Diagnosis Of Vestibular Disease In Dogs
The best way to help your dog is by knowing what you are dealing with, so even if you are pretty sure your dog has vestibular disease, a trip to the veterinarians office is essential. Your veterinarian will examine your dog and possibly perform a test or two to gather more information before reaching a diagnosis and formulating a treatment plan.
Dr. Julie Buzby loves to recall cases where she has ruled out other more serious causes via a thorough history and neurological examination, and gets to gleefully assure the owner that although their dogs signs are unsettling, the situation is not dire. Such was her experience when she diagnosed her beloved patient, Lola, with old dog vestibular disease in part one of this series.
Home Treatment For Vestibular Disease In Dogs
Once your pup has been diagnosed with vestibular disease, you can use anti-nausea medicines to combat vomiting and spinning. Your pup may feel better from these medications and may feel like eating. Antihistamines like Meclizine suppress the symptoms of the disease but require a vet prescription before using them. Other effective medicines given to dogs with the vestibular disease include Maropitant and Ondansetron. These drugs can be used in tablet and injectable forms to deal with nausea and encourage the pups to eat.
Pet owners can also consider using supplements to ensure that the canine gets proper nutrition during the recovery stage. There are many products available in liquid form to be easy to feed. These supplements keep the pet hydrated and provide energy and calories. Every few hours, help the pup stand up and try to walk. Take it to the litter area and encourage it to defecate and urinate. Make sure it rests on soft, dry bedding. Most dogs improve within 48 hours though it can sometimes take longer, so the key is to be patient and do all that you can to support the pooch.
What Can You Do To Help A Shaking Dog
If your dog is shaking due to fear or anxiety, there are some things that you can do to help them feel more comfortable. Try to create a safe and calm environment for your dog, and avoid anything that may trigger their fear or anxiety.
If your dog is shaking due to excitement or cold temperatures, there are also some things that you can do to help. For example, if it is cold outside, make sure your dog has a warm place to stay inside. If your dog is shaking due to excitement, try to tire them out with a long walk or play session before the event that is making them excited.
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Holistic Medicine Can Be An Effective Natural Remedy For Vestibular Disease In Dogs
Holistic medicine is a natural way to treat vestibular disease in dogs. Holistic medicine uses natural treatments and therapies instead of conventional chemical drugs, often with great success.
Holistic medicine can be used as an effective natural remedy for vestibular disease in dogs.
Final words
For dogs with vestibular disease, a holistic approach is often the best treatment. While its tempting to give your pooch medication, we recommend trying natural remedies first. If there are no other options, we also offer veterinary-grade supplements that can help ease your pets symptoms or even speed up recovery time.
How Do Trigger Points Developed
Trigger points are thought to develop in skeletal muscle due to acute overload, overwork fatigue, direct trauma, chilling, as well as secondarily to other trigger points, internal organ disease and arthritis. The localised muscle contracture present within a trigger point can persist for months or years after the trigger point has formed.
In dogs and cats, trigger points will often develop after musculoskeletal injury or surgery and in animals with arthritis. Once an animal has recovered from a painful condition or injury, there may be ongoing stiffness or lameness due to unresolved trigger points in the muscles. Trigger points will often occur in all four legs simultaneously . Trigger point pain is often worse in cold weather and can improve with slight exercise but worsen with more strenuous activity. Stretching of the muscles helps to prevent the formation of trigger points.
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Vestibular Syndrome Strokes In Dogs
My twelve year-old collie, Juno had an attack of Vestibular Syndrome this week. These are what we used to call Strokes, but advances in imaging and investigation have led us to realise that theyre not quite the same, even though they appear just as suddenly and with some of the same symptoms.
Dogs can and occasionally do have Strokes, but they tend to be less serious than in humans. In humans, Strokes or Cerebrovascular Accidents refer to a bleed in the brain, so that an area loses its blood supply and is starved of oxygen. Damage quickly becomes irreversible and we all know how variable and tough the aftermath can be, for the sufferer and carers alike. Dogs can, rarely, go through the same events, but are more likely to have an episode where, instead of bursting, the blood vessel spasms and shuts down for a short period. Whilst there can still be damage, recovery tends to be quicker and more complete.
Treating Older Dogs With Vestibular Disease
Geriatric peripheral vestibular disease is a condition that occurs more commonly in elderly dogs, affecting a dog´s vestibular system located in the inner ear. This can cause debilitating and distressing symptoms including loss of balance, impaired coordination, circling, falling, head tilt, eye beating and nausea/vomiting.
Humans can develop a similar condition called BPPV , which can be successfully treated by physiotherapists.
At ARH our physiotherapist, Sally, adapts the human treatment of BPPV to dogs suffering from geriatric peripheral vestibular disease. This often involves an Epley manoeuvre positioning the dog´s head in a specific position and then taking the dog through a series of body positions.
The persistent head tilt that often accompanies this disease can cause neck pain for dogs, and Sally uses massage, manual therapy, laser and acupuncture to relieve these symptoms.
As with many conditions, early treatment for geriatric peripheral vestibular disease provides the best chance for successful treatment.
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Central Or Peripheral Vestibular Disease
The first step is to try to determine whether the cause is central or peripheral. Central vestibular disease causes being those that originate in the brainstem, and peripheral causes being diseases affecting the vestibular nerve where is level the brain to its receptors in the middle ear.
The reason this is so important is that, by and large, peripheral vestibular disease carries an excellent prognosis for recovery compared to some central causes.
The presence of central vestibular disease also justifies the use of more expensive and invasive diagnostic testing in the form of an MRI scan, CSF tap , or both.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to make the distinction between central and peripheral vestibular disease in dogs based on presentation and physical examination alone. A lot of the time further testing is needed, and yes, this may mean an MRI and CSF tap.
Certain symptoms are only present if a central cause of a dogs vestibular disease is the underlying problem. These are:
The difficulty with relying on these vestibular symptoms to determine that a problem within the brain is present is that their absence does not mean a peripheral cause is the underlying issue.
If a central symptom is present then a central cause is highly likely. The absence of a central symptom means that either a central or peripheral cause could be present
The final symptom that can help determine where the lesion is located is the presence of Horners Syndrome.
Treatment For Vestibular Disease:
A major component of physiotherapy treatment is the advice that can be given especially in the initial phase after diagnosis. Handling techniques, home environment advice, exercise restriction and the use of assistive devices are essentials and will be taught and demonstrated by your pets physiotherapist.
Soft tissue massage and sensory stimulation are key and can be taught so you are able to perform them at home. In addition, an appropriate home exercise program can be invaluable even early on. Specific exercise therapy allows stimulation of body awareness and strengthening of essential muscle groups. Canine Hydrotherapy can be introduced for strengthening, gait re-education, core stability promotion and improving cardiovascular fitness. It is necessary however that your pets home exercise and physiotherapy program is assessed and adjusted frequently to ensure the correct treatment plan and care is being provided.
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How To Feed A Dog With Vestibular Disease
Vestibular disease is a condition affecting the brain and inner ear of a pet. A dog suffering from this disease loses its sense of balance and struggles to understand where its body lies in space. This gives it a sensation of leaning, rolling, and falling even when the body is standing still. The symptoms of the vestibular disease last anywhere from a few hours to up to 72 hours and sometimes persist longer up to a week. It is important to care for your pet during this time.
Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms experienced by dogs with vestibular disease. It is common for pup owners to see them turning their heads away from food bowls during this time. They resist food and drinks as they struggle to balance and stay steady to be able to eat. However, there are some simple changes you can introduce to the routine and some effective medications that can help deal with a dog that doesnt want to eat and drink.
Vestibular Disease In Dogs
Its quite likely that your dogs vestibular system responsible for helping maintain balance is not working properly. As Dr. Buzby explained in her first blog post, Old Dog Vestibular Disease, canine vestibular disease is very similar to vertigo in humans.
Symptoms include:
- a distinctive head tilt
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Causes Of Peripheral Vestibular Disease
Vestibular syndrome in dogs can be caused by a number of possible conditions, including:
- BPPV benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This is the most common cause of vertigo and vestibular disorder, especially in older dogs. The displacement of crystals often results from injury, high intensity exercise, even a misstep off the curb or on a rough trail. It may be secondary to viruses that affect the inner ear, or associated with cephalic or head pain.
- Difficulty walking in the dark
- Trouble focusing or tracking objects with eyes
- Discomfort from busy visual environments such as traffic, crowds, stores, and patterns
- Sensitivity to light, glare, and moving or flickering lights
- Hearing loss, distorted or fluctuating hearing
- Sensitivity to loud noises or environments
- Sudden loud sounds may increase symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance
- On neuro check, peripheral reflexes are usually normal
There are several videos on showing what a vestibular attack can look like. Once on YouTube, search for dog vestibular disease and youll find some examples. Although they are very sad and quite upsetting to watch, I encourage you to view them so you can learn to recognize the signs in case it happens to your dog. Here are a couple of examples.
Will Vestibular Neuritis Go Away If So When
The good news is that the severe vertigo and symptoms that occur at the Acute Stage of onset improves significantly over the first 1-3 days. And many patients can feel symptom-free in up to 6 weeks after the onset of symptoms.
However, there is a substantial proportion of people that dont achieve the vestibular compensation to feel adequately recovered from their vestibular neuritis. These patients often mistakenly believe they are feeling much better, where in reality they have been avoiding the motions and activities that trigger their symptoms.
Our Dizziness Clinics have found:
1) The longer you wait to treat your condition, the longer it takes to get better. Neuro-plasticity gains permanence with time and repetition.
2) No matter how long symptoms have been present, every patient has the ability to achieve some level of improvement. Anywhere from partial recovery to the complete absence of symptoms.
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Pupper Membrane Calming Chew For Dogs
Image courtesy Pupper
This chew toy is designed to assist relieve dogs when on the go, during storms, fireworks, separation, and other events. Organic and natural herbs including chamomile and passion flower are used to soothe stressed pups. This is a great way to relax your dog.
The fight, flight, or freeze reaction is a vital and necessary survival strategy that is activated in response to a genuine hazardbut can also occur in anticipation of something that can’t cause actual damage. This relaxing soft chew supplement is made up of all-natural ingredients that are meant to calm your dog and relieve tension.
Good ingredients are required to produce excellent goods. Every aspect of the supply chain for this product has been carefully scrutinized. Membrane was created with high-quality components sourced from their partner farmer and suppliers. Your beloved companion deserves nothing less than the best accommodations imaginable.
About Dip N Dogs Hydrotherapy Orlando Fl
At Dipn Dogs Hydrotherapy, we are certified and caring professionals devoted to restoring and enhancing the health and happiness of your beloved pup. Encompassing a pool, as well as a certified hydrotherapist, this can provide effective and long lasting results for your pets injury or illness. We are conveniently located in Winter Park, FL. Contact us today at 227-0030. Our Services include the following: Outdoor Hydrotherapy and In-Home Mobile Therapy for dogs. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Prognosis And Recovery Time
As you might have guessed by now, the actual prognosis for dogs suffering from vestibular disease is generally really good. Most will go on to make a full recovery. Some will be left with a permanent head tilt but they will otherwise adapt really well and be able to live a full, happy life.
It is important that we give our pets enough time to recover. It is all too easy to see a dog that seems to be suffering from really severe, upsetting symptoms and make the irreversible decision to euthanize.
We need to give them time. The general course of disease is that the symptoms are at their worst 24-48 hours after they start. Some dogs will then recover as rapidly as the disease started. For others the recovery time will be longer, instead taking more like 7-10 days before a significant improvement is seen and 2-3 weeks before they are back to normal in the case of idiopathic disease.
If your dogs disease is progressing differently and the suspicion is that diagnosis should be re-evaluated. It may be correct but there is no harm in reassessment and confirmation.
This might mean repeating some tests, running new ones, and even referral to a neurologist for assessment alongside advanced brain imaging with an MRI scan. This might be out of reach for you but it would certainly offer your dog the best chance of an alternative diagnosis and successful treatment.
In my personal experience, most dogs will show significant improvement after only a few days and will recover fully.
Consider Investing In Dog Insurance
Keeping your pup happy and healthy is your priority, especially as they age. Vestibular disease is common, treatable, and not a death sentence for your dog. However, it can be costly to treat if you dont have pet insurance. Consider investing in a dog insurance policy with MetLife¹ to help you save money during the process of getting a diagnosis.²
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What The Vestibular System Does
The vestibular system has peripheral components and central components. The central components are in the brain. The peripheral components of the vestibular system are in the inner ear, but their function isnt involved in hearing. Instead, they transmit information to the brain, helping to provide your dog with his sense of motion, spatial orientation and balance. The vestibular system coordinates the position of your dogs head, eyes, neck and limbs in space.
The vestibular system in the inner ear is dependent on thousands of extracellular tiny calcium-carbonate minerals known as otoconia for proper function.
On the left side of the image below youll see three semi-circular canals that convey messages to the brain about the positioning and movement of the head. There is fluid that should help to tumble the otoconia correctly, and the nerve fibers help register the movement.
When calcium carbonate crystals in the vestibulum are displaced from the otolith organis of the inner ear, this disrupts the flow of fluid in the semicircular canal and can cause a false sense of motion. This is what happens with BPPV benign paroxysmal positional vertigo which is the most common cause of vestibular disorder. Read more about BPPV below.
Diagnosing Vestibular Disease In Dogs
Your veterinarian will perform a full physical examination of your dog and probably will also draw blood and urine samples to check for signs of systemic disease or dysfunction. X-rays of your dog’s head may be ordered to check for tumors or structural abnormalities. Your own description of your dog’s symptoms will also be helpful.
If all tests are normal, and especially if your dog is a senior, the diagnosis will probably be idiopathic vestibular syndrome, which is the most common form of this disorder.
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How Is It Diagnosed
To correctly diagnose the disease, it is crucial to take your dog to the Vet for an exam. Even if all symptoms point to vestibular disease, your vet will need to perform a blood sample and a urinalysis to compare with your dogs prior medical exams.
To be thorough, your vet may take an x-ray to ensure that the dizziness is not caused by a more serious condition like a brain tumor. Once a more dire prognosis has been ruled out, and the diagnosis of vestibular disease has been reached, your vet will suggest a treatment plan for your four-legged companion.