10/29/2026
❤️🩹 UPDATE: Not Exactly the News We Were Hoping For.💔
We've known since he got here that something wasn't quite right with our precious little Fritter. We've known that he was going to need a neurological evaluation at some point. But when you're dealing with a puppy who only now barely weighs 3 pounds, trying to figure out what's going on inside that teeny tiny little head is no easy task for any doctor.
So, we were REALLY hoping to give him a little more time to grow before heading down that road.
Unfortunately, Fritter had other plans. 🙄
From the get-go Fritter has had some absolutely TERRIFYING episodes where he will randomly stop breathing. And then, when stimulated, he'll suddenly start breathing again with this awful, gasping scream that will just about stop YOUR heart in the process.
These episodes have typically happened after feedings, so we've been trying to figure out whether they were somehow related to eating.
Well, Tuesday night, Fritter decided to throw THAT theory right out the window when he had another episode BEFORE he ate. 👀
And THAT was the last straw for us.
First thing Wednesday morning, little man was off to see our neurologist, Dr. Song, at Animal Emergency & Specialty Center
**And, as suspected... something is definitely not right
Dr. Song's exam revealed several abnormalities that, when you put them all together, point toward a problem in the back portion of Fritter's brain, where the cerebellum and brainstem are located.
For those of us who didn't attend vet school, the cerebellum helps control balance and coordination, while the brainstem is responsible for some pretty freaking important functions, including eye movements, swallowing, and, oh, I don't know... BREATHING. 😳
And when you start looking at ALL of Fritter's symptoms together, things begin to make a whole lot more sense. Unfortunately, they also become a whole lot more concerning.😳
So let's break down what she found.
🐾 **His wobbly little body:** We've known Fritter doesn't move around like his siblings. But it turns out his wobbliness isn't necessarily because he's weak. His exam revealed something called *cerebellar ataxia*, which basically means his brain isn't coordinating his movements the way it should. He also has abnormal tremors and delayed responses when his paws are repositioned.
🐾 **Those little eyes:** Fritter has something called *nystagmus*, which means his eyes make abnormal, involuntary movements. One eye also sits at an abnormal angle, and his responses during the vision portion of the examination weren't what we'd hope to see. We suspect his vision is impaired, but exactly how much he can or cannot see is still a big question mark.
🐾 **The head arching:** Fritter has a habit of repeatedly throwing his little head backward. While that might not sound particularly alarming by itself, combined with everything else, it raises some pretty serious concerns. Doc explained that these episodes, especially when he stops breathing, could be associated with increased pressure inside his skull.
One possibility we've discussed is **hydrocephalus**, which is essentially an abnormal buildup of fluid inside the brain. That extra fluid can put pressure on brain tissue and cause neurological problems. But we want to be VERY clear that Fritter has NOT been diagnosed with hydrocephalus. It's simply one of the possibilities we're considering.
🐾 **And then there are those horrifying breathing episodes.** Because the brainstem helps control breathing, Doc is concerned that whatever is happening neurologically could be contributing to these events. She specifically raised concerns about increased pressure inside his skull possibly playing a role.
**So what does all of this actually mean for our baby man?**
Well, we know something is wrong neurologically. We just don't know WHAT. There are several possibilities, and unfortunately, there's no way to know for sure based on yesterday's examination alone.
We did run bloodwork, and thankfully, there were no major concerns that explained what we're seeing.
Ultimately, Fritter is going to need an **MRI** to get a much better look at what's happening inside that beautiful little head of his.
But he's still SO tiny. So for now, the plan is to give him some more time to grow, start a trial of prednisolone, which is a steroid medication, and watch him VERY closely. If his neurological symptoms persist, we'll revisit the MRI once he's a little bigger.
We'll be checking in with Dr. Song weekly to let her know how he's doing.
And that's pretty much where we're at.
We've got some answers. We've got about 9,000 more questions. And we've got one impossibly tiny little boy whose brain apparently didn't get the memo that puppies are supposed to be busy doing PUPPY things.
You know. Eating. Sleeping. Pooping. Beating up their siblings. Occasionally peeing on something expensive.
NOT randomly forgetting to breathe and sending their rescue moms straight into cardiac arrest three times a week. FOR THE LOVE OF BABY JESUS, FRITTER. 😩
The Bottom Line...
We don't know what Fritter's future looks like.
We don't know whether he'll improve as he grows. We don't know what an MRI might reveal. We don't know whether we're looking at something that can be treated, something he'll have to live with, or something much more serious.
And we absolutely HATE not knowing.
What I DO know is that this tiny little boy has been fighting since the day he came into our lives. And as long as he's willing to keep fighting, we're going to do everything reasonably within our power to fight with him.
For now, we're loving on him, watching him like a bunch of paranoid lunatics, and hoping with everything we've got that his little body gives us some GOOD news for a change.
Because I think it's safe to say the universe has put the , and everyone caring for them, through ENOUGH already.
So if said universe could kindly take its foot OFF the freaking gas and LEAVE OUR BABIES ALONE FOR FIVE FREAKING MINUTES, that would be fantastic. 🙄
