What is Vestibular Disease?

The vestibular system is the part of the body responsible for maintaining balance. Vestibular disease means a problem with the balance system. Balance problems in dogs are relatively common. Head tilt, incoordination and abnormal eye movements are common clinical signs. Owners may state that their dog has vertigo, is off balance or had a stroke.
There are two parts of the vestibular system: the peripheral vestibular system and the central vestibular system. The peripheral vestibular system is made up of the parts of the vestibular system that are outside of the brain (the inner ear and the nerve). The central vestibular system is the part of the balance system inside the brain (vestibular nuclei and their connections to other parts of the brain and spinal cord).
#VeterinaryNeurology #VestibularDisease #veterinarymedicine
Learn More: sevneurology.com/pet-parents/...

[@Emmss_]

This is the best explanation of this on the internet. Thank you!

[@SEVNeurology]

You're very welcome!

[@susannabrennan3406]

Excellent, thorough review of this disorder. I learned so much from this presentation. Thank you!

[@SEVNeurology]

You're very welcome!

[@tristansuclin5528]

[@kuromi8384]

how did she recover?

[@pupupu1955]

Hi, if there was a resolution found, was it a simple deworming?

[@Activistxpeace]

Thank your for such a great video. Informative, clear, concise and well presented.

[@bethanylim9096]

Vet student starting to learn about neural systems. This video is short, clear, and very helpful! I also really appreciated all the visual aids and comparative tables. Thank you!

[@drismailamohammed7456]

Very educative and informative... Would appreciate more of this from SEVN. Thank u Doc.

[@thinkforyourselfjohn3163]

One great informative video. Thank you so much. God Bless you.

[@ignacioespineira7778]

Hi, i am a vet student from Argentina, and im interested in etology and neuroloy, great content!!

[@thehardestwordpodcast7411]

Good advice. FWIW: DON'T be lulled into a sense of security when your vet says that most dogs recover from vestibular disease / syndrome. Most dogs do recover but if the underlying cause of the vestibular disase / syndrome is CENTRAL (brain related) the outcome is likely to be sad. Be prepared as this can unfold very quickly - four days in the case of our beloved 13yo wirehaired dachshund Archibald. One minute you are waiting out this very distressing / debilitating illness with few treatments beyond offering comfort and hoping for a recovery and suddenly you realise that there's no turning back. Heartbreaking. ALSO - when caring for your dog during this period be sure that they do NOT aspirate (inhale) food as this may harm them more than the vestibular disease. Goodluck everyone - love them while you have them and do everything you can to give your dog time to recover. Let's hope that vet science can develop a treatment for this common condition.

[@api6213]

Great presentation! Just posted a link for my vet tech students.

[@jimmyhilman5612]

Thanks doc for the info.

[@TheKing_1071]

Excellent Explanation. Ty very much indeed.

[@SEVNeurology]

Glad it was helpful!

[@JessicaNortonND]

thank you for this thorough explanation, this just happened to my dog this morning, your video was very help to help me discuss with the vet!

[@pupupu1955]

Hi, if there was a resolution found, was it a simple deworming?

[@JessicaNortonND]

@@pupupu1955 nothing to do with worms. He takes dramamine daily.

[@pupupu1955]

@@JessicaNortonND thank you so much for your reply, I can rule this theory out now

[@doggonervn211]

Thank you, you told me MORE than my own two vets did when my collie suddenly came down with Canine Vestibular Disease! Guess some vets think "all do owners are ignorant " and would not understand their diagnosis! My dog had a Vestibular mimic of a stroke but recovered - but was left with a weak hind end but fine over all.

[@backtesting12]

nicely explained, thank you.

[@pamelabooker876]

Very enlightening it does remind me of a stroke and a situation my daughter's cat has this Central one very educational thank you

[@picasababy449]

Did she get well?

[@nishalini1274]

Thank you for the informative video ❤️

[@karlamendoza310]

Thank you!! Best video so far to understand what is happening to our teddy..

[@jerrylachlan4059]

i realize Im quite off topic but do anyone know a good place to watch newly released tv shows online ?

[@graysonvincenzo4336]

@Jerry Lachlan I use FlixZone. You can find it on google =)

[@trentonkabir441]

@Jerry Lachlan I would suggest FlixZone. You can find it by googling :)

[@Amory319]

Karla I agree I'm dealing with this in my older male tabby cat mugzy it's been very scary and distressing. Thoughts are with you ❤️

[@eduardguresoae6560]

Awesome content! I need a neurology book suggestion. What do you suggest?

[@suzypenguin]

My cat has this too but can’t get an MRI due to being 18 with heart disease. Would like to hear about cats with this disease and what you can do if MRI isn’t an option.

[@frankw9836]

better explained than several vet visits done in the past 6 weeks i paid over £2.5k for CT scans , tests etc and the dog is in exactly the same bad condition

[@pupupu1955]

Hi, if there was a resolution found, was it a simple deworming?

[@henryhenry7876]

I just found the greatest treasure!

[@gurey00]

This was really informative. My Dalmatian is on the recovery process from this horrible disease and we suspect it was a middle ear infection even though we were told it was idiopathic by our vet. Her bloods came back normal and we couldn’t afford the MRI ($5000!!!!) and we are grateful she is slowly recovering.

[@SEVNeurology]

gurey00 I’m glad this helped. And I’m glad your girl is recovering. Yes, MRIs are expensive. We tend to fall somewhere in the middle. There are more expensive and less expensive places around us.

[@marinadr.suessner7193]

Excellent informations !

[@jamiebales2881]

Do you recommend the Epley maneuver for the old dog vertigo? If so, do you have a video of how to perform it on the dog?

[@WhiteCottages]

thank you

[@lizara4399]

amazing explanation ! thank you

[@SEVNeurology]

Glad it was helpful!

[@BluesGirlBabe]

My miniature poodle started these imbalance symptoms at age 2 years 3 months and had 10 incidents over the next 2 years, the first 9 only lasting a few minutes to maybe 10 minutes of imbalance following by up to 15 minutes to a couple hours of resting after each time and all 9 incidents happened when suddenly jumping off a couch to run excitedly to the door or to greet a family member coming into the house. But it took the 10th incident which happened while swimming in the water after an hour of play on the beach to get her diagnosed by the Vet College at University of Saskatchewan on August 6, 2021 for me to further research vestibular disease intensively and for me to put together that prior to her first incident in Sept of 2019 that she had had one external ear infection treated by drops inside that one ear. I had not known that poodles in particular grow hair inside their ear canal and had not been pulling it out and cleaning her ears regularly up to that time. I am now researching that this problem is now an inner ear issue that likely began with that first ear infection over 2 years ago and likely spread to her middle ear and has never been fully resolved and is likely from getting water into her ears during a bath or a swim previous to all 10 attacks. I will keep posted as I intend on asking for up to a 2 month course of antibiotics to clinically treat it as a middle ear inflammation. CT scans and a team at U. of S. was quoted at $3000 to $4000 to definitively diagnose it as a middle ear issue and I am more willing to try the antibiotic without all that expense. How many other dogs out there could be experiencing this imbalance from an ear infection/inflammation? A human with a middle ear infection will experience the same symptoms.

[@hbic7659]

Unfortunately my dog age 7 just experienced the same thing. No signs or symptoms til one morning. Rushed her right to the ER vet and they said vestibular disease which I’ve NEVER heard of. It’s terrifying. They made her comfortable but I think I’m still going to get the neurology work done if she doesn’t improve in the next week. I’m sorry you’re experiencing this as well. How heartbreaking and unexpected. I hope the best for both of you.

[@belenhernandez4367]

i really think this is happening to my dog, she is now deaf and i think its as a result from her being misdiagnosed. i went to a vet when she first started having loss of balance ( when she would shake she would go to the side) was sko scared but heard about vestibular so i said oh this sounds exactly like it, plus now that i think about it she has brown gunk in her ears and is always itching , the vet said no ear infection and didnt know why she was off balance. i was kind of upset but jusy went along with it. went to another vet months later right after she went deaf anf the vet said she has a bad chronic ear infection, i was very upset at this point. well fast forward she had an episode where she almost seemed like she was high, thats what i thought but now im thinking she had a vestibular attack. she definitely has ear inflammation i just know it, but again i cant afford to pay for testings to know for sure if its in the middle or inner ear. im lost because im not sure wether to treat it, but it might come back since i dont know the culprit (i think its her food) anyways what did you end up doing? she had an episode again last night and it lasted pretty much the whole night ( exact same as last years, she recovered within 24 hours)

[@islandgirl637]

So I had 1 cat with fever and do this. Yes the vet did check him out but i don’t think he has much experience. I live in a small beach town. The cat passed from toxicity reaction to some eye drops the vet gave him, he was actually better and walking normal and eating and after the drops he started having seizures and became almost paralyzed. NOW I have 2 other cats with fever, one just started walking the same, leaning also to the left, face droopy, as if her head is too heavy. The vet is clueless and my usual home remedies, I can’t find in this freaking country (Central American country). For the first cat all he said was high blood pressure. Not sure if I should ask him for antibiotics, the first cat went on them and got better.

[@jlalrinawma693]

One male fishing cat, one amongst wild cat of my country was bought to me, seems like he met a terrible traffic accident, he improve a bit from coma, now he can move and take liquid diet with help after 3days after i got him...luckily his proptosis too got improve after a procedure from vet....now he shows sign of circling movement, MRI is not an option due to lack of facilities, what can i do? Pls help if you may....no sign of nystagmus or strabismus

[@siccnote2570]

Hi great video thank you, can you please help me, I have a new french bulldog puppy, when I got him home I noticed he has a left head tilt so I took him to the vets and had this looked at they had mentioned vestibular but shows no other sign of vestibular other than this head tilt, so I have done some research on what vestibular is, been looking at it for two days now, it does mention that vestibular is more than just a head tilt its accompanyed by other things but what I dont understand is what are the first signs of vestibular has I have been told that head tilt is a second sign, now the vets has sent him home cause of no other signs but we need to keep a close eye on him, he his a happy chappy plays with the kids, eats and drinks fine, what I do understand is that some neurological disorders can be life threating tbh I want to get to the bottom of this because I wont to give my puppy the best life he can have, I am thinking of getting a seconded opinion because I dont wont something else happen then get told sorry theres nothing we can do, I love this puppy like I love my kids and make a great addtion to our family, Please help.

[@MegaCaprice123]

Thank you for a very informed video, which was well presented. My puss, aged 7 years, had a Central Vestibular attack and is now recovering at home. She stayed at the vets hospital for 3 days but blood tests showed all was normal. The vet said the cause was idiopathic. I’m hoping he is right.

[@gerardputain1621]

Mind if I ask what the vet bill was?

[@jujubean1046]

@@gerardputain1621 you probably don’t want to know. My dog was diagnosed with Addison’s in 2020. They ran a stim test and kept him overnight. That bill was $3,000. Now he has what we think is VD. Have an appt with neurologist and if the do an MRI it’s $4,000. He also has laryngeal paralysis. We have spent well over $25,000 in the last 10 years on our boy.

[@pupupu1955]

@@jujubean1046 Hi, if there was a resolution found, was it a simple deworming?

[@Draromaaamir]

Tdy ist time I understood it well , thnkx a lot #frm_kashmir

[@SEVNeurology]

Aroma Aamir Glad it was useful.

[@tamannahossin9]

My cat is having episodes that my regular vet and neurologist thought were seizures based on the first video I got of his episodes. I've caught 9 more episodes since then on video and, upon reviewing them, he definitely does the alligator rolling and drunken walk you mention, though the events are paroxysmal lasting 2-3 minutes before he is back to normal. I haven't noticed any nystagmus. I'm an emergency medicine resident and have seen plenty of vertigo and seizures in humans, but my cat's episodes have me stumped. Almost appears like benign positional paroxysmal vertigo to me, but I don't think there is an equivalent in cats as far as I know. Would you be willing to review the videos and let me know what you think? Thank you.

[@TomHoward]

Did you ever get to the bottom of what was wrong with your Cat? The symptoms you describe are literally the same that is happening to my boy and it has the vets stumped. Edit: Anyone reading this and your cat has similar symptoms, we found out our boy does indeed have an overactive thyroid. He's been on medication for over 3months now and his symptoms have seemingly disappeared!

[@inubakablog]

Thank you so much for this video! My 15yr old shiba inu is currently experiencing a vestibular episode. I think she has had small moments of this but now it is very dramatic with a significant loss of balance. Hoping the next few days shows improvement so we can decide on getting a neuro consult near us in the northeast.

[@SEVNeurology]

Hopefully idiopathic “old dog” vestibular. If not getting better or if gets worse, get a neuro consult. Tons of options in the northeast.

[@inubakablog]

@@SEVNeurology thank you! We are on hour 60 now and her nystagmus has stopped and she is able to stay upright. I'm very hopeful!

[@SEVNeurology]

High five. Sending positive thoughts for continued improvement.

[@shaimaalshuwaikh4650]

@@SEVNeurology my cat blossom have the same symptoms.. vet diagnosed her fip with neuro symptoms.. but blood values are good not pointing to fip .. she was perfect .. on 1 july she become lazy .. not eating .. then started not to walk proberly.. vet put her on amoxiclave antibiotic, iv , cerenia for 10 days .. she improved alot .. then vet request to stop antibiotics and continue fip treatment .. since stopping the antibiotics and prednisolone she is worsen .. body is stiff .. clicking sounds from the jaws.. im syringe feeding her.. her head is telted toward the ear i told the vet i feel she have issue in it .. she cant move now always sleeping and head telted .. limbs are totally stiff .. and when i touch the back legs she will push my hands .. she cant even meow .. like her sound vanished .. please advise if my baby have Vistibular disease .. as she had ear mites since long time and when i touch the right ear .. the ear head is telted to she feel pain .. can you help me with her condition please and advise what to do to save her ..

[@shaimaalshuwaikh4650]

@@inubakablog if you can help me by telling me what did the vet give to your baby .. as my baby suffering from same symptoms.. vets advised to put her down as shesnt able to eat or walk or move .. im feeding her .. she have ear infection as one vet confirmed .. but each vet give different diagnosis .. even they request CT or MRI which isn’t available in vet clinics in my country .. im lost .. i spend alot on clinics without knowing whats wrong with her .. please help me to save my baby

[@arammybarillas7684]

My dog is only 2 years old, and she can’t seem to walk straight she leans towards one way and can slips or falls the way she’s leaning and when she try’s to shake her head she stops because she’s not able to this just happened to her yesterday but I’m taking to the vet tomorrow because the doctor isn’t in today

[@white1soul]

I have a kitten which is 3 weeks old. 5 days ago he started showing very weird symptoms such as dropping head in all directions. He fall aside and lay back and start meowing and screaming. I took him to the vet and he gave him some multivitamins injection. I'm hand feeding my poor kitten and gicing him oral multivitamin to support nerve system. Does these sound vestibular disease?

[@NorceCodine]

My 9 year old cat suddenly started walking around in circles like being drunk, doesn't want to eat or drink, and sometimes bites and scratches her body. Eyes are generally focused but dilated. She also bit my finger. Has difficulty standing up if she falls. There were no previous symptoms at all, completely normal a day before. I went to the emergency clinic after she bit me, they told me that Lubbock, TX, has no PEP-injections due to budget cuts, so if its rabies then they can't help me. Can these symptoms be rabies, and then what should I do?

[@shotanikimtaehyung9456]

i think my cat (3mos old) is showing signs, he walks wobble, he often stumbles when walking or even when scratching his ears, and his head is slightly tilted. but we don't have vet here in our town, since we live in an island it's rly difficult to find cure for them. What should i do? 😔

[@powum]

My new born puppy got bit on the neck by my older dog and started walking in circles tumbling over and just whining all day and night, I’m not sure if it can sleep, it can barely eat and drink. Can anyone help please. It literally can only stop for like a second and just keeps going it does not stop.

[@teagansanimals727]

Hello i really really need help, my mouse did the aligator roll i dont know what to do please tell me what to do

[@nickdawg8463]

What should I do if my ferret is displaying these symptoms? I found a vet that will take mine in Thursday. Is there anything I can do to help my ferret until the appointment?

[@janedyyy6911]

hello doctor, im really really scared for my little kitten he's just 3 months old and he started to have head tilt out of nowhere earlier and he cant walk and his head tilt is worst like its almost 360° we dont have enough money to go to the vet and i dont know what to do. I understood in the video that its either a idiopathic or some disease type of vestibular i dont know what's in with my little kitten. What should i do to atleast lessen his pain?😭

[@ashisthapa8683]

My cat head is bending down and he roll cirlce only and he can't eat drink I dunno what to do we went to the vet he said he have some brain problem I'm very worried and panic .. don't know what to do it's just 2 months old still too young

[@cirespeedreviews]

I need help, I took my cat to the vet because he started to get weak and wobbly legs, then started to tip over, within the week it got worse. The vet said he possibly have vestibular disease from an infection in the ear. I was given otomax ear drops and a med for inflammation. He didn't improve, so I took him back to the vet a week later and they hlgave him a antibiotic shot and a shot for inflammation, a week later he isn't getting better. I can not afford to take him to get a mri, so now its 2 weeks in usings his ear drops and no progress. He doesn't want to walk anymore and I have to feed him, at times he eats on his own, but for the most part hes not interested. He started sneezing lately, thats why i think hes not interested in eating. But how much longer is this going to be with him?.. im running out of options 😢

[@wandajones650]

How does a dog having diabetes and being blind and deaf and experiencing vestibular disease look? My almost 15 year old miniature schnauzer was doing great last Sunday when we left to go out of town (he is normally very mobile and active) but then started having symptoms while in the hotel. (He started walking in a circle and we noticed his eyes darting) We have not been able to give him his insulin the last two mornings because he will not eat his food, do to nausea. He ate good last night, so he did get his insulin. It just seems to be a lot more complicated due to the diabetes.

[@SEVNeurology]

There are a couple considerations. 1. Is the diabetes related to the vestibular disease or not? Diabetes can lead to other abnormalities in the body that could predispose your nerve problems or strokes. 2. How does the diabetes affect treatment of the vestibular disease. This depends on the underlying cause of the vestibular disease. As you said, getting his daily insulin may be affected by nausea and not eating. Most dogs with vestibular disease only have the nausea and loss of appetite for a short period of time, so likely not a huge issue to miss a dose or get a reduced dose (ask your vet) of insulin until your pet is eating better.

[@crayonkate1318]

Hello wanda my dog had the same issue, how long until ur dog recovered?

[@pienutbutter..]

I've got a young cat that turns her head around weirdly (the best way I can describe it is twisting her head in a circle as if she is tracking a circling fly). It's very different from the head tilt and she never loses balance, though she will some times lift a front paw, I'm guessing to help balancing. Is this an issue?

[@SEVNeurology]

Hello, you may want to take her to see a veterinarian to know for sure.

[@mattandkatchristie2552]

What was it? Mines doing same! Please tell me what you did

[@pienutbutter..]

@@mattandkatchristie2552 I asked a few vet relatives of mine and showed them a video, they all said the same: it appears to be just a neurological issue that isn't harmful. As long as the cat is not in pain or losing its balance when it is happening, it is not a problem at all and it likely cannot be resolved (does not need to be then either).

[@mattandkatchristie2552]

@@pienutbutter.. thank youuuu

[@amishpriyan]

My dog is showing symptoms of vestibular disease and couldn’t able lay down on it’s own and he only drinks water . Can anyone explain me out?

[@zaryabumar3852]

Any vet can help me out ? No veterinary in Karachi Pakistan is capable enough to diagnose a rescue cat which I adopted as a kitten now 8 months old. Suddenly after a virus he suffered he developed exact same symptoms as described in the video He constantly falls over , Has stopped eating and drinking and is now also not able to pass urine I have to take him to the vet every single day to make him pass urine Can anyone guide me what to do I’ve taken to so many vets none told me he had this All of them are not capable enough.

[@motodoommotoshop1423]

I have a 2month old puppy having same symptoms. Does this happen to puppies. How to treat it

[@mounayaso1652]

med student thnks

[@jimhenderson9199]

Do mri results indicate that central or perifial tends to be more common for 1 all dogs showing signs 2 older dogs showing signs?

[@SEVNeurology]

Not sure I 100% understand the question. I’ll answer as best I can. Age doesn’t necessarily point towards central vs peripheral. For example, older dogs commonly get idiopathic vestibular disease (or “old dog vestibular”), but they also get brain tumors and strokes. Young dogs can get central conditions such as encephalitis but can also get peripheral conditions such as ear infections. We certainly take age and signalment into consideration, but these are used in addition to exam findings of central or peripheral.

[@ScienceisRadAF]

My cat is 10 months old and had vestibular disease when we adopted her. It is not progressing, nor is it easing up. Her symptoms are head tilt, slight lean on her walk, and I think a dizziness when she looks up (she does much better when you approach her at her level). Im looking for some long term care ideas but I can’t find anyone sharing their journey with a vestibular pet. Im throwing this out there in case someone else finds their way to this video with some experience.

[@lalainegarcia8634]

My cat is like this right now i gave her antibiotic hope he will recover

[@mattandkatchristie2552]

How's your cat?!!! Mines doing this

[@pupupu1955]

Can dogs have these symptoms from intestinal worms or only one celled parasites? If an old dog was not dewormed in 6 months, then can that be the cause of the symptoms? She was continuosly tested for heartworms and all the tests came back negative. Also there was a stool sample that came back negative. The stool sample was 2-3 days old and was only collected once and only one day (not for 3 consecutive days) but was kept in a sealed jar so it did not dry out. She was trembling after receiving the dewormer and threw up shortly after, so I guess that had no effect. So basically can lungworms or intestinal worms cause vestibular disease?

[@SEVNeurology]

Hello. We are so sorry to hear your pet is going through this. Unfortunately, in order to give clinical advice, our Neurologist would need to evaluate a pet through a consultation. At that time, treatment options and recovery could be discussed. We are here for you if you need us. To find a location near you visit us online at sevneurology.com.

[@pupupu1955]

@@SEVNeurology Thanks for the prompt reply, but I live on the other side of the world and don't have any money left as the visits to the vets consumed all of my savings. I literally have no money. I don't want to be pushy, but I was only seeking a simple yes or no answer if intestinal worms can cause vestibular disease or vestibular syndrome. Just a simple yes or no could help a lot in going forward and could save me a lot of time and having to borrow money for unnecessary exams and fees. Please, please just reply a yes or a no, as I not only don't have any money left but I don't have a car either and really don't want my dog to die in my arms and to die in pain and suffer. Thanks in advance.

[@shelbyprice7790]

@@pupupu1955they are not gonna reply to you bud. They must care too much about money.

[@pupupu1955]

@@shelbyprice7790 Yeah, unfortunately you are right. They won't even reply a simple yes or a no for free. I mean it's like 5 seconds... I don't even live in the US so they definately won't be getting any money out of me. Also while were on this topic, I have noticed that vets don't adopt dogs or cats, they buy really rare breeds because they have the money for it, even though they know very well that "pure" breeds, more like inbreeds have health issues and therefore have shorter lives... There are exceptions, but not many.

[@imtuberick2183]

My cat woke up with this just this morning 🥺

[@imtuberick2183]

I can't afford a vet so got fish mox (amoxicillin) online and gave him half a pill 125mg a day for seven days he is fine now, def a ear infection I think

[@nicollettegonzalez-torres9925]

@@imtuberick2183 thanks I’m panicking

[@imtuberick2183]

@@nicollettegonzalez-torres9925 yeah it's stressful, and the poor cat is not in a good place. Just get the fish mox and the cat will get better. My cats back to exactly normal again. Good luck

[@bme6949]

Where do you get fish mox ??? I need this for my kitten now

[@imtuberick2183]

@@bme6949 I had it shipped I bought it online make sure you get the right brand and right dose all available thru google

[@eshrubsole]

My 3 year old Maltshi, has suddenly experienced these problems. All tests came back clear, so would next be MRI.. can this eventually get better itself? Or is medicine the only way to help? Mri not yet done, we are considering options as very expensive

[@SEVNeurology]

It depends on what the underlying reason for the balance problem is. For example, 3 year-old small breeds can get encephalitis. This is a potentially life threatening condition. Best chances of treatment require early diagnosis (MRI and spinal tap) and aggressive treatment. However, things like idiopathic vestibular usually get better or ear infections can be treated with antibiotics. Finding the underlying cause is key, especially in a breed that is prone to encephalitis.

[@eshrubsole]

@@SEVNeurology it turned out to be meningitis! So although expensive it was diagnosed and treated with Chemo and steroids. My baby it almost as he was, just now a little delicate and with a head tilt. Thank you for your advice 🙏

[@SEVNeurology]

@@eshrubsole Glad you got a diagnosis, so now you can focus on treatment. Encephalitis/meningitis can do great with treatment, but can also relapse. Important to stay in close contact with your neurologist and follow their recommendations.

[@shaftasyed6244]

My 4 month old kitten after suffering from head trauma can't maintain her balance and kept rolling to side and can't eat by her own and i can't determine whether her both pupils or just one of her pupil is unresponsive and i think she clearly is suffering from vestibular disease. Local veterinarian prescribed her some two injections for three days and he shot them in her legs. I think he didn't even know what poor kitty is suffering from because of lack of facilities and infrastructure. I am really feeling bad cause i can't provide her better treatment because of lack of resources. I will tend to her needs as best as i can but i wish to provide her bet treatment which unfortunately i can't 💔

[@SEVNeurology]

Tough to say without examining her. But cats have an amazing resiliency and many recover.

[@kuromi8384]

My 13 year old miniature schnauzer has this. She's on steroids now but she refuses to sleep. She eats, drinks, and uses the bathroom, but she never wants to lay down. In the past 2 days she's only laid down 3 times All she does is stand and walk around. It's so sad to see.

[@vanessacolquhoun2575]

Is she ok now?

[@kuromi8384]

@@vanessacolquhoun2575 Yep she's basically back to normal, but she was left with a slight head tilt.

[@ericfarias4066]

@kuromi8384 how long was she on steroids for before she got better? And what was the dosage. My pup is going through the same thing

[@amandaluke4042]

Would you think constant opening and shutting of mouth with vestibular disease to be Central?

[@SEVNeurology]

That's snot something we typically associate with central vestibular disease.

[@Depression2010]

Is this a hereditary issue with Dobermans?

[@aimanjaveid9902]

My 4 week old kitten suddenly started walking around with his head tilted to the left side he also looses balance and it completely breaks my heart seeing his other siblings play but he can’t keep up :(

[@addy9674]

did she got better now ? if so how did you treat it my cat is experiencing the same i'd love some help thanks

[@DaltonYT]

@@addy9674 My cat is going this exact thing we cant feed it hard food cause it just wont be been trying to keep it alive by feeding it milk through a syringe. It would walk around in circles it's very tired and has wobbly balance. Just feel so bad for it.

[@lalainegarcia8634]

What im going to dooo? My cat is experiencing this

[@styrofoamx229]

@@DaltonYT same here exactly, going to a vet tomorrow

[@brandinagy1630]

Have you ever seen a dog with a vestibular episode have their eyes roll around uncontrollably versus the going back and forth? How do you know if it is a stroke vs a vestibular episode?

[@SEVNeurology]

Brandi Nagy Does the dog also have incoordination or head tilt? There are ophthalmological causes of nystagmus. Also, sometimes a problem affecting the midbrain (mesencephalon, part of the brainstem) can cause abnormal movements of the eyes. Do you have a video?

[@SEVNeurology]

Sorry, forgot to answer your second question. “Vestibular disease” just means a problem affecting the balance system. There are lots of possible causes of balance problems. Stroke is one cause. Ear infection is another. Brain tumor and encephalitis are still others. “Idiopathic/old dog vestibular disease” is still another. I assume that’s what you mean.

[@brandinagy1630]

@@SEVNeurology I do not. We just had to assist our 13 year old pug across the rainbow bridge this weekend. We were told it was possibly a vestibular episode but I just wonder if it was something more based on severity. Unfortunately he was not stable enough to even think about transporting somewhere for an MRI. just trying to have a better understanding of what happened, what we were dealing with, etc. Especially for future reference. I'm in Ohio. Found your page and channel in researching for my own peace of mind. Trying to find comfort in decisions we made.

[@brandinagy1630]

@@SEVNeurology I wish we had a facility like yours close by. I'd love to even just be able to talk to someone to be better informed. Is there an email address I could use to pick at your brains for a moment?

[@SEVNeurology]

Aww. I love Pugs. I have two and my first dog was also a Pug named William. I’m sorry to hear. You have to make decisions based on what is best at the time.

[@jonono1066]

My cats eyes are closed but she kept waking and circling.

[@anahiddominguez6700]

Going on the 4th day, no improvement at all. She is a German shepherd almost 14 years old. She has hip dysphasia, dementia, GI issues and Degenerative Myelthopy. She can’t stand at all. She used to barely walk before this. Also I believe she had a stroke a few months ago and almost died. I don’t know if she would recover at all honestly or it’s time. Her chances I think are poor cause she has many other issues.

[@yesyesyall0]

❤️

[@thounrathtepy1320]

Hello, I am from Cambodia. My 13 years old dog just experienced vestibular from yesterday. I’m so concerning. His condition just match what you present in here. I bring him to the vet today and they said they are not sure if this could be cured or not. Please kindly advise me of how to cure him. I would be really appreciated if you could share me. Thanks a lot.

[@SEVNeurology]

There are lots of diseases that can cause vestibular disease (balance problems). Ideally, he would be evaluated by a neurologist and possibly have an MRI of the head performed to determine if the cause is due to a brain tumor, a stroke, encephalitis, toxin or HOPEFULLY idiopathic "geriatric dog" vestibular disease. Geriatric vestibular disease commonly happens in older dogs, comes on suddenly, can look VERY scary, but can improve with time. So, you've done the right thing by going to your veterinarian. That's the most important first step. IF your dog isn't getting better, an MRI can help know what the cause is so that we can better know how to help. If that isn't possible, I'd at least give your dog some time. Again, IF he has geriatric vestibular disease, it usually improves significantly in the first 2-4 days. It might not resolve in that time, but it improves.

[@thounrathtepy1320]

@@SEVNeurology thanks a lot for your response. My dog is getting better now. I’m so happy to share that he starts to eat by himself now and his eyes also stop twitching as well. There’s just one thing that is not getting to normal yet is his head tilt and imbalance walk. I gave him supplementary to boost his energy and nervous system. Hopefully he could get back to normal soon. Thanks for your useful video as well. You help me a calm myself down a bit since i was too panic of seeing his first reaction.

[@metzsky9968]

@@thounrathtepy1320 what did you give your dog?

[@rippin187]

@@thounrathtepy1320 Is your dog fully recovered yet? If so, how long did it take?

[@seshanprematilaka8427]

my dog got a head tilt and and a unbalanced walk 2 weeks back and doctor gave few injections and tablets he was ok the next day morning. After about 5 days he was same again and doctor gave few injections and tablets and today is another 5 days after that and he has the head tilt but walks without wobbling but slow and steady, so doctor asked to bring again if he is not fully normal, I am concerned in giving too much medicine too. dog eat wells, walk without wobbling nearly 80 percent but the head tilt remains should I go for the 3rd treatment? can this get cured with time? can this get worse and how long can a dog live like this pls advice

[@30pvfd]

Sometimes head tilt remained slightly my dog has head tilt he recovered but his head tilt remained a little bit I still give him Dramamine otc per my vet other than that he is ok

[@kuromi8384]

my vet told me sometimes the head tilt never fully goes away

[@pupupu1955]

Hi, if there was a resolution found, was it a simple deworming?

[@Mickado]

My cat just started experiencing this and I’m freaking out. Edit: she has eaten and drank water and now she is better..? So she is fine now. I’ve been looking it up and it may be diabetes so we will have to get her checked.

[@SEVNeurology]

Glad she’s better. Yes, have her checked out.

[@MnM-xm5gv]

Would vestibular disease cause death? If so, what is usually the end result? Also, with flickering eyes are dogs in pain? Are they able to see at that time? Will they lose their appetite?

[@SEVNeurology]

It depends on the underlying cause for the vestibular disease. For example, ear infections and idiopathic 'old dog' vestibular disease usually do not lead to death, whereas encephalitis and brain tumors can cause a pet to die. This is why it's so important to have a pet evaluated by a neurologist and try to determine the cause with exams, blood tests, MRI and possibly a spinal tap.

[@MnM-xm5gv]

@@SEVNeurology Can encephalitis be caused by an inner ear infection? Can a deep massage of a dogs body release any harmful substance that would trigger the dying process if a dog is suffering from Meningitis and/or Encephalitis and/or cancer?

[@tiakerridge5161]

I have a kitten who’s about 7 months he’s loosing his balance vets dunno what it is and want to do a mri scan witch cost 2 grand witch I haven’t got

[@SEVNeurology]

Kittens can have “good” causes such as ear polyps that can be 100% curable. They also can have more serious things like FIP which is fatal. While MRI is typically part of diagnosing both, there are other tests that can help rule them in or out.

[@shaimaalshuwaikh4650]

@@SEVNeurology please advise me .. as vet diagnosed my baby fip .. but other vet before this diagnosis told its only ear infection .. the strange thing that my baby started the telted head issue before a month .. and when she will be on amoxiclave antibiotics she improves .. but only two weeks and vet advise to stop the antibiotic..

[@dinakamal481]

❤

[@kathyaroche]

My 13 yr old German shepherd is being hospitalized with fluids right now bc she collapsed and her eyes starting darting side to side :/

[@mhasier4u]

❤🐶👍

[@poponw6494]

These cats can get on the plane?

[@Blue2crows]

Yes I'm all on board for the test. Its just costs $1,000's of dollars.

[@SEVNeurology]

Yes. Unfortunately MRI machines cost 400,000-1M to purchase and about 10,000 to maintain each month. It’s really expensive to have that sort of technology and the people to run it and interpret the images, etc. Our number one obstacle to helping pets is then financial burden. We try to price services so that most can afford. We encourage pet insurance and payment plans. We also rely on and appreciate those who contribute to our foundation to help families in need.

[@bradlee3855]

Pls i need some help How to treat a cat that have those symptoms I think My cat is on vestibular disease right now😭😭 She cant walk 😭

[@shaimaalshuwaikh4650]

How is your cat ? My cat is the same ! One and a half month im treating her as fip cat .. but i had doughts shes not .. and now im sure after reading about vd .. she has telting head .. infection in her ears .. flu since she was three months till now shes one year .. but this situation of telted head .. not walking .. only before a month .. if you can advise what treatment for your kitty ?

[@dinakamal481]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@crazydoglady5]

Sadly most people cant afford those EXPENSIVE MRIs...ssooooooo most gotta wing it and hope for the best. Need alternate things for people that cant pay that huge amount for MRIs. I used CBD oil for calming all throughout the day and a few other things. We are on Day 9 of this happening..she is doing fairly well. slow to recover but she is almost back to normal. Head tilt and off balance some..otherwise looking good. She is 14 yrs old. She just got over a bad bacterial infection in her neck like 6 weeks earlier. She was on antibiotics for 3 months fighting for her life. I am wondering if there is a connection to all those antibiotics she was on. Clavamox and Convenia injection. In the beginning she got Entyce for appetite stimulant and Cerenia for anti nausea. But she recovered finally and then this hit..out of nowhere. too kher to ER. ER never recommended MRI. I called MY vet and they said..not much you can do..maybe use some meclizine for dizziness. I decided against that since i had read antihistamines could cause more issues. So we just rode it out. THANK GOD she is in the mend. I initially thought it was a stroke since i had never heard of this Vestibular disease. I watched it all unfold before my eyes. it happened over a course of an hour or so.... Anyway with that said..I have Meniere's disease and take Dyazide for myself. I did end up giving her half a tab every other day of my meds. maybe a low dose and maybe not enough given but didnt see where it could hurt either....IMO I think it may have helped her. Why would it not if it is similar to Meniere's...just saying.... its what made sense to me at the time.

[@pupupu1955]

Hi, if there was a resolution found, was it a simple deworming?

[@crazydoglady5]

@@pupupu1955 huh?

[@crazydoglady5]

@@pupupu1955 as for deworming...that was taken care of for the last yr or so...

[@pupupu1955]

@@crazydoglady5 I was told that intestinal parasites release toxins and that can have an effect on the nervous system. This is the reason why I asked. My dog threw up after she was given a dewormer pill and I was also told that a stool sample is not always a 100% effective in detecting worms. I just wanted make sure that her symptoms are not caused by worms as she lost a lot of weight already which could be a sign of parasites. I barely have any money left, so I jut wanted to rule this out without having to pay half my salary to vets.

[@pupupu1955]

@@crazydoglady5 thank you, you helped a lot.

[@abigailtorres9428]

My dog loses all his strength and looks lost and can’t get up and he will throw up and poop on his self😔💔. I have him for 12 years . I want to take him to the vet . But vets are very expensive and right now I only have $20 to my name since I do not have a job just yet . This really hurts me . I would go in deep depression if my dog leaves me

[@pupupu1955]

Hi, if there was a resolution found, was it a simple deworming?

[@abigailtorres9428]

@@pupupu1955 Hey thank you but the vet put my baby to sleep. She said he had cancer ,it spred and it had taking over him . She told me I could bring him home on pain medication but it would only be temporarily it wouldn't cure him. He got puffy and started bleeding alot . I had no other choice but to agree to the vaccine ☹️. I am not rich or have money like that. But with the few I have I tried to give him the best life I could. Now that I don't have him physically here I feel broken, lost, empty,hurt,depressed... And I had to face reality that the world don't care about what is going on in my life or how I feel. I have to continue going to work and act like nothing is going on. And that is one of the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I had to make myself num so I can continue in this cruel world. The only time I allow myself to feel is when I make it came home from work . I miss my dog so much.

[@pupupu1955]

@@abigailtorres9428 thank you for your reply, I am really sorry for your loss. I think you made the right decision, you did all you could and did not prolong your dog's suffering. Sometimes that is all we can do. I also had to put down a dog and when she died I felt her soul leave her body, it was like a tingling felling in my arms. I am sure they have souls that are in heaven or some place similar as eventually all souls return to the creator. I think they either stay there or are reborn in a healthy body and live again. The sorrow will pass, believe me, I've been through this twice. You don't have to pretend that you are not sad, as it is natural, what helped me throught the toughest days was that I imagined that if I was dying and as sick as my cat and dog was, I would be thankful if someone put me to sleep as that is not painful and is a quick way to go.

[@LindaRexroth-no3qg]

Very informative on diagnosis and disease process but NOTHING on treatment and prognosis which I found to be dissapointing.

[@SEVNeurology]

Hi Linda. Thank you for your comment. Possible treatment options depend on the reason for the vestibular disease, so it is extremely important to work with a veterinary neurologist to find the cause. We are here if you need us. sevneurology.com/

[@sandimccracken2781]

Why don’t you talk about continuous pacing in cats❓

[@SEVNeurology]

Like walking in circles as if lost?

[@sandimccracken2781]

@@SEVNeurology Yes and pacing continuously and getting into places he can’t get out of

[@SEVNeurology]

@@sandimccracken2781 Thanks for clarifying. We do have a video about walking in circles but it mainly gives dog examples. Most of the same things can cause walking in circles in cats. There are non-neurological causes, but the ones we see most are due to a problem in the front part of the brain. Possible problems in the front part of the brain in a cat include a brain tumor, stroke, infection, malformation, trauma and others. If your cat is doing this (and getting stuck in corners), it is in his or her best interest to be seen by a neurologist.

[@redgear4566]

Is there anyway to get the vet to diagnose this without having to pay $4,000 for tests. Jesus

[@SEVNeurology]

Thanks. This is a common question. To come to a diagnosis (eg KNOW what the cause is), we need to do an examination, list the possible causes based on what is most likely to least likely, then prescribe the most appropriate tests to find the cause. Unfortunately in neurology, the only way to diagnose most causes of balance problems is by doing an MRI, which has associated costs. There is always the option to not perform tests and try medications. But without knowing the cause with tests, there are pitfalls in assuming what the cause is.