Very sick dog - Idiopathic Vestibular Disease

[tmarquez]

Does anyone have any experience with this?

We have a Husky...he's an old guy...15. Last night he just fell over and couldn't get back up. We took him to the emergency vet and he said it was Idiopathic Vestibular Disease.

Of course I've spent all day looking it up online, but I was wondering if anyone here has had to deal with this. My back is killing me...it's hard to pick up a 50+lb struggling dog and try to hold him up so he can do his business outside.

I thought for sure that he was going to have to be put down last night.

 

[Squirrel!!!]

The majority of these guys do fall in the category of Idiopathic, meaning that they do not have otitis media or a brain tumor. So, it is anti-motion sickness meds and tincture of time.

The more violent the dog's dizziness the faster they seem to recover. Most I have seen seem to be up staggering and able to ambulate, albeit like a drunken unbalanced individual in 48. Any head shaking or sudden turns will make the poor beast fall again.

So, make him comfy inside, maybe a roll of blankets against his back so he knows that the ground is down and the blankets behind his back give him another point of reference as to which way is up and down....and then some more time.

Blanket slings under his belly to support him and allow you to stand can save your back some too as he becomes more mobile.

Hopefully the worst is behind you.

Good luck!!!

 

[SaraJayne]

My kitty had that this summer...and after a week, she still hadn't made any improvement. She wasn't eating or drinking and went downhill very quickly. I even tried a feeding tube for her, but it didn't work.

We ended up putting her down, as the vet said beyond that point of time, she wouldn't get any better.

 

[SaraJayne]

I hope your dog recovers quickly, with no ill effects.

 

[DawnCt1]

The majority of these guys do fall in the category of Idiopathic, meaning that they do not have otitis media or a brain tumor. So, it is anti-motion sickness meds and tincture of time.

The more violent the dog's dizziness the faster they seem to recover. Most I have seen seem to be up staggering and able to ambulate, albeit like a drunken unbalanced individual in 48. Any head shaking or sudden turns will make the poor beast fall again.

So, make him comfy inside, maybe a roll of blankets against his back so he knows that the ground is down and the blankets behind his back give him another point of reference as to which way is up and down....and then some more time.

Blanket slings under his belly to support him and allow you to stand can save your back some too as he becomes more mobile.

Hopefully the worst is behind you.

Good luck!!!

That sounds encouraging!

 

[tmarquez]

The majority of these guys do fall in the category of Idiopathic, meaning that they do not have otitis media or a brain tumor. So, it is anti-motion sickness meds and tincture of time.

The more violent the dog's dizziness the faster they seem to recover. Most I have seen seem to be up staggering and able to ambulate, albeit like a drunken unbalanced individual in 48. Any head shaking or sudden turns will make the poor beast fall again.

So, make him comfy inside, maybe a roll of blankets against his back so he knows that the ground is down and the blankets behind his back give him another point of reference as to which way is up and down....and then some more time.

Blanket slings under his belly to support him and allow you to stand can save your back some too as he becomes more mobile.

Hopefully the worst is behind you.

Good luck!!!

Thank you for the advice. I was able to use a towel as a sling as you said and although still not easy, it was much better. He has continued to drink and had a couple of very small bites of food this afternoon although he wasn't really enthusiatic about it.

My kitty had that this summer...and after a week, she still hadn't made any improvement. She wasn't eating or drinking and went downhill very quickly. I even tried a feeding tube for her, but it didn't work.

We ended up putting her down, as the vet said beyond that point of time, she wouldn't get any better.

So sorry to hear about your kitty.

I hope your dog recovers quickly, with no ill effects.

Thank you!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Yep my 15 yo collie had it. We thought she had a stroke. She was walking in circles with her head tilted, very strange. Its very scarey. One minute she was fine, the next ....this!

It took a good 2 weeks , but she recovered completely. Good Luck!

 

[MerMom60_94]

My 13 year old Brittany had this a few weeks ago. We just finished putting drops in her ears Tuesday. We also thought she had a stroke and we all said our goodbyes to her before my DH took her to the vet. Thank goodness it wasn't. Once she started taking medication we saw improvement in just a couple of days. The first night she fell DH was working until 6 o'clock the next morning and DD and I were with her. I had to carry her up and down the back stairs and stand outside with her to do her business. I thank goodness I have the strength to do that.

Now she is back to being her puppy self! I wish the same for your pooch. It's scary stuff.

 

[tmarquez]

Thanks for the encouraging stories!

This morning he has been able to sit up on his own, but still wobbly. He also is able to focus his eyes on what he wants to even though they are still doing that back and forth thing.

And the best sign so far is that he is starting to "demand" things he wants...anyone thats been around Huskies knows what I mean.

 

[Jockaroo]

My 14-year-old Scottie had an episode of vestibular disease. Like others, I thought he was having a stroke. It happened one evening when we were taking a walk. I had to carry him home with him trying to do an alligator roll in my arms. It is very scary. Our vet had experienced this with his elderly dog and was wonderful helping us. We didn't notice the nystagmus at first due to my dog's long hair over his eyes.

Our dog recovered in about a week. It resolved quickly, just as it came on. He did experience some incontinence in his sleep during this time. We did need to do supportive care and help make sure he could get to his water bowl and hand feed for a few days. He got worse lowering his head to the bowl. After he recovered, I needed to sit with him when he ate and turn his food bowl. He seemed to only eat from one side and I needed to give the bowl a 180 degree turn.

My vet said the episodes were typically of unknown origin, but could be from a brain lesion or ear infection. MRIs or CT scans can check for brain tumors, but since it typically resolves these tests were not recommended. This link helped me when Mac had his episode:

http://lassiegethelp.blogspot.com/2008/01/vestibular-disease-leave-light-on.html

Sadly, we lost our sweet Mac several months after his episode, but it was an unrelated health issue. He did recover from his vestibular episode. It is basically severe doggie vertigo.

 

[Squirrel!!!]

My kitty had that this summer...and after a week, she still hadn't made any improvement. She wasn't eating or drinking and went downhill very quickly. I even tried a feeding tube for her, but it didn't work.

We ended up putting her down, as the vet said beyond that point of time, she wouldn't get any better.

I am so sorry you lost your kitty. You cat was probably on of the few who has an awful "other" cause,such as tumor. I am so sorry that it wasn't something easier and your kitty cat couldn't be saved.

Yep my 15 yo collie had it. We thought she had a stroke. She was walking in circles with her head tilted, very strange. Its very scarey. One minute she was fine, the next ....this!

It took a good 2 weeks , but she recovered completely. Good Luck!

Pretty classic, and good news!

My 13 year old Brittany had this a few weeks ago. We just finished putting drops in her ears Tuesday. We also thought she had a stroke and we all said our goodbyes to her before my DH took her to the vet. Thank goodness it wasn't. Once she started taking medication we saw improvement in just a couple of days. The first night she fell DH was working until 6 o'clock the next morning and DD and I were with her. I had to carry her up and down the back stairs and stand outside with her to do her business. I thank goodness I have the strength to do that.

Now she is back to being her puppy self! I wish the same for your pooch. It's scary stuff.

Again, a total Hurrah outcome.

Thanks for the encouraging stories!

This morning he has been able to sit up on his own, but still wobbly. He also is able to focus his eyes on what he wants to even though they are still doing that back and forth thing.

And the best sign so far is that he is starting to "demand" things he wants...anyone thats been around Huskies knows what I mean.

Very happy to hear. Did your vet warn you he may always have a head tilt if he has one now? The brain tends to reset normal with the head on crooked. Dog is happy as a clam, just the head is forever cocked as if hearing something interesting. Each day he will be better. Enjoy him, dodged the bullet this time!

 

[tmarquez]

Kind of discouraged today. Last night he woke up about every 2 hours trying to get up but couldn't. It's also hard for me to sleep with a light on, but I know it's better for him.

His eyes have stopped the back and forth movements completely. He still has the head tilt and drools a lot. He can sit, but can't stand or walk.

Everything I read says he will most likely recover, but it is so hard to see him like this...he's always been suck an independant dog.

He will drink and eat a little soup but that's it.

 

[SaraJayne]

Kind of discouraged today. Last night he woke up about every 2 hours trying to get up but couldn't. It's also hard for me to sleep with a light on, but I know it's better for him.

His eyes have stopped the back and forth movements completely. He still has the head tilt and drools a lot. He can sit, but can't stand or walk.

Everything I read says he will most likely recover, but it is so hard to see him like this...he's always been suck an independant dog.

He will drink and eat a little soup but that's it.

His eyes stopping the back and forth movement is great progress. Every little bit is a step in the right direction.

I know how hard it is to see your dog sick...just be there and love him and help him when he needs you.

 

[bballmom56]

I had read your post earlier, but the bell did not go off in my head until much later. We had a cat who had it. She was our barn cat and one day we went down and she was laying down, her head kind of bobbing. She couldn't stand well and her eyes were moving back and forth together even if you held her head still.

We took her to the vet who diagnosed it. The cat recovered, but did have a slight head tilt. We worried about her balance as she liked to climb up into the hay loft and would jump up on the back of one of the ponies. But she learned to compensate and never had an issue. We eventually lost her to lymphoma.

 

[Squirrel!!!]

I am sorry to hear he isn't showing tons of improvement, but any improvement is encouraging.

If he is drooling a lot, that can mean that the poor guy is really nauseated. WHich sure can happen with being super dizzy. Is he taking meds for nausea?

I am keeping my fingers crossed for you and your beastie that the wait and see approach works as it usually does for these cases!

If love fixes anything, sounds like your dog is in the right hands.

 

[SaraJayne]

How is your dog doing?

I hope he's made some good improvements over the last few days.