# Does Forrest's head look ok?



## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Sorry for worrying again. I was speaking with someone who wondered if Forrest had hydrocephalus. I sent her these pictures and waiting for her to reply.

Being new to Chi's I also thought I would ask here. On one of these he was looking out of the corner of his eye so you can see more white than normal.


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## nabi (Nov 25, 2004)

I would not get concerned about what someone says about a photo...does your chihuahua have any symptoms of neurological distress ? 
My Zari has what some people deemed to be " east -west "eyes and she does not have hydrocephalus...
Go to your vet and get a professional opinion...not one from a forum or photos and then you can relax and enjoy your little Forrset.


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

He is ever so sweet!


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

He went to the vets last week and I would hope they would have noticed any signs of hydro.

I was worrying as he isn't very playful but he had a bad start with his overbite.

I will mention it when he goes back for his second jab.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

He does not look hydro to me at all.


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

He looks fine to me, Ike was not real playful when he was real young like Forrest. He is now 6 months old and a terror. Forrest is still a very young baby. I think Forrest is just adorable. He is so cute. Is he still eating okay?


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

I'm sorry I don't know anything about those things, but he sure is a little sweetheart! <3


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

He just looks fine to me. Jaxx went through a stage where his head looked large for his body but he eventually grew into it.


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you all so much 

His eating is still going well. He is slow and I have to sit with him while he eats but he is eating more and I *think* he is filling out more. I can't wait to get him weighed on a week on Wednesday up the vets. If he hasn't gained I will be gutted but I am pretty sure he has gained something.


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## miuccias (Aug 22, 2012)

I know you are having some problems with him and I can't help you with your question but I wanted to say that I find Forrest so cute I love that last picture.


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you.

I have been so worried all night that his head looks wrong. I am sure the vet would have picked up on it when she checked him over? And you all think he looks normal?


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## Wiz (Feb 2, 2013)

Looks fine to me just like my boy
View attachment 14418



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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Your baby is adorable! There's no way any of us can say whether your angel is hydro or not. We have made the mistake of thinking a few of the pups here had hydro by looking at a pic. I remember one incident where we had a lady worried sick. Come to find out, there was nothing at all wrong with her pup. Pics up real close always make their heads look to big for their body. So there is no way to judge like that. If you have some concerns, I urge you to bring them up to your vet. Hydro can't be diagnosed by an external exam. There can be external signs that will 'alert' you and your vet. I think his head does look large in most of the pics, but only because they are super close up pics. Some pups take longer to warm up to a new home, and some just aren't super playful. Try not to worry.  xxxxx


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you. I spoke to the breeder who said he has experience with Hydro puppies and he never would have sold him to me if he thought he had it. His MIL also had a litter of hydro pups and and knew what to look for.

That put my mind at rest. He isn't showing any of the classic signs and his head probably looks bigger as he is very underweight due to his tough start as a puppy.

I will mention it to the vet when he goes for his second jab but she did reassure me when I took him and said apart from his overshot jaw he was otherwise perfectly healthy.


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## LittleGemma (Apr 1, 2012)

He looks normal to me, but like others have said, trust a professional opinion and not those of random people on the internet. My family has said Gemma's head is so huge and round, but some Chis just have those big, round apple heads. I even look at her head sometimes and think wow, she has a big head, lol, but it's normal for Chis. I think Forrest is absolutely adorable.


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you.

I couldn't bare it if anything happened to him.

I have a lot of pets and had many in my lifetime, I have never been so attached to an animal the way I am with Forrest. I actually feel like he is my 6th child lol

He really is the most adorable little thing ever. He looks at me with so much love and he is like my shadow. He follows me into the toilet lol


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## LittleGemma (Apr 1, 2012)

SamB said:


> Thank you.
> 
> I couldn't bare it if anything happened to him.
> 
> ...


I understand you completely. These Chis tend to do this to us. They are just so child-like. Gemma is like a little child to me as well. She is by my side 24/7 and she follows me into the bathroom too, lol. She's curled up in my lap now as she always is when I'm at the computer. I say "Do you want to sit with Mommy?" and she runs over with her tail wagging waiting for me to pick her up. She is just so precious to me. She is my everything. I loved my family Chi growing up just the same way. All of the other pets we had were fun, but there's just something about these Chis that stands out.


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

I think he very well could be by the pics is head looks swollen he looks like a puppy I almost bought but didn't I had him xrayed and he was indeed hydro and I switched pups. Hydro puppies tend to grow a lot slower too. Just so ya know. I would him him xrayed if I were you


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

oh no


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Will he die if he is?


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

I wonder how much it will cost to get him x-rayed?


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Sam, try not to worry. He is 19 weeks old. Genetic hydro normally shows up before this age. He would have symptoms of hydro more than likely. Stumbling, lethargic, east-west set eyes, bulging eyes, no appetite, weight loss, overall very ill. 

Answer to your question. Cost of X-ray depends on your area. But your vet would recognize the signs, and you would be seeing signs also. Not all hydro is fatal. But again, I would try not to stress. So much easier said than done, I know. My boy went through a stage where his head looked huge for his body. His eyes were kinda off set too. His body grew to his head, and all is well. I just hate to see you worry with only his head appearing a lil big. If you start noticing other symptoms, then I'd say its time to head to your vet. xxxxx


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

Here is a picture of Ike around Forrest age, my husband kept saying his head looked to big for his body. I didn't see it.


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

That's not always the case the little puppy I was gonna get didn't have any other symptoms


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you. I am not sure if I want to put him through an xray when he has no other signs. He is very quiet but he was bullied by his litter mates and he has came out of his shell so much! I just weighed him and he is now 2 pounds 6 ounces!! when I got him he weighed 2 pounds 2! They are different scales but I don't think they would vary that much so looks like he has gained.

So I should just mention it to the vet the next time he goes for his jabs? (a week on wed)? I was going to rush him in tomorrow but I don't want to undo all my hard work an traumatise him when the vet said he seemed perfectly healthy? except for his jaw.


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

They only have a few year life span if it is severe


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Now uploading more pics.


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

Not all vets are very knowledgeable about chis hope he doesn't have it ;-(


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

There is some meds the vet can give to help him


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)




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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Fortheloveofthechi said:


> That's not always the case the little puppy I was gonna get didn't have any other symptoms


How old was he? Mine is 20 weeks old.


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

I do not see where he has an abnormal head, at all, I know his jaw is undershot, but otherwise he looks perfect to me. I would ask your vet just to ease your mind, he has no symptoms does he? I say he looks fine.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

Fortheloveofthechi said:


> That's not always the case the little puppy I was gonna get didn't have any other symptoms


A very young pup may not have symptoms. Or they are not noticed necessarily because they haven't really reached age of certain milestones to be alerted too. It's impossible to say if this pup has, or doesn't have hydro. Normally by 19 weeks old, congenital hydro will show other signs besides a large head. Every case is different. I'm just saying that unless the vet, or owner has something to go on, besides his head being a lil big, rushing off to the vet doesn't mean they will immediately do X-rays, etc.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

He does not look hydro to me. His overbite does alter the look of his head, sure.

Eden has an underbite and he has his overbite but other than that they look similar.

I would inquire when you are at the Vet for his immunizations in a week just to ease your mind. 

He is a little darling!


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

In these pics he looks perfectly normal.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

TLI said:


> Normally by 19 weeks old, congenital hydro will show other signs besides a large head. Every case is different.


I agree with this.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

TLI said:


> A very young pup may not have symptoms. Or they are not noticed necessarily because they haven't really reached age of certain milestones to be alerted too. It's impossible to say if this pup has, or doesn't have hydro. Normally by 19 weeks old, congenital hydro will show other signs besides a large head. Every case is different. I'm just saying that unless the vet, or owner has something to go on, besides his head being a lil big, rushing off to the vet doesn't mean they will immediately do X-rays, etc.


Exactly. OP has no reason to panic. A 19 week old dog with hydro will almost always have other symptoms. I don't think anyone on here can look at pictures and say "that dog has hydro". If the vet didn't see it, you can always get a second opinion if you are that concerned. Or trust your vet that it isn't a problem. 

And his head looks fine to me. Most chi pups go through an awkward phase where their head looks way too big for their body. 


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

Thank you SO much  xx


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## LittleGemma (Apr 1, 2012)

Those pics you just posted look totally fine. His overbite might be altering the appearance of his head to some people, but just focusing on the top of his skull and his eyes, he looks perfectly normal. Please don't panic without a professional opinion.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I agree with the others, to my eye he doesn't have the typical 'hydro' look. 
I have known several pups with the condition, but not one that has got to Forrest's age without showing other symptoms.


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## SamB (Feb 7, 2013)

I feel so much better now. Thank you.


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## BlueJax (Jun 25, 2012)

He is adorable, good to hear he is gaining weight! He doesn't look like he has hydro... just a round head like a lot of chis do! But of corse it is something to bring up with the vet just to be sure and to ease your mind. Vets will do x-rays on request, but if he isn't showing any signs the stress of one might not be worth it.


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## Kalisee (Jun 1, 2012)

I think that his coloring is giving the optical illusion that his head is larger. 
He is AD O R A B L E! He kind of reminds me of Eddie from the old black and white tv show Adaams Family.

He will "grow into" his head when the rest of his body fills out. Enjoy! He is a sweetie!!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

You know how I see things? Never take anything as definite after simply hearing
it a couple of times, do your own research. There will always be a sea of
opinions in our world, and only a percentage of them are facts. I'm one who
loves to share my opinions too, but I often give a warning to take what I say
with a grain of salt, because even if I am certain about something and will stand
my ground, it does not necessarily make me right. Besides, what might be
correct for one, is wrong for another. So read things lightly and if you are
passionate about a subject, or truly concerned, do your research and make your
own decisions on what to do. Your puppy looks adorable and healthy, but a
picture is no match for a proper diagnosis, I'm not a vet, but to me he looks ok,
don't take my word for it though, speak with your vet.


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

You did say that the breeder had experience and would not have let him go if he had signs of hydro. The vets know the signs too. It would affect him neurologically if he had this really by now. I have a very reserved dog who was the shyest pup and one of the smallest of a litter of 7. Some pups just have a certain temperment. My dog is almost 5 years old and is still what I would consider a shy dog. Mine also has the overshot jaw, and at different times his head looked a bit 'off" to me. If he is coordinated, moves around well and shows normal puppy responses to things you should be happy. He really is adorable !!!


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