Vestibular syndrome has many names, including wry neck, geriatric vestibular syndrome and old dog vestibular disease. The vestibular system helps humans and animals determine where they are in space and move around corners without falling over. Canine vestibular syndrome disrupts this system and can be caused by a head injury or an illness, like a brain lesion or ear infection. Some cases have no clear cause at all. The syndrome usually affects middle-aged to elderly dogs and the condition can last for a few days to several weeks.
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Head and Facial Symptoms
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Dogs with this syndrome will often tilt their heads. If they have an ear infection or brain lesion, the head may tilt in toward the affected side. They may also exhibit nystagmus, or eyes rolling from side to side, and have trouble controlling their head and face muscles. If an infection or lesion is present, the eyes will roll faster toward the affected side.
Mobility Symptoms
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Because the syndrome affects sense of balance, a dog may have an unsteady gait or fall over often. The dog may also walk in circles, in the direction of the affected side, or run into things. Because the disorder can cause dizziness and nausea, the dog may not stand up or move at all. The dog may also vomit and refuse to eat.
Misleading Symptoms
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Because of the mobility problems, eye movements and head tilt, owners often assume their pets have suffered a stroke. In reality, strokes are rare in animals. The symptoms of vestibular syndrome can mimic other disorders such as low thyroid function, drug toxicity or cancer. Because there is no specific test for vestibular syndrome, doctors will test to rule out other causes before confirming diagnosis.
Treatment of Symptoms
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Doctors will treat the underlying cause, such as antibiotics for an ear infection, and prescribe medications to relieve the nausea and other symptoms. For cases with no known cause, also known as idiopathic vestibular syndrome, there is no clear treatment short of making the dog comfortable and addressing the symptoms. In many cases, the disease clears up on its own. There is little chance of relapse but the dog may exhibit residual effects such as a mild head tilt or occasional gait problems.
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