Our 14 yr old American Bulldog has been having some problems.

Yesterday, one minute he was fine and the next he got up and went to spinning in a circle and stumbling, his eyes twitching back and forth real fast. I thought he had a stroke. Online I saw a page about Vestibular disease in dogs. It sounds exactly like him.

He has now started laying down but his eyes are still twitching and you have to carry him out to the bathroom and hold him up or he will fall over.

The last few months, he has had to go out about every 3 hours all night long and having to carry him is tough.

Anyway, we gave him antivert but it did not help.

We'll be going to the vet as soon as they open. I'm afraid we will have to put him down. I can't see him living like this. It's really pitiful. You know he hears you but his eyes seem empty and just keep twitching.

He won't eat or drink, I'm sure it is because this apparently affects his equilibrium. I don't believe there is a cure.

Has anyone else had this in there dogs?


Stacey

There's a TON of things that can cause neurologic disease in a dog. From inner ear infections to CNS infections to neoplasia to simple old dog vestibular to vascular events. Even problems with the liver and kidneys can cause neurologic signs.

And each is treated different and each has different potential outcomes.

Just a thought about old dog vestibular because I see a lot of dogs put down for it. FWIW, if it's old dog vestibular...the look awful...and you feel awful for them...but they usually do feel just fine! And...with supportive care, they get better. I remember sitting in the ICU with lots of old dog vestibular dogs. Have to prop them up and sit with them so they didn't continually roll around. But other than wanting to spin like a top or roll around, they were their normal selves. And after a week or two, they were usually improving significantly.

Could the dog be suffering seizures?

Ahhh, poor guy. Cache's post certainly offers some hope, so let us know your vet says. Hugs to you and your dog. It is so hard watching them when they are doing poorly. I hope it can be treated.

The vet said it is the vestibular disease or old dogs disease. She gave some medicine and said it will usually clear up in a few days. She said he may end up with his head staying curved to the right permanently.

Chance has other health issues too. He has an enlarged prostate so he goes to the bathroom every 2 1/2 to 3 hours all night. He has been losing weight even thought he eats the same. He has a disc problem in his back which will cause him pain at times and his right back leg will jerk out sometimes causing him trouble to walk or get up. It looks like the leg is due to the hip joint from arthritis. His back is arching which is due to arthritis.

He has not drank or ate in a day and a half now. We gave him the meds, one is for nausea. No change yet. We tried to give him small amounts of water with a squirt water bottle but he only kept it down for a couple of hours and he threw up.

I just brought him in a few minutes ago and his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. I'm not sure he will make it through the few days for this to clear up. I'm concerned about him having kidney failure from dyhydration. He has continued to pee even though not drinking.

the vet said that when a dog has the vestibular disease, it looks like they are having a stroke but it actually is something to due with the inner ear. She said they aren't sure of the exact cause. It happens in dogs 12 to 13 years old and comes on suddenly.

Chance is 14 yrs old. he was fine one minute and the next he was just spinning and can't keep his balance and his eyes are just twitching back and forth just like if he was watching something go by.

My first thought was a stroke when I saw him.

He is now laying down a not constantly spinning but he can't walk without going to the right and falling over.

I hope he shows a dramatic change by tomorrow with the meds. Your heart must be breaking watching him like this, but opefully it will clear up with the meds and he will enjoy more time with you. Please keep us posted...

I hope it clears up...keep us posted on his progress!

Chance started eating a little but not much. The eyes have stopped the twitching but hi head has stayed twisted to one side and curved to the right which makes him stumble and go in circles. Not the circles like when he was dizzy.

I guess it would be like walking with your head upside down.

He has steadily lost weight over the last 2 months and if you didn't know better you would think he was starving. He has continued to lose weight no matter how much he ate.

Now that this has happened with his head, he has continued to get weaker and though he gives a slight tail wag when he hears my husband's voice and wants to be close to him.

Unless he has made alot of improvement by Friday morning we will have him put down. It is so pitiful to watch him. We've had him since he was 6 weeks old.

He's had a long life, and I don't think he needs to suffer anymore.

It is strange how animals pick their people. Chance was originally supposed to be my dog, but he bonded with my husband and if my husband wasn't around, then it was my son. Even though I was the one who took care of him.

I have a particular cat that bonded with me and many times will not come out if my husband or a stranger is in the house. When I sit down on the couch or a chair she thinks she is supposed to be on my shoulder. She'll lay her head on my shoulder and go to sleep almost like a child would.

Our horses, the horse that was supposed to be mine, Te, will call to my husband and the one that was his horse,Chapel, calls to me. The others will go to whoever, except for Rambo who had been abused. He's leary of men. He has finally gotten where he will come up to my husband.


Anyway, just been thinking back on the years with Chance.

Watchiing Chance now, I will be suprised if he makes it to Friday. He's doing alot of deep sleeping and his breathing is very shallow. He even turned his nose up to ham earlier. He had ate it this morning when trying to get him to eat something but now he won't eat it. The other animals seem to know that something is wrong.

So sorry Stacey. Give Chance a hug and kiss on his big jowly from my dogs, and let him know it OK to go, if he is ready. I will still be praying for a recovery tho.

A few days is pretty optimistic, weeks is more realistic. Especially considering there is no treatment for vestibular disease...except time.

Hopefully he gets to feeling better.