My Dog Has Vertigo, How Do I Care For My Dog?

Suppose your Dog has vertigo; you can care for it by giving it support therapy, hospitalization, and antibiotics.

At the same time, you can administer sedatives to your pet to ensure that it does not harm itself when it suffers from this condition.

This a frightening and worrying sign for dog owners. Vertigo is more prevalent in older medium-sized to larger dogs. Although this condition is benign, it can be harmful if it involves the central nervous system.

The medical term vestibular disease is more typically used to describe vertigo in dogs. It can arise due to diseases and disorders affecting the brain or the inner anatomy of the ear. In most situations, this disorder is mild and short-lived.

Disruption to the vestibular system causes your pet to lose coordination and a characteristic head tilt.

Types Of Vertigo

As earlier stated, the vestibular system is responsible for maintaining balance in your pet. The vestibular system consists of the peripheral system and central system. And these systems are responsible for the two types of vertigo experienced by dogs.

Peripheral Vertigo

This part of the vestibular system is mainly in the animal’s ear. It can weaken due to infections, growths, or medication reactions; most vertigo in dogs is peripherally based.

Peripheral vertigo results from miscommunication between the inner ear and your Dog’s brain. Inflammation of the nerves that connect the ear to the brain is the most prevalent cause, most commonly caused by chronic or recurring ear infections.

Central Vertigo

This type of vertigo is rare among dogs and can be more severe and challenging to treat. Dangerous illnesses such as brain tumors, bleeding in the brain, and central nervous system inflammatory diseases are likely due to central nervous system involvement.

Symptoms In A Dog That Has Vertigo

Regardless of the type of vertigo, the symptoms are generally the same. Although, in central vertigo, eye movements are more pronounced, and coordination loss may be more severe.

Vertigo in your Dog can manifest itself in various ways, including losing balance or falling over and rapid eye movements. You may also notice a pronounced head tilt, poor coordination, and your pet standing with legs spread apart.

Other signs include circling in one direction, disinterest in food or water, sleeping on hard surfaces, staggering, stumbling, and vomiting.

Causes Of Vertigo

Several things can cause vertigo in your pet. However, the causes of peripheral vertigo differ from those that cause central vestibular illness to develop.

In some cases, it affects older dogs without any apparent root cause, and this condition is idiopathic or old dog vertigo. Attacks can be severe and occur unexpectedly, but they usually subside within a few days, requiring little assistance and treatment.

Peripheral vestibular illness can be due to infection or inflammation of a cranial nerve, ear infections, injury to the head or ear, polyps, or reaction to some medications.

A brain tumor, brain bleeding, infections, inflammatory disease, or a condition of the brain stem can cause central vestibular illness.

My Dog Has vertigo – Care and Prevention.

Keeping your Dog clean and free of infection will assist in preventing vestibular illness caused by nerve irritation.

Routine health care and physicals, including diagnostic tests, can discover any underlying issues that could develop vestibular disorder sooner rather than later.

Also, depending on your pet’s condition, you can care for your Dog by assisting it. At the same time, the situation will slowly recede until your pet’s balance ultimately returns.

This disorder is rarely painful; however, it is uncomfortable for your pet. During your pet’s recovery, its environment should be kept calm and serene, devoid of unnecessary noise.

The recovery time for dogs suffering from vertigo can range from a couple of days to a few weeks. You can create a comfortable spot for your pet to relax with easy access to water and food to aid it in recovering.

Since vestibular sickness affects balance, keeping the floor free of obstructions and preventing your Dog from using the stairs is also a good idea.

Treatment For A Dog That Has Vertigo

While vestibular dysfunction can cause minor discomfort, motion nausea, and a lack of coordination in your Dog, it is not painful or dangerous. With time, the condition will gradually go away without treatment.

It is essential to monitor your Dog closely and observe its symptoms. Suppose your puppy’s condition worsens after the first 48 hours. It would be best if you took it to the vet.

Your vet should examine your pet and look for the primary cause of the disease.

Diagnosing any underlying condition, such as an ear infection, will determine the course of treatment. If your vet finds no cause, your veterinarian will provide supportive treatment for your dizzy Dog while she recovers.

Suppose your Dog has nausea or vomiting as a result of vestibular disorder. In that case, your vet may prescribe an anti-nausea medicine to help alleviate the symptoms. However, the best cure for idiopathic vertigo is to wait patiently while your Dog recovers.

Also, supportive therapy, such as intravenous fluids and hospital care, may be necessary in severe cases until the Dog can eat and move on its own. Sedatives may be administered to the Dog if it is very confused.

Conclusion

The first two days are when the symptoms of vestibular illness are commonly the most severe. Within 72 hours, many pets start to feel better.

Over seven to ten days, the head tilts, and tripping improves. The good news is that most dogs recover entirely within two to three weeks. However, in some cases, some dogs still experience mild head tilting.