Idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome
Idiopathic vestibular syndrome has a sudden onset of symptoms and has no detectable cause. Idiopathic vestibular syndrome usually occurs in senior dogs. Typically, symptoms go away within several weeks.
Middle or Inner Ear Infection
The middle and inner ear help to control balance. Therefore, bacterial and yeast infections in the middle or inner ear can cause the loss of balance and hearing. If treated in the early stages, middle or inner ear infections have a good recovery prognosis.
Brain Tumors
Brain tumors may cause dizziness. A tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue, which may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The level of malignancy can vary in different tumors. Brain tumors are more common in older dogs. Any dog may get a brain tumor but certain breeds are predisposed such as the Golden Retriever, Boxer, Boston Terrier, and the Collie.
Trauma
Trauma to your dog’s head can result in brain injury, which can cause dizziness. Trauma may have occurred from a fall or being hit by a moving vehicle. If you believe your dog has a brain injury, he must be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Additional symptoms may include blood coming from the ears, cuts, laceration and coma.
Stroke
Strokes occur when a blood vessel ruptures or becomes clogged, which then causes the brain to be deprived of its blood supply. The brain needs to receive oxygen from the circulating blood in the body. Many strokes are the result of an embolism. An embolism is a blood clot that develops and travels to a blood vessel in the brain. Once the embolism reaches the brain it causes a blockage.
Low Blood Sugar
The medical term for low blood sugar is hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is common in toy breed puppies under 3 months of age. Low blood sugar may also be caused by Addison’s disease, liver disease and tumors of the pancreas.
Poison
There are numerous substances, which can be toxic to dogs such as certain plants, chocolate, grapes, chemicals, insecticides, artificial sweeteners and human medications. A dog that is poisoned may have loss of coordination, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and weakness. If you suspect that your dog has been poisoned, he must be seen by a veterinarian ASAP. Time is of the essence to ensure that the poisoning is not fatal.