic form is typical for adult cats, and a mild course of the disease is characterized by the presence of mild symptoms of distemper (low temperature, lethargy of the animal, diarrhea). If the virus infects kittens in the womb, some time after birth they develop cerebellar hypoplasia, characterized by symptoms such as impaired coordination of movements. This condition persists in animals throughout their lives, and only some of them learn to coordinate their movements more or less well.