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Vestibular
Disease in Dogs
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by Dr. Rachel Addleman, DVM, DiplABVP, CVA, veterinarian and
certified veterinary acupuncturist. She has advanced training and
board certification in feline medicine. She practices acupuncture
on dogs and cats in Houston and can be found at
www.AnimalFixer.com. |
My father
developed vertigo a few months ago. His world started spinning and he
couldn't move off the couch. The vestibular apparatus of the inner ear is
responsible for allowing you to orient yourself without feeling dizzy.
Sometimes vertigo is related to an ear infection. My father didn’t have
an ear infection, and neither do many older dogs that develop this same
condition. Dad definitely had an old dog look about him, he was flopped
on the couch trying not to move his head. I immediately diagnosed him
with what veterinarians term "Old Dog Vestibular Disease".
Old Dog
Vestibular Disease is common in geriatric dogs. The symptoms of vertigo
come on very suddenly, usually within an hour. Dogs lose their balance
and have trouble walking. They will hold their head tipped to the left or
right. In the first 24-48 hours, if you look closely, you can often see
their eyes shifting side to side in a typewriter-like motion. My late
cocker spaniel-poodle, Suzie, developed this condition. She couldn’t
stand and when she tried, she stumbled off in one direction. Suzie had
the typical head tilt and her eyes shifted back and forth for the first 24
hours.
A
diagnosis of Old Dog Vestibular Disease involves ruling out other
diseases, especially an ear infection. Eye movement from side to side is
consistent with vestibular disease. Eyes that shift up and down can mean
there is a central brain lesion and is not consistent with vestibular
disease. If taken, x-rays of the skull are normal. An MRI scan is not
usually pursued unless the symptoms do not resolve, but scans of the inner
ear suggest a possible vascular etiology. The cause of Old Dog Vestibular
Disease is not known.
Treatment
for this condition is largely supportive. The feeling of nausea can be
overwhelming in the beginning, and dogs usually require medications to
help their appetite and keep their food down. Sometimes sedatives are
used to keep the patients calm.
The
overall prognosis is good, as most animals improve significantly in the
first week and return to normal over the course of several weeks. Some
are left with some residual effects such as a head tilt or mildly abnormal
gait. Suzie retained just the hint of a head tilt. It is rare that a dog
experiences an episode of Old Dog Vestibular Disease twice in its life,
but it happens.
Like
Suzie, Dad recovered from his Old Dog Vestibular Disease. Thankfully, he
does not have a head tilt.
What to do if you suspect your dog has Old Dog Vestibular
Disease:
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Schedule an appointment to make sure there is no evidence of an inner
ear infection and there are no other issues to be concerned with.
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Make
sure there are no stairs nearby to fall down and the dog is protected
from falling in the pool.
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Help
the dog outside to relieve himself, offer easy access to water.
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For
large dogs that are having trouble walking, try holding a towel as a
sling under the belly to help stabilize them.
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Offer
small amounts of food frequently. Chicken baby food or cooked chicken
and rice is easily digestible.
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Check
with the veterinarian, but for nausea you can try
dimenhydrinate
(Dramamine): For under 20# dog give 12.5 mg twice a day as needed.
For over 20# dog give 25mg twice a day as needed.
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Be patient with the
healing.
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