You notice your geriatric dog showing distressing signs of falling over, holding his head to one side and his eyes look different. Your veterinarian diagnoses your pet with vestibular syndrome but isn't sure what caused it. Consulting with your vet and learning about the disorder can alleviate some of your concerns and help you make informed decisions on your animal's treatment and after-care.
-
Significance
-
Your dog's vestibular system consists of sensory nerves and small hair cells deep in his middle ear that connect with his brainstem to control his balance and prevent him from falling over. When disease occurs in this area of the body, your pet can suffer from a pronounced head tilt and general muscular incoordination (called ataxia). He may circle continuously and run into walls and furniture. Your dog's eyes can flicker up and down or from side-to-side (nystagmus) and he may become nauseous or vomit from his lack of balance. Vets know vestibular syndrome to be a disease of older animals.
Medical diagnosis usually yields no known cause for vestibular syndrome; veterinarians call this "idiopathic" vestibular disease. Other causes include an infection of the middle ear canal and lesions or tumors on the brain stem. Veterinary treatment of vestibular disease depends upon the underlying cause of the disorder, says Davis Veterinary Specialists of the United Kingdom.
Idiopathic Vestibular Treatment
-
Idiopathic vestibular syndrome, a disease of unknown origin, begins quickly, with symptoms developing in your dog seemingly overnight. Because the disease tends to heal itself within seven to 14 days, your vet may recommend waiting several days to see if your dog improves on his own without running further diagnostics other than the typical blood and urine tests. Your veterinarian might suggest administering either diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or miclizine to your pet twice a day to resolve any motion sickness or nausea.
Middle Ear Infection Treatment
-
If your vet determines that an inner ear infection is causing your dog's vestibular syndrome, the ear might require surgical draining of infected fluid from the middle ear canal. Veterinarians routinely recommend that bacterial cultures of suspect fluids be ordered to determine the exact antibiotic treatment needed, with oral antibiotics administered for up to two months to heal the infection, say the vets at Mar Vista Animal Medical Center.
Central Vestibular Treatment
-
The treatment for central vestibular disease varies according to the cause and the progression of the disease, says Dr. R. M. Clemmons of the University of Florida Veterinary Medical School in "Vestibular Disease in Animals." A professor of neurology and neurosurgery, he says that while some cancers and brain lesions respond to surgery and radiotherapy, the brainstem lesions that usually cause vestibular syndrome cannot be handled in this manner and the prognosis for these patients is poor. He recommends that veterinarians begin immediate treatment with corticosteroids (oral prednisone) and antibiotics to reduce the inflammation inherent in the disease and deal with the infection.
At-Home Treatment
-
Your geriatric dog needs consistent monitoring during his two- to three-week recovery at home. He may require help walking until the ataxia abates and he stops running into walls and furniture. You will need to continue administering any prescribed medications and hand-feed your pet if the head tilt will not allow him to eat on his own. "Patients undergoing surgery or radiation (for central vestibular disease) will need extensive follow up care with scheduled veterinary examinations and may need lifetime medications," say the vets at PetPlace.com.
-