Are there any treatments for feline vestibular disease?
Thank You
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It depends on the cause, but antibiotics can be helpful if it is an inner ear infection. Also, anti-inflammatories / steroids may help if it is stroke-related. Sometimes, there may be a polyp in the ear which can also extend into the mouth – removal can improve balance.
Best of luck,
Joy N. Ritz, DVM Associate Veterinarian Decatur Veterinary Clinic Indianapolis, IN
Some of us use a combination of steroids (cortisone, not anabolic steroids) and antibiotics. But there are those who say that if you treat them they will recover in 7 days or so and if you don’t treat them it takes about a week. LOL I tend to treat especially since I’ve had one or two that I began treatment, got good improvement, the owners stopped giving the meds and the vestibular symptoms got worse again until we resumed treatment. Good luck! Most recover – many completely, some with a residual head tilt but able to function fine with good quality of life.
This depends what the cause is. It can very from an inner ear infection (otitis interna), to idiopathic (unknown cause) which self resolves with time, to a neurologic disorder. Consultation with a veterinary neurologist would be your best option so appropriate diagnostics/therapy can be instituted if indicted.
There is no treatment, the disease is self-correcting usually within a few days. While affected, you could keep her in a darkened environment with lots of cushions or towels for her body to orient against; and 12.5 mg meclizine (OTC) daily.
I have known vets who start cats on a decreasing dose of prednisolone (not PREDNISONE) but vestibular disease will usually resolve on its own without treatment.
Our, boxer dog ,10 years old, has been with symptoms of vestibular disease for almost 3 months. Xrays revealed problems in the bullas. Stugeron did not work. He was given a shot of prednisone and recovered 90% for 8 days, then another shot of prednisone and recovered for another week, but the third shot did not work. Now he will start oral prednisone. He walks in very tight circles to the right, breaths very fast, and is disoriented, and sad, also had nystagmus twice. Is it possible that a vestibular disease lasts all this time ? Is there any possibility that our beloved dog recovers ? Two vets have seen him and have not prescribed antibiotics. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your advise.
Your Boxer’s symptoms sound neurologic. Whether it is stroke, vestibular disease, brain tumor, or gme it is hard to say – but the usual treatment is daily prednisone. I would recommend taking your critter to a veterinary Neurologist. If it is GME there are some drugs out now that might help, but GME has a grave prognosis. I see now that it has been a while since you posted – I hope your dog recovered. If not, you know he is happily chasing butterflies on the other side of Rainbow Bridge…with my pup. 🙁 Take care.
It depends on the cause, but antibiotics can be helpful if it is an inner ear infection. Also, anti-inflammatories / steroids may help if it is stroke-related. Sometimes, there may be a polyp in the ear which can also extend into the mouth – removal can improve balance.
Best of luck,
Joy N. Ritz, DVM
Associate Veterinarian
Decatur Veterinary Clinic
Indianapolis, IN
Some of us use a combination of steroids (cortisone, not anabolic steroids) and antibiotics. But there are those who say that if you treat them they will recover in 7 days or so and if you don’t treat them it takes about a week. LOL I tend to treat especially since I’ve had one or two that I began treatment, got good improvement, the owners stopped giving the meds and the vestibular symptoms got worse again until we resumed treatment. Good luck! Most recover – many completely, some with a residual head tilt but able to function fine with good quality of life.
N. Lee Kolos, VMD
Kolbrooks Veterinary Clinic
Bellefonte, PA
This depends what the cause is. It can very from an inner ear infection (otitis interna), to idiopathic (unknown cause) which self resolves with time, to a neurologic disorder. Consultation with a veterinary neurologist would be your best option so appropriate diagnostics/therapy can be instituted if indicted.
Dr. Terry Medinger, DVM
VCA Aurora Animal Hospital
Aurora, IL
There is no treatment, the disease is self-correcting usually within a few days. While affected, you could keep her in a darkened environment with lots of cushions or towels for her body to orient against; and 12.5 mg meclizine (OTC) daily.
Dr. Dan
I have known vets who start cats on a decreasing dose of prednisolone (not PREDNISONE) but vestibular disease will usually resolve on its own without treatment.
Lori L Coughlin, DVM
Lori L Coughlin, DVM
Arlington Heights, IL
Our, boxer dog ,10 years old, has been with symptoms of vestibular disease for almost 3 months. Xrays revealed problems in the bullas. Stugeron did not work. He was given a shot of prednisone and recovered 90% for 8 days, then another shot of prednisone and recovered for another week, but the third shot did not work. Now he will start oral prednisone. He walks in very tight circles to the right, breaths very fast, and is disoriented, and sad, also had nystagmus twice. Is it possible that a vestibular disease lasts all this time ? Is there any possibility that our beloved dog recovers ? Two vets have seen him and have not prescribed antibiotics. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your advise.
Your Boxer’s symptoms sound neurologic. Whether it is stroke, vestibular disease, brain tumor, or gme it is hard to say – but the usual treatment is daily prednisone. I would recommend taking your critter to a veterinary Neurologist. If it is GME there are some drugs out now that might help, but GME has a grave prognosis. I see now that it has been a while since you posted – I hope your dog recovered. If not, you know he is happily chasing butterflies on the other side of Rainbow Bridge…with my pup. 🙁 Take care.