A wobbly and nauseated cat; a case study on spinal problems and cerebellar hypoplasia

A cat I treat has mild cerebellar hypoplasia, causing a wobbly gait with the occasional fall. The cerebellum is part of your brain responsible for improving coordination but also controlling some bodily functions. Hypoplasia means it didn’t grow properly.

She also has a misalignment/lack of motion in her upper neck. I treat her for her neck problem, really just getting it moving again. Her stability and balance is better after adjustments for a couple of weeks.

Sensory information from movement partially goes to the cerebellum, improving coordination. The neuroreceptors in the muscles and joints in the neck aren’t being stimulated (disafferentation) when the joints can’t move. This decreases the sensory information that the cerebellum has to correct for perfect coordination, resulting in a wobbly cat!

So, when I adjust her upper neck, more motion causes more sensory information to go to the already challenged hypoplastic cerebellum, improving coordination!

The cat also frequently vomits. The deeper portions of the cerebellum also is partially controlling of parasympathetic nervous system control. When I adjust her, the vomiting decreases for a week or two.

I love making our fur babies healthier!