The term vestibular refers to the inner ear organs of the body.  Vestibular disease in dogs is not a true “disease” as such but actually is a composite of various neurologic signs that occur as a result of a malfunction of some part of the vestibular system.  This system is responsible for the maintenance of balance and the coordination of position of the head, eyes, neck and limbs in space. It can be either peripheral (PVD) or central (CVD) in nature and can be the result of a vestibular lesion or other disease like hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) or hyperadrenocorticism (abnormal excessive presence of adrenocortical hormones, especially cortisol in the body).  Both types of this condition usually present with acute onset (suddenly) and a peripheral vestibular issue may follow a recent ear infection.

Vestibular disease is defined as the sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance.  It is also known as old vestibular syndrome and canine idiopathic vestibular syndrome. It is usually found more often in older dogs than in younger ones.

This condition will likely present suddenly and can be central or peripheral in nature.  The primary and most noted symptoms are:

The most likely symptoms that you will note in your pet in regard to CVD:

The symptoms that will likely be most obvious to you, the owner, will be the head tilt and vestibular ataxia noted above.  Seek medical care as soon as possible when these symptoms are noted.

Vestibular disease is generally a condition that affects older dogs and is usually peripheral or central in nature.  There are several types: 

The dysfunction is more common in older dogs but can be secondary to a neoplastic lesion.  The head tilt and positional strabismus is pretty much equal in regard to the symptoms noted in your pet in both types of vestibular disease in dogs.

There are a number of known or suspected causes of vestibular disease.  Some of these causes are more serious than others and will require some sort of medical assistance or intervention to resolve.

Depending on the actual cause of the episode, after a fairly fast onset of the clinical signs mentioned above, there could be a period of relatively rapid improvement of those symptoms and signs with minimal if any medical intervention having been required.

Diagnosing this disease will require a neurological examination by your local veterinarian.  He or she will need to determine if the vestibular issue is peripheral or central in nature.  Here is what he or she will be looking for in the physical neurological assessment:

There will likely need to be some diagnostic testing done as well:

The treatment of vestibular disease in dogs is twofold:

The underlying or root cause of the disease needs to be determined and treated. Your veterinarian will need to identify the possible cause so that she can develop a treatment plan. 

Supportive care comes into play as well in the form of things like:

Research has revealed that there is some experimental benefit to be gained from the use of the medication propentofylline in rats as it has shown some increasing of the speed at which the brain is able to compensate after unilateral vestibular damage.  If this medication option is utilized, then it will, of course, require close monitoring of your pet during treatment.

Additionally, the nystagmus can make an occasional return suddenly and last for a brief period of time.  If your pet experiences this symptom reappearance, you should keep your pet in a quiet environment during that period of time and you should monitor him closely.  If the nystagmus persists, then your veterinarian will need to re-examine and re-investigate the physical condition of your companion. Depending on the cause and the type of vestibular disease identified, the end result could be permanent damage in which your beloved family pet displays a permanent head tilt, balance issues, and disorientation. There may be adjustments needed in the home environment and by the family to deal with any permanent physical or neurological damage following vestibular disease, in order to keep him safe.