Vestibular syndrome is a group of diseases that affect a dog's balance system. The syndrome has no known cause and happens most often in older dogs but does affect middle-aged dogs as well.
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Function
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The vestibular system of a dog is compiled of sensors in the inner ear that relay messages about balance to a control center at the back of the brain. With vestibular syndrome, the messages are not relayed correctly.
Signs and Symptoms
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Signs and symptoms of vestibular syndrome include falling over, tilting the head so that one ear is lower than the other, eyeball flicking either side to side or up and down, wobbliness or circling, and vomiting or nausea.
Other Signs
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If vestibular syndrome affects hearing sensors, nerves that control movement or other areas of the brain, hearing loss, drooping facial muscles, seizures, weakness and vision loss, along with difficulty eating and drinking, may occur.
Time Frame
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According to Vetinfo.com, vestibular syndrome usually lasts a couple of days to three weeks, although some dogs can have lingering symptoms, such as head tilting, for longer periods.
Treatment
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Treatment for vestibular syndrome includes managing any underlying conditions, medications for nausea and general care of the dog.
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