What Medical Condition Does the TikTok Dog with a Swollen Forehead Skull Have?

Recently a dog who looks like “Brain” from the cartoon Pinky and Brain went viral on social media. The dog in the video posted by TikTok user vince_chamberlain has an abnormally large forehead, which many people blamed on cross breeding gone wrong. However, the explanation for his unusual appearance could be explained by a specific medical condition.

What Medical Condition Does the Viral Tiktok Dog with a Swollen Forehead Skull Have?

At first glance you would think the TikTok dog has a large skull, but that could actually be fluid building up under his skin. What can cause this life threatening issue is a medical condition called hydrocephalus.

Animals with this condition have a skull that is not fully developed, which causes cerebral fluid to leak through openings.

In general hydrocephalus is a rare disorder, but is most commonly seen in brachycephalic dogs, which includes bulldogs, Chihuahuas, and pugs. The condition can be genetic, or acquired as result of infections or tumor growths. In most cases the condition happens as result of brain tumors. In theory it could be caused by cross breeding if it led to a genetic disorder in the puppy below.

The TikTok dog’s swollen skull makes him look like the legendary cartoon mouse named Brain.

How is Hydrocephalus Treated?

The course of treatment in helping an animal survive Hydrocephalus depends on the severity. In the early stages it can be treated by using corticosteroids to reduce that amount of cerebrospinal fluid that body produces. In more severe cases surgery is performed to channel the fluid away from the skull area by placing a tube from the open space in the brain to the abdomen. This tube is called a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Some people claim the dog in the video above has since passed away, but that isn’t confirmed. Hopefully he’s living a healthy life now.