toofarnorth Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Hi all....my 12/13 yo lab x, Gemma, is starting to have some balance issues and I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. It first started a couple of months back, I took her to the vet, vet was unable to give any prognosis other than the usual start doing tests. I decided to take her home and monitor her, and she seemed ok up until a few days back. Now she is having episodes where she appears drunk, swaggering around, and seems slightly disorientated and confused. I talk with her and sit her down, and she seems to come good for a bit. I thougth it may have been a bit of dementia, but the balance part has thrown me. I am relatively new to this area, and unfortunately I dont have a lot of faith in my vet. (nice enough vet, but just doesnt seem that knowledgeable) So I am reluctuant to take her back until it seems obvious that she might need medication to help settle her. She still has her appetite, and seems happy. Is this normal aging behaviour? I dont want to appear naive, just after some reassurance or reality. I have two dogs, both around the same age, and they are my first, so I dont have any experience with older dogs. thanks. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CavsRcute Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 I have seen that happen with an older pulli. The vet said that it had something to do with the fluid in her inner ear...there is a special name for it ?vestibular something. Not very helpful But if you don't have confidence in that vet, find another! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Does THIS help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormie Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Was there an accute onset? Could be vestibular syndrome, though most cases of that come on suddenly and then symptoms fade. My 15yo golden retriever sounds almost the same. She has lost most of her hearing and her sight is also fading, particularly in one eye. This means she often walks with her head slightly turned to one side, to allow her to see in front of her easier. She also has arthritis which makes is harder for her to keep her balance and steady herself. I have noticed that when she tries to do zoomies (very cute to watch!!) she almost runs side on and is quite unsteady. Maybe next vet visit have the vet evaluate her sight and hearing - might give you more of an insight with her behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockerlover Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 our oldies are a worry ,could be just old age but i would be finding a better vet .so many possibles imo you need experianced vets advise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 I would suggest something to do with the inner ear as well. The only real way to find out would be an MRI or CT Scan as you would be able to see if the inner ear was full of gunk and if the ear bones had grown over. Vestibular Syndrome usually comes on in a sudden hit and many people think that their dog has had a stroke. But alot of people report that their dog wasn't 100% on and off, ear infections nd just not happy, for a long time before the actual attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Yes, sounds vestibular. Pacing is also a symptom. Get your dog's ears checked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 A head tilt normally accompanies vestibular. There is nothing medically that can be done for them, they normally come right with time but do suffer repeat bouts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofarnorth Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 Thank you so much all, your info and experience is much appreciated! She doesnt have the head tilt happening, but she has been pacing on and off for some time now. Thank goodness if it is vestibular it doesnt seem to be nearly as bad as Storms (thanks for link persephone). I will do some more research on it and prioritise finding a vet who I have a little more confidence in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 There is nothing medically that can be done for them, they normally come right with time but do suffer repeat bouts If the inner ear is full of gunk and/or the bone has grown over then surgery can be performed to both get the gunk out and to remove the excess bone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofarnorth Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 A quick update, I took Gemma to the Vet this morning, same practice different vet. It was heart breaking, when I went to get her out of the car she was so disorientated and fell a few times in the car so it took a while to be able to coax her out slowly. The vet checked her ears, they appeared ok. Her eyes were doing the rapid back and forth motion, but only slightly. She couldnt find an obvious reason but said that it did appear to be Vestibular. So, at the moment I am still monitoring her, hoping that it will go away in time. I guess this could be good news, for now anyhow as the vet has said that she wouldnt put her under a general due to an erratic heart beat experienced last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagittarian Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 So sorry to hear about this. May I ask what her diet is (please believe me, I have a reason to ask). Sags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 The vet checked her ears, they appeared ok. Normal checking of the ears wont show up anything as the problem is in the inner ear which can not be seen. Did your vet prescribe any medications? I believe steroids can be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofarnorth Posted December 15, 2008 Author Share Posted December 15, 2008 No, no medication was prescribed... but the vet did mention at one point about steroids having some success but she didnt sound optimistic so I didnt ask more. I probably should of. Tomorrow I will give her a call and check again on the steroids. I am so worried, as I have both my dogs booked in at Kennels whilst I go on a holiday overseas in January. I cant imagine her going into a kennel at all in this state, no way. ty puggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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