If you’ve ever seen a dog with a crooked head, falling easily or walking in circles, you probably thought it had no balance and was dizzy and, in fact, you did well!
When a dog has these and other symptoms, it suffers from what is called vestibular syndrome, a condition that affects the system of the same name, do you know what this system is and what it is for?Do you know how this syndrome affects dogs?
- If you want to know all this and much more.
- Keep reading this Animal Expert article.
- Because we will explain what vestibular syndrome in dogs is.
- What causes it.
- How to identify the symptoms and how to solve them.
The vestibular system is the one that gives the dog balance and spatial orientation so that it can move, in this system work together: the inner ear, the vestibular nerve (serves as a connection between the inner ear and the central nervous system), the vestibular nucleus and the posterior and anterior middle tract (which are part of the central nervous system) and yet the muscles of the eyeball.All these parts of the dog’s body are connected and involved in the task of moving and guiding the animal without problem.Therefore, this system prevents loss of balance, falls and dizziness in animals, it is precisely when certain parts or connections that vestibular syndrome fails.
Vestibular syndrome is a symptom that part of the vestibular system is not working well, so when we detect it soon we will suspect that the dog has a pathology related to the vestibular system that results in a loss of balance, among other things.
The disease can manifest itself in one or more ways, we can differentiate peripheral vestibular syndrome in the dog, which originates in the peripheral nervous system, also known as the external central nervous system, and is caused by a disorder that affects the inner ear.It can also be detected in its form known as central vestibular syndrome, as its origin is found in the central nervous system; however, the latter is more severe than the peripheral form, and fortunately it is much less common.In addition, there is a third option for the occurrence of this syndrome, when we fail to identify the origin of vestibular syndrome, we face the idiopathic form of the disease, in this case there is no specific origin and the symptoms develop suddenly, it can disappear in a few weeks without knowing the cause or it can last a long time and the dog has to adapt , the latter form is the most common.
In general, peripheral vestibular syndrome shows rapid improvement and recovery; if the cause is treated early and correctly, this will not allow the disease to progress for long; on the other hand, the central form is more difficult to solve and sometimes cannot be corrected.Clearly, the idiopathic form cannot be solved without proper treatment, since the cause of the syndrome is unknown, in this case we must help the dog adapt to its new condition and lead the best possible life, for the duration of the syndrome..
Vestibular syndrome can occur in dogs of any age, this condition can be present from the birth of the dog, so it will be congenital, congenital vestibular syndrome begins to be observed between the birth of the dog and the three months of life.races most likely to suffer from this problem:
However, this syndrome is more common in older dogs and is known as canine geriatric vestibular syndrome.
Causes of vestibular syndrome are diverse. In its peripheral form, the most common causes are otitis, chronic ear infections, recurrent infections of the inner and middle ear, excessive cleansing that greatly irritates the area and can even pierce an eardrum, among others.form of the disease, the causes will be other conditions or diseases such as toxoplasmosis, Carré’s disease, hypothyroidism, internal bleeding, brain trauma, stroke, polyps, meningoencephalitis or tumors. In addition, this more serious vestibular syndrome condition can be caused by certain medications such as aminosid antibiotics, amikacin, gentamicin, neomycin and tobramycin.
The most common symptoms of canine vestibular syndrome are listed below:
These symptoms may appear suddenly or appear gradually as the disease progresses, if you notice any of these symptoms it is very important to act quickly and take the dog to a trusted veterinarian as soon as possible to identify the cause of vestibular syndrome and treat it..
As mentioned, it is vitally important to take our pet to the vet as soon as we begin to detect any of the symptoms described above, once there, the specialist will perform a general physical examination of the dog and perform specific tests to check the balance. Either you go in circles or you know which way to tilt your head, as it will usually be on the side of the affected ear.
The ear should be observed both externally and internally, if these tests do not diagnose safely, other tests such as x-rays, blood tests, cytology, cultures, among others, can help find the diagnosis or at least eliminate the possibilities., if it is suspected to be the central form of the disease, the veterinarian may request CT scans, MRIs, biopsies, etc.As we have already said, there are cases where it is not possible to identify the origin of the balance change.
As soon as the specialist detects the cause and can tell if it is peripheral or central vestibular syndrome, appropriate treatment should be initiated as soon as possible and always under the supervision of the professional and regular follow-up.
The treatment of this disease will depend entirely on how it manifests and symptoms, it is essential that in addition to the main cause of the problem, secondary symptoms are treated to help the dog overcome the process in the best possible way.peripheral vestibular syndrome, as mentioned above, is likely to be caused by chronic otitis or otitis, so the most common treatment will be ear infections, irritations and difficult ear infections, if we find the central form of the disease, it will also depend on the specific cause that causes it, for example, if it is hypothyroidism the dog should be medicated with the supplement indicated for hypothyroidism , if it is a tumor, the possibilities of operation should be evaluated.
In all the cases mentioned above as possible causes of the disease, if they are treated as soon as possible, we will see how the main problem is resolved or stabilized and the vestibular syndrome will also correct itself until its disappearance.
With regard to the idiopathic form of the disease, the cause is unknown, it is not possible to treat the main problem or vestibular syndrome, however, it should be thought that, although it can last a long time, when it is an idiopathic disorder.In this case, it is very likely that it will disappear after a few weeks, so as we decide to continue doing more tests to try to find a cause, sooner or later we should focus on making life easier for our hairmate during the process.
For the duration of the treatment or, if the cause is not found, our dog should get used to living with the disease for a while and it will be our responsibility to help him feel better and make his life easier during this period.To do this, it is necessary to try to clear the areas of the house where the dog is normally located, to separate the furniture, because animals often fight against them for their disorientation, to help him eat and drink, giving him food with his hand.and bring the water dispenser to your mouth or even give water with a syringe directly into your mouth.It should also help you lie down, get up, or move. Often it will be necessary to help you defecate and urinate.It is vitally important to calm him down with our voice, caresses and natural and homeopathic remedies against stress, because from the first moment our four-legged friend begins to feel dizzy, disoriented, etc., will suffer from stress.
Gradually it will improve until the day the cause is known and vestibular syndrome disappears, if it persists following all the above recommendations we will help the animal get used to its new condition and gradually notice that it begins to feel better and that it can lead a normal life.In addition, if the syndrome is congenital, puppies who grow up with this disease tend to get used to this reality that forces them to lead a perfectly normal life.
This article is merely informative, at Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis, we suggest taking your pet to the vet in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Other Health Problems section.