Canine Vestibular Disease

Watching a dog develop vestibular disease can be a frightening situation for any pet owner, as many times the symptoms are mistaken for a stroke. Fortunately, vestibular disease can be treated. That's why it's important that you can identify the symptoms and understand the course of vestibular disease so you can provide the best possible care for your dog.

  1. Symptoms

    • Ataxia, or a lack of coordination, is one of the most common symptoms of vestibular disease (see References 1, 2 and 3). The dog may walk in circles, fall to one side and suffer from head tilt. Another symptom is nystagmus, a condition in which the eyes rotate back and forth and is often an indication that a lesion may be present in the nervous system. Overall, dogs typically lack control of their facial muscles and head, and some may even experience motion sickness during this time.

    Causes

    • Vestibular disease can be caused by lesions on the brain, middle ear infections or infections transmitted through ticks, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It can also be congenital, meaning that it occurs at or before the birth of the puppy. However, for most dogs the cause is unknown.

    Diagnosis

    • Diagnosing vestibular disease can be easy, but determining the source of the symptoms can prove to be difficult. If there is a lesion present it can be located through tests or X-rays, but other tests may lead a veterinarian to determine that there is another cause, such as an infection.

    Treatment

    • There is no real cure for vestibular disease, but fortunately it often runs its course and is not always deadly. However, some dogs suffer neurological damage as a result of the disease. Some veterinarians recommend medications to neutralize symptoms and provide relief, while others may indicate that the condition simply needs to run its course.

    Care for Vestibular Disease

    • Vestibular disease can last for up to two weeks, during which time the dog will slowly lose her coordination. It is important to make sure the dog eats so that she can retain her strength, and it may also be necessary to clean up after the dog̵7;s bowel movements because her ability to move will be limited.