What is Vestibular Disease in Dogs?

Vestibular disease is a condition that affects the balance of a dog. It is most common in older dogs and is a result of a problem in the vestibular system. The disease appears very suddenly, and the symptoms of vestibular disease are very obvious in any dog. It's also non-progressive, which means your dog's condition won't get any worse. Because of this, if you are able to manage your dog's symptoms, then you can manage the entire disease.

The vestibular system is the part of a dog that controls and maintains its balance and equilibrium. This means a dog's ability to walk, run, chase a ball, or even eat comes from this system. That makes the vestibular system vital to your dog doing all of their favorite things.

The vestibular system is found inside the ear of a dog as well as the brain, particularly in the brainstem. If any one of these parts of a dog is damaged, then it will disrupt the system and harm the dog's balance and coordination.

There are a lot of different symptoms when a dog develops vestibular disease, some of which are obvious and some of which are subtle. The most recognized symptom is a dog's sudden loss of balance. This can be clear in different ways, such as walking in tight circles, leaning heavily to one side, or falling down a lot. Another telltale sign of the disease is a dog tilting their head to one side all the time. One symptom that isn't as obvious but is used by vets is called nystagmus. This means a dog's eyes move irregularly and in a sudden, jerking motion.

There are many possible ways a dog can get vestibular disease. When the ear gets injured or infected, particularly deep enough for the inner ear to be damaged, a dog can get vestibular disease. A tumor on any part of the vestibular system, such as the dog’s ear or the brain stem, can also lead to the condition.

Vestibular disease can affect any kind or breed of dog, though there are certain breeds that are more vulnerable to it. Doberman pinschers and German shepherds are both genetically predisposed to the condition. This means that they are more likely to develop vestibular disease and can show signs of having it even as puppies.

Vestibular disease is also known as Old Dog Syndrome, and this can give the impression that your dog could only develop it once they are old. However, even though a dog is more likely to develop vestibular disease as they become older, the condition can affect dogs of any age, and even puppies can have it.

One of the biggest issues with vestibular disease is how similar it appears to a stroke. If a dog has the condition, they will have all of the same symptoms that they would if they have a stroke. But while vestibular disease is manageable and will often not need serious treatment, an untreated stroke can recur in a dog and even be fatal. So if your dog is showing signs of vestibular disease, make sure that your vet has ruled out a stroke before going forward with treatment.

If your dog is showing signs of vestibular disease, then it is very important you take them to the vet. They will be able to look at your dog’s medical history, assess all of the signs and symptoms, and run blood and urine tests to confirm the diagnosis. To find the underlying cause of the condition will require more tests, such as x-rays and CT scans, in order to try and find the damage or tumor that has lead to your dog developing vestibular disease.

The treatment of vestibular disease will depend on the underlying cause and the severity of the symptoms. If your dog has developed the condition through some damage to the ear, a perforated eardrum, for example, then often it will be left to heal, and only the symptoms will be treated. An ear infection will mean your dog needs to be put on a course of antibiotics. There are extreme cases in which a dog will need hospitalization and the administration of IV fluids, but this is only if the condition is preventing the dog from walking or eating. Many cases of vestibular disease will resolve themselves on their own without needing treatment, and while it does this, the dog will be given medicine to help with nausea and motion sickness.

The prognosis for a dog with vestibular disease is often good, as the symptoms will begin to ease within 48 hours of them first showing symptoms in most cases. The most severe symptoms, such as the falling over and poor balance, typically improve within the first ten days. Most dogs recover entirely in two to three weeks.

Some dogs will retain residual effects of the disease for the rest of their life, including poor stability or a permanent head tilt, but this is not usually the case.