Last week, we discussed age-related behavior changes in older pets that could be a sign of disease. This week, we’ll talk about a specific disease that we encounter upon occasion in older dogs.
This disease involves the inner ear, the area of the body that regulates equilibrium and is called the vestibular apparatus. The condition is called idiopathic vestibular disease; it usually appears in older dogs of any breed, often suddenly. It seems to occur more often in medium and large breeds. The initial symptoms can be alarming to concerned owners and might seem like an emergency.
Typical symptoms could include a combination of disorientation, walking in circles, tilting of the head, reluctance to stand and oscillating eyelids. Nausea or vomiting can occur. Disorientation can be severe enough to make your pet appear drunk. This is called ataxia.
This video demonstrates nystagmus, the involuntary oscillation of the eyelids, which is one symptom of vestibular apparatus.
The cause of this condition is unknown. The problem starts resolving within a few days, and most every pet makes a complete recovery within two-to-three weeks.
In most cases, basic supportive care at home is all that is needed. Keep your pet in a clean, warm and dry environment that minimizes stress or interaction with other animals or people. Hand-feed if necessary, and help bring your dog outside to urinate and defecate by supporting it with a towel under its abdomen in case it’s too ataxic to walk or stand.
Pets exhibiting severe signs can be put on anti-nausea or vomiting medication. Sedatives can also be used. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are rarely used and do not affect the outcome. On rare occasion, we will hospitalize a dog with symptoms so severe that it’s becoming dehydrated and its electrolytes are imbalanced from inappetance and vomiting. In that case, we use intravenous fluids.
Recurrence of this problem is rare. If it reoccurs or if the problem never fully resolves, we recommend diagnostic tests to help determine if another disease process is involved. Veterinarians will look for meningitis, encephalitis or a brain tumor.