In dogs, FCEs occur when microscopic pieces of fibrous tissue and cartilage develop in the body and break off somewhere, blocking blood flow to the spinal cord. This results in acute, profound neurologic signs similar to old dog vestibular disease.
FCEs can be seen more commonly in certain breeds such as Labrador retrievers , Miniature Schnauzers , and Shetland sheepdogs. Unfortunately, there is no cure for a FCE. However, with supportive nursing care, many dogs improve and recover from the paralysis; however, recovery may be gradual and slow as compared to old dog vestibular disease.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian — they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
Skip to main content. With a lesion in the vestibulocerebellum, one might expect to see other cerebellar symptoms such as proprioceptive or postural reaction deficits, wide based stance, truncal sway, hypermetria, dysmetria, or an intention tremor.
Correctly localizing a vestibular lesion to the central or peripheral vestibular system is critical in establishing appropriate differential diagnoses and thus an appropriate course of action.
Important factors to consider when developing a differential list include: the signalment of the dog; the rapidity of onset of clinical signs; whether the dog is exhibiting central or peripheral vestibular signs; whether the clinical signs have improved, remained static or gotten worse over time; and if the signs have improved, how rapidly have they improved see Table 1.
Table 1: Summary of the common causes of acute onset vestibular disease in geriatric dogs, expected neuroanatomic localization, and expected development of clinical signs. In particular, it can be challenging to distinguish between idiopathic vestibular disease and ischemic stroke which both occur in geriatric dogs, have a per-acute onset, and get better over time without targeted therapy. Doing a thorough neurologic examination is critical in determining a specific neuroanatomic localization i.
Another factor to consider is recurrence of clinical signs. While idiopathic vestibular disease can recur in dogs after initial improvement, it is less common than with strokes and the interval between episodes is typically longer with idiopathic vestibular disease months or more versus strokes days to weeks or more.
Some might ask, if dogs get better after a stroke without treatment just like they do with idiopathic vestibular disease , why is there a need to distinguish between these two diseases?
Possible underlying causes of strokes in dogs include:. If a dog suffers a stroke, it is important to identify and treat any underlying cause s to help reduce the risk of further strokes and other morbidity.
Diagnostic evaluation of a possible or confirmed stroke case should include:. In summary, there are many causes of acute onset vestibular disease in geriatric dogs, some of which can be relatively easily managed if correctly identified e.
However, it can be very easy to make an incorrect presumptive diagnosis due to similarities in clinical presentation thus putting the patient at risk for further morbidity or even mortality. Most dogs are completely recovered within two to three weeks with supportive care, although some will have residual symptoms such as a head tilt or mild "wobbling" for life. If your dog fails to improve or worsens, your veterinarian will perform advanced diagnostic testing. Regardless of the reason for your dog's nystagmus, seeking immediate veterinary attention is vital for your dog's health.
Whether you see an emergency veterinarian or your regular veterinarian, they can help you figure out what is causing your dog's troubling eye symptoms and how best to tackle the problem. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.
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