As a board-certified small animal veterinarian, Dr. Todd L. Prince draws on more than 30 years of professional experience. Dr. Todd Prince maintains a particular interest in the neurological disorders of cats and dogs.
One neurological condition that frequently appears in dogs is vestibular syndrome, also known as vestibular disease. It causes a sudden disruption of the dog's sense of balance and manifests as head tilt, disorientation, loss of equilibrium, and a jerking of the eyes known as nystagmus. Dogs with the condition often fall in the direction to which their head is tilting, and many become resistant to standing or walking. Some experience nausea or vomiting. Most common in older dogs, vestibular syndrome is often mistaken for a stroke. However, unlike a stroke, its underlying cause is likely to be an infection, toxicity, injury, or illness. Hypothyroidism and the development of a tumor are common primary conditions that contribute to the syndrome. In some cases, the condition may have no clear underlying cause. If there is a known cause, a veterinarian will treat it in order to resolve the vestibular symptoms. Most dogs begin to improve within three days and fully recover within three weeks, although some will have mild, permanent symptoms. Comments are closed.
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