Dogs with vestibular syndrome have problems with their sense of balance. The disease is widespread and manifests itself through a number of typical symptoms. In the following, we will explain how you can tell whether your dog is affected by vestibular syndrome and what causes the neurological disease.
Key facts at a glance
- The symptoms of a vestibular syndrome include in particular balance and coordination disorders.
- There are different forms of vestibular syndrome that dogs can get.
- As part of the diagnosis, the vet uses neurological tests and an examination with the otoscope, among other things.
- Depending on the trigger, different measures are required to treat the disease.
- The prognosis for affected dogs depends in particular on the cause of the vestibular syndrome.
How does vestibular syndrome develop in dogs?
Just like in humans, the balance organ in dogs is located in the inner ear. It is used for spatial orientation and the coordination of movement sequences. Disorders of the vestibular system can trigger the so-called vestibular syndrome in dogs.
Depending on the cause, a distinction is made between a central, a peripheral and an idiopathic vestibular syndrome.
In dogs, central vestibular syndrome is usually triggered by inflammation, lesions or even infectious diseases such as distemper, while the cause of peripheral vestibular syndrome is in the immediate vicinity of the inner ear.
The idiopathic is sometimes also referred to as geriatric vestibular syndrome. It occurs in old dogs due to degenerative processes. Possible triggers include circulatory disorders and drug poisoning. However, the exact causes of this form of vestibular syndrome in dogs are still unclear.
Symptoms of vestibular syndrome in dogs
If your dog suffers from vestibular syndrome, this is expressed through various symptoms, which can vary in severity depending on the severity of the disease. If the course is mild, it is often difficult to recognize the vestibular syndrome in dogs, since affected animals usually cope quite well with it and only have a somewhat unsteady gait.
However, this is not always the case. Because it is quite possible that the vestibular syndrome becomes noticeable through noticeable neurological deficits, which usually occur on one side.
The typical symptoms then include in particular coordination and balance disorders. These can even go so far that the four-legged friend can hardly stand on his feet.
In addition, the following symptoms are among the possible signs of vestibular syndrome in dogs:
- squinting
- Uncontrolled eye movements
- tilting of the head
- problems with orientation
- Nausea and vomiting due to dizzy spells
Diagnosis of canine vestibular syndrome
If you notice any of the above symptoms in your dog, it is advisable to visit the vet as soon as possible. The veterinarian can examine your four-legged friend thoroughly and check whether your dog actually suffers from vestibular syndrome.
In addition to a general medical history, the veterinarian will use neurological examinations and an otoscopy, among other things, to localize the disease and determine its cause. Under certain circumstances, further examinations such as blood tests and MRI scans may also be necessary for this purpose.
Treatment of a dog with vestibular syndrome
The necessary treatment measures depend on the examination results of the veterinarian. In dogs with idiopathic vestibular syndrome, therapy is primarily aimed at relieving the symptoms that occur. For this purpose, for example, sedatives and drugs against nausea and an infusion to promote blood circulation can be used.
In the case of a central vestibular syndrome, on the other hand, the responsible underlying disease determines the course and duration of the necessary treatment.
Prognosis for dogs with vestibular syndrome
The prognosis for dogs with vestibular syndrome depends primarily on the location or the exact cause of the disease. A peripheral vestibular syndrome can usually be treated quite well, so that affected dogs often do not have to suffer from permanent symptoms.
This applies in particular to idiopathic vestibular syndrome, which in many cases disappears after a few days or weeks without treatment. However, it is quite possible that after a while there will be a relapse.
In addition, the tilted position of the head sometimes remains permanently after the vestibular syndrome has been overcome. As a rule, however, this does not result in a significant reduction in the dog’s quality of life.
The situation is somewhat different in dogs with central vestibular syndrome. Since this is often triggered by serious illnesses, the prognosis for affected dogs is usually much worse in this case.
Vestibular syndrome in dogs – our conclusion
As you can see, it is important to take any possible symptoms of vestibular syndrome in your dog seriously. After all, the associated complaints are extremely unpleasant for your four-legged friend.
In addition, your dog’s vestibular syndrome can have a very serious cause and must therefore be treated as soon as possible.
With a dog health insurance from , you can protect yourself against high veterinary bills in this case and let us take over the majority of the treatment costs as part of your tariff.