Information on Feline Vestibular Disease

According to cathealth.com, feline vestibular disease, also known as idiopathic vestibular disease, is a problem that affects cats of all ages. Cats display symptoms that are caused by changes to the inside's of the cat's inner ear. While the symptoms can be alarming, there is treatment available that can help the cat within a matter of days.

  1. Function

    • Cathealth.com states that feline vestibular disease works by affecting the peripheral vestibular system of the cat's inner ear. There are two ways that vets believe that the vestibular system can be affected by the disease. Vets believe the interface involving the sensory cells that surround the semicircular canals, or the endolymphatic fluid that is contained in the semicircular canals, becomes abnormal as the disease worsens.

    Theories/Speculation

    • Cathealth.com notes that no medical professional has yet been able to confirm a single cause of the imbalance that the feline vestibular disease creates in cats, though abnormal endolymph fluid circulation or toxic problems involving the nerve or receptors have been suggested as being the reason. More research is being done into this, and in time, a cause for the imbalance will likely be found.

    Symptoms

    • Dr. Bob McKee, a veterinarian, says that the symptoms of feline vestibular disease will begin with a sudden onset of disorientation in the cat. This can make the cat reluctant to walk, and it may prefer to be crouched and have its legs spread out. Often, when the cat does walk, it leans to one side and has trouble standing, often falling and rolling when it loses balance. When picked up, the cat panics and tries to get away. Other symptoms include the cats head tilting to one side, and its eyes moving erratically.

    Treatment

    • The vet rules out other problems that can cause imbalance such as ear cancers, polyps or ear infection, according to cathealth.com. Sometimes the disease will go away without any treatment after a few days. Most often in more serious cases, the vet recommends the cat stay at the hospital so that it can get the right care and be placed in an environment that will reduce its risk for injury. Excellent improvement is usually notice in three days, but it can take a cat a few weeks to recover fully.

    Warning

    • While this is not a life-threatening disease if it is treated, it can lead to fatal accidents, especially for outdoor cats. Since they lack full control of their senses and that impacts their reaction time, accidents could occur. For example, an outside cat could lose its balance and fall on something deadly. If the cat shows the symptoms of feline vestibular disease, it should be taken to the vet for a diagnosis as soon as possible.