Peripheral Vestibular Disease
Peripheral vestibular disease is a neurological disorder that affects animals. It affects the nerves that control eye movement, head position and balance. Veterinarians are unsure what causes the disease, but in most cases, it is treatable. The symptoms can last a couple of day to a couple of weeks.
-
About
-
According to Cat Health, experts believe peripheral vestibular disease is related to the special endolymphatic fluid in the semicircular canals of the ears. This, however, is still a theory since it is not known what causes the disease. Most animals recover completely from this disease. Animals that don't see a full recovery, though, still go on to lead normal lives, according to Vet Info.
Animals It Affects
-
Cats and dogs can both get peripheral vestibular disease. It is also known as geriatric vestibular syndrome because older dogs and cats are more likely to be afflicted with this disease, according to Vet Info. Middle aged cats and dogs are also able to get peripheral vestibular disease, but it is less likely.
-
Symptoms
-
According to The Hope Center for Advanced Veterinary Medicine, cats and dogs with this disease will tilt their head to one side, turn in circles or fall to one side. This happens because normal brain function feedback is blocked by the disease. According to Cat Health, animals may cry out or oscillate their eyes back and forth. Vet Info warns that vomiting may occur because the animal feels dizzy as a result of the illness.
Treatment
-
For some animals, treatment is not needed. Peripheral vestibular disease can go away on its own within a few days. According to The Hope Center for Advanced Veterinary Medicine, steroids, antibiotics and topical ear medication are sometimes used to treat the illness. A head tilt may still be present in the animal, but after a few weeks of rest, it will go away.
Considerations
-
A dog or cat suffering from peripheral vestibular disease should be kept indoors and monitored, according to Cat Health. If the animal constantly falls as a result of the disease, a veterinarian may need to put protective gear on the animal's head to keep it from sustaining further injuries. The animal may have a hard time drinking or eating, since these require fine motor skills. In this case, the owner would need to provide food or drink to the animal by hand.
-
References
- Photo Credit Two Dogs image by ziggyhendry from Fotolia.com
