SHAHS - Super Hero's Animal Hydrocephalus Society Fundraiser

Super Hero's Animal Hydrocephalus Society (SHAHS) is a non-profit 501c3 animal rescue society and sanctuary that specializes in Hydrocephalus, commonly known as water on the brain. We are the first ever non profit animal organization to rescue cats exclusively with this disorder and have helped dozens of hydrocephalic animals either by physically rescuing them or by providing guidance, finances and/or resources to access specialized neurosurgical care. In addition, we have been working to educate primary care veterinarians, other rescues, shelters and the general population, about this disorder in cats and the various treatment options available to manage them. Sadly the standard protocol when a hydro cat is brought into a vet or shelter is euthanasia, which is unnecessary for the vast majority of them, as many can live a very typical life with little to no treatment.

Hydrocephalus is a disorder in which there is an excess collection of fluid in the brain, causing the skull to enlarge, which can potentially cause brain damage, seizures or problems with movement and gait. The head can appear very large and round, with a very pronounced forehead and often they can have bulging eyes, that turn downward; these are known as Sunset Eyes. Hydro animals are sometimes referred to as having “Bobble Heads” because of their enormous head size in relationship to their body. Hydrocephalus is not a rare disorder, but the true numbers are not known due to the high euthanization rate. Veterinarians are not taught much about managing Hydrocephalus in medical school, instead they are told it is a hopeless disorder that has very few treatment options or positive outcomes, which unfortunately is quite far from the truth for many cats.

SHAHS was formed and inspired by a very special cat, Super Hero The Hydrocephalic Cat, who on 2/26/15 underwent a 3.5 hour brain surgery to implant a human pediatric Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Programmable Shunt, a device that drains the excess cerebrospinal fluid from his head into his abdomen. The shunt surgery was the only remaining treatment option to save his life. On June 9, 2017, Hero turned 4 years old - one of the oldest living cats with a shunt! Hero has one of the worst documented cases of Hydrocephalus in animals, having almost no functional part of his brain intact, yet he is a very normal lap cat who runs, plays, and travels all over the US, spreading awareness of this disorder in cats and showing that it is not a death sentence for most.

In July of 2015, we took Zeke into the sanctuary from Dallas, TX. He is also known within the veterinary community as he does not only have Hydrocephalus, but a host of other serious genetic disorders including PRAA (Persistent Right Aortic Arch, a heart defect that was repaired on 10/25/16); Mega Esophagus and Mega Colon; Radial Agenesis and Hypoplasia (he's missing the radius bone in one forearm and it is half the length it should be in the other…he’s a Twisty Cat); Lumbosacral deformities including malformed vertebrae in his tail, plus a host of other issues.

In the past year, SHAHS has physically taken in nearly a dozen more Hydrocephalic cats and has also provided thousands of dollars in financial assistance to over a dozen more shelters, rescues and families so that they could access consultations and treatment with the top veterinary neurosurgeons for an animal in their care. We were able to help fund care for animals in need of emergency care, neurosurgical CCU admission, surgical procedures, medications, and some diagnostic testing in the form of ultrasounds, as well as partial funding for an MRI.

Please help us provide the necessary medical and neurosurgical care not just for our own rescued cats, but also for the ones we help through our financial grant program, so that they can all achieve the best quality of life possible!

For Super Hero and Zeke's full story and to follow their day to day life, just hop on over to our SHAHS Facebook page.