Amy lurcher has vestibular syndrome ?

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I took the dogs to the secure exercise field today - everything was going really well and we were having our usual fun time, then Amy started staggering around and couldn’t stand up ?

I was pretty sure what it was straight away as her eyes were also flickering ?. I phoned the vets from the field, dropped the other dogs at home on my way past and took her straight there just to be sure. They’ve confirmed no ear infection so it’s either idiopathic or a sign of something else... she is 13 now so won’t be putting her through MRI scans and the like.

She has picked up quite well and can already stand by herself and walk a few paces, so I’m keeping her warm and quiet and we will see how it goes. My poor girl, she was so distressed ???
 
Its such a horrible thing to witness, but it sounds as though she is already starting to show signs of improvement.
When one of mine had it, the vets were very hopeful of a good recovery.
I hope she continues to improve. Xx
 
Well.... Amy has just got up, demanded her tea, and eaten it all with her usual huge enthusiasm whilst standing up by herself with no problems.

My dogs never do read the veterinary manuals ???

ETA - also now marched out into the garden, had a wee, come back in like nothing had ever happened today ❤️❤️❤️❤️

She is still slightly unsteady but I could not be more delighted ?
 
Horrible for you but it sounds like she is feeling much better now thankfully!! I think that is what matters to dogs, if not their owners. :) :) I bet you will still give her extra pampering...:)
 
Levrier said:
Well.... Amy has just got up, demanded her tea, and eaten it all with her usual huge enthusiasm whilst standing up by herself with no problems.

My dogs never do read the veterinary manuals ???

ETA - also now marched out into the garden, had a wee, come back in like nothing had ever happened today ❤️❤️❤️❤️

She is still slightly unsteady but I could not be more delighted ?
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I had a Lab bitch aged 13 who had an episode while I was at work. She was very wobbly when I got home, so I took her to the vet and was lucky enough to be able to see my favourite vet. I can't remember what he gave her, if anything but she soon recovered and lived for another 2 (ish) years.
 
Thank you PAS I love hearing good news stories ❤️

I wish you could tag people on the forum, but if any of the vets read this and would be kind enough to comment I would be really grateful!

I know it is a really good sign that Amy has recovered so quickly (symptoms showed at 2.40pm, she was at the vets at 3.20pm for an examination and an anti sickness jab, they confirmed no ear infection present, by 6pm she is standing and walking around by herself with very little staggering, eating normally and with enthusiasm) but I am guessing this doesn’t mean she won’t have another episode? So is it just wait and see?
 
Oh bless you, our vet said that vestibular syndrome, along with fits were two of the scariest things for owners to witness, worse than for the dog! I can't for the life of me remember what tablets he gave our lab, (Im sure someone else will be along who's had the same and has a better memory) but he was about 13 or 14 when he had his first, had a second about 6 months later, then no more in his remaining time. We lost him at 16 when his back legs finally said enough. Extra cuddles for Amy tonight!

Edited to say, its just come to me! He was on Vivitonin!
 
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i put a post up when my collie cross had it in june last year. she had her 13th birthday on the wed and had the attack very early sat morning. she didnt improve as quickly as amy but ate well from the beginning but i kept her on chicken and rice for the first week. i had to use a harness and towel under her belly as she was very wobbly and there are 2 steepish steps up to my grass. it took about 5 months for her to get back to virtually normal but she still holds her head slightly to one side when she is tired. good luck hope amy stays well.
 
I must say that today was one of the many times I have been grateful for AAD - I was pretty sure it was vestibular right away, I would always take the dog to the vet to be sure but because I’d read posts where people described it on here I was fairly convinced!

So thank you Splashgirl and others who have shared your experiences, I am very grateful ?

Amy has been asleep on the sofa next to me all evening as usual, she may possibly sleep on my bed tonight just so I can be sure she is OK ?
 
My soon to be 16 year old had VS about 2 years ago, she spent a night at the vets but was home the next morning. Another one of mine had 3 episodes and recovered each time even managing to do stairs again. Hope yours is back to normal very soon.
 
Funnily enough vestibular is not that well known, and my spaniel who had 2 separate attacks was mis-diagnosed initially.

When she had her first attack I thought she had had a stroke, very disorientated and wobbly, and couldn't move in a straight line. She struggled to eat as couldn't seem to find her food bowl either, but let me hand feed her. Both attacks passed relatively quickly, as in she was 90% back to normal after a couple of weeks, but did leave her with a permanent head tilt.

She had the attacks quite soon after one another at around 13yrs, and then never again, and lived a happy life up until 16 yrs.
 
My old girl had a couple of episodes. It always seemed to be when she was left for longer than normal which made me feel awfully guilty. In her case it turned out to be high blood pressure (the excitement of me coming home was probably the trigger) which was then controlled with medication. She always recovered fully afterwards.
 
Spotty Dog had a few vacant episodes in her later years, the vet prescribed Vitofyllin, which I think is the same as Vivitonin, to increase blood flow to her brain and muscles to improve alertness and demeanour. They definitely had an effect, making her less likely to "zone out" and (even) more eager to exercise. She never had a vestibular episode but the vet thought the vacant episodes were an indication that she might in the future. She took Vitofyllin for 5 years or so, with no negative side effects. Sending love to Amy xx
 
Well Amy had a very good nights sleep on my bed, interestingly she didn’t twitch and thrash around in her sleep like she usually does but was very still.

This morning you would hardly know anything had happened - she is bright, alert, interested, trotting round as usual, jumping up onto the sofa or the bed as usual, it’s great ?

Because I know her very well after all these years I know she is slightly quieter than usual, and her eyes are looking a bit tired, so she will have a peaceful restful day today. Trying to explain to her than a walk might not be in her best interests will be difficult ? I do hate the whole ‘wait and see’ thing in case she has another episode, but I feel so lucky that she has recovered so quickly and so well from this one ? Thank you all for your lovely comments and support ❤️
 
I posted re this a few days ago! I had never heard of this before, dog going back to vets Wednesday for follow up. He's had two attacks in 4 days, seems back to normal today. Its a scary thing to see. Im reassured by other posters experiences
 
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