Hydrocephalic fur seal undergoes brain surgery at TuftsDecember 28, 2017A neurosurgical team at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University has successfully performed a first-of-its-kind brain surgery on a female adult Northern fur seal in an attempt to address her worsening neurologic condition. Ziggy Star is recovering well at her permanent home at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Conn. Ziggy was first seen at the Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University in September for a progressive condition that was causing severe neurologic episodes, difficulty moving, reduced training response, and cluster seizures. An MRI revealed an accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid in the brain—hydrocephalus. Mystic Aquarium took in Ziggy approximately four years ago after she was found stranded on the California coast and deemed non-releasable by the federal government. At the time, she had an MRI that showed some neurologic abnormalities. She received treatment, but her symptoms continued to progress at a concerning rate, with the seizures emerging more recently. "The MRI taken recently by our team showed that the brain was disappearing due to the excess fluid, and it was significantly worse than the last study four years ago," said Ane Uriarte, DVM, Diplomate of the European College of …
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