A case report of Cranioschisis and Anencephaly in a Pup Neonate to Understand the Possible Etiologies of these Malformations in Dogs

Abstract

A bitch was presented in the Veterinary clinics in the Department of Gynaecology, DGCN College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, CSK HPKV, Palampur (H.P.) for parturition. Clinical examinations were performed to assess the health of the female dog and foetuses. The delivery lasted for about one hour and thirty minutes. Four puppies were born. On examination of one of the second pup was not breathing and vital signs of life were absent, consequently it was declared dead by the clinician. To determining the possibility of the congenital abnormality same was brought to anatomy department. The necropsy procedure revealed that the pup had membranous cyst, partial absence of the bones of the skull (acrania), meningoencephalocele and partial anencephaly. However, visceral organs were fully developed, some samples were sent for viral or bacterial infections and the report was negative.