open fontinel

Question
I have a puppy with an open fontinel.  Can you explain to  me what it is, how dangerous is it, and can it be fixed.
Thank you

Answer
The skull is composed of several bones which have to fuse/grow together during embryonic development, or just after birth. An open fontinel is an area where the bones of the skull have not fused. Obviously if there is a soft spot or area where there is no bone then the brain is not protected in that area. Thus you must make sure that the pup doesn't get hit over the head, bump his head, etc... which could lead to brain damage and/or death.  With a little time the fontinels may close, yet if your pup is already a few weeks old, unfortunatly it is not likely to improve. To my knowledge there is really nothing that can be done to fix it; however, I could be wrong about this. Hope this helped.