Small Dog Vestibular Disease

Often however especially in older dogs the cause is of unknown origin.

Small dog vestibular disease.

They tend to roll have poor foot placement with a lot of staggering or stumbling. Diagnosis is based on medical history clinical. Vestibular disease refers to a sudden non progressive disturbance of balance. What causes vestibular disease in dogs.

Causes of vestibular disease include middle or inner ear infections drugs that are toxic to the ear trauma or injury tumors and hypothyroidism. In some situations vestibular disease can result from a lesion or infection in the brain a stroke or a. Peripheral vestibular disease in dogs has also been linked to medications that can harm inner ear vestibular receptors. Finally they may suffer from depression.

Its most common cause is inflammation of the nerves that connect the ear to the brain most often caused by chronic or recurrent ear infections. It is more common in older dogs. Peripheral vestibular disease generally affects senior and geriatric dogs over 8 years of age. Canine idiopathic vestibular disease sometimes called old dog disease or old rolling dog syndrome can be very scary for pet parents.

Dogs with central vestibular disease will have horizontal rotary and vertical nystagmus eye movement. When no specific cause is found the condition is called idiopathic vestibular syndrome. To the untrained eye the symptoms may mimic serious life threatening conditions such as stroke or a brain tumor. They also have weakened jaw and possible head tremor.