Has anyone's dog recovered well from vestibular disease?

[Spaniels4Eva]

My 13 year old cocker spaniel suddenly fell ill on sunday afternoon. His balance went, eyes rolling and he couldn't stand up/walk... we saw our vet 1st thing Monday who confirmed Vestibular disease, gave him some anti nausea meds and said keep him quiet for a few days/help with feeding etc. Now he's got explosive diarrhoea which has brought on a colitis flare up. He's already got a heart murmur and arthritis.

I've not slept for 2 nights as having to sleep on the sofa with him to keep him calm, and walking round the garden holding his head up last night while trying not to stand in shit was a spectacular low point. Can anyone reassure me that it gets better.......

One of our dogs had vestibular disease, @Spaniels4Eva, and she did recover well from it. It took a few days for the worst of it to be over, then a week or two for her to be back almost to normal.

She carried on enjoying her walks with dh, although she started following close behind his legs, as if having them to focus on made walking easier for her. Apart from that, we saw no real after effects.

@Spaniels4Eva it is very challenging. Diarrhea is particularly difficult especially if there are are other issues - like loss of mobility or blindness. I would say those things combined are the hardest to deal with actually on a practical level as they require huge physical effort from you and when they are present they are normally secondary symptoms to other big problems so it’s sort of the cherry on the cake.

Practically speaking when they have diarrhea the things that have kept me sane:

• a large supply of those puppy training pads (human bed incontinence pads are much cheaper and come in huge boxes)
• cheap fleecy blankets from IKEA also good to have a large supply
• disinfectant to add in washing machine
• keep a good supply of those ultradiar tablets and give as soon as it begins. I also keep a stock of anti inflams and pain relief just in case.

my absolute top top top tip is to feed Hills Gastrointestinal food (biscuits). It firms stool brilliantly and very quickly. You could keep a bag and use when you feel it’s necessary; or you can feed it constantly if you need to and it’s quite a miracle worker.

I had a severely neglected yorkie for his last three years.. he had chronic diarrhea and was immobile for quite a lot of the time and he was also blind. I am a poo cleaning expert! After he passed away, my back collapsed and I honestly think it had been waiting to give way from all the bending down!!

let us know how he goes tonight but really hope it improves for you xxxx

@babyproblems thanks for that advice, I've not heard of the ultradiar and will try some. I've used about 4 tubes of pro-kolin so far in the last week and it's not touching it like it normally does. He went tonight, the 1st part was semi formed at least so I'm hoping it's progress. I've got him and my other dog on the Royal Canin low fat GI food but neither are big fans so I've ordered a small bag of the Hills to try. Our other dog is very nervy and prone to stress colitis.

My boy has managed 2 good servings of turkey mince this afternoon, so at least he's feeling hungrier and touch wood there's no eye flickering at all any more so I hope his balance is levelling out. He even managed very messily to eat from a bowl that I raised up on a mixing bowl. Tentatively hoping we're seeing progress after a very long 9 days.

@CarrieMoonbeams hope your boy is getting better too.

@Spaniels4Eva very glad to read your update. Onwards and upwards doggy!

We had a bit of a setback mid morning yesterday, where he had a complete drop in his energy levels and just looked so tired. He was dragging his back left leg too ☹️. No idea what caused that. However he's bounced back today and is actually a huge amount better. His balance is the best it's been and he ate all of his food today (still hand fed though). This is day 16 for us. He still has his head tilt and still drops bits of food sometimes but when I think back to how he was I'm genuinely amazed at his recovery. He has a lot of health issues, but is such a cheery soul.

Solidarity on the colitis front too, as I also have a dog with that!

I hope your dog's progress continues. I'm so glad to have found this thread so we can all reassure each other.

Huge progress in the last 24 hours. He's walking incredibly well, even went up the stairs this morning to my horror (DH had an earful for moving the barrier) and he even managed a very short walk round the block. Head tilt has almost gone, balance hugely improved and just the odd wobble of his back legs.

He's hungry but still turning his nose up at food so that's the most challenging part and still has a very upset tummy but he's so much better in himself thank goodness that I'm not overly worried. Just waiting for the ultradiar to arrive and hopefully that should sort that out. This morning I did him scrambled egg, nope didn't want that. So I cooked turkey mince but made the mistake of putting it on top of the scrambled egg. Didn't want that either. So 3rd go was more turkey mince just on its own.

It's a good job I love him so much

What a brilliant update! So happy for you.

A good day for our boy too, he's also walking better and is getting his mischievous side back. Phew! We're going out for lunch tomorrow to celebrate 🥳

@CarrieMoonbeams that's great news too. I hope you have a great lunch! I managed to get some ironing done after work and change the bed, it's such a relief to be able to leave the dog in a room on his own and he's had a lovely time pottering round the garden again. Life really has been on hold for the last 10 days.

You have my sympathy, it is so difficult when they are so unwell. We thought it was the end for our 14 year old collie, but he did recover after a couple of weeks.

I laughed at your description of making multiple dinners until there was something that tempted your boy, we were the same. In fact his appetite never really came back properly afterwards.

But unfortunately although we had another 11 months with our boy, the vestibular disease was the beginning of the end. When they are that sort of age it's inevitable really. But at least with a second chance we had time to mentally prepare and we were ready when it was time. Enjoy every precious moment with your boy, glad he's feeling better.

@Spaniels4Eva lovely lovely lovely update!
Hope he continues to recover well.
When our first cocker had a stroke, we gave him a week to recover - he didn’t and in hindsight we felt we had waited too long to make the choice. It’s very hard to exist in that ‘inbetween’ space even if it’s just a few days- I think when they get old it’s worth bearing in mind that you probably will have to go through something similar again so keep the toolbox stocked - especially if it likely will involve diarrhea! Hugs for your furry friend Xoxo

It has been so hard to see him this unwell, I think it's the worst he's been in his 13 years. And the Vet did warn me that once they've had this once, it can be ongoing.

I rescued him from FB when he was 17 weeks (he was returned to his breeder after going to an elderly couple who couldn't cope with a mad spanner puppy), DH was very against another dog as we had an elderly lab at the time but my DD badgered me to go and see him. I went after work and came home with him in my car on my lap. DH just looked at me, looked at the puppy I was clinging onto, rolled his eyes and said "what's his name then". He has been my shadow every moment since. My dog of a lifetime.

"On hold" is a perfect description @Spaniels4Eva , we've said exactly the same. We're retired so are used to going out most days, having friends over etc, but when you're in the early stages of this it really is all-consuming isn't it?

Which, coincidentally, is what I'll be doing tomorrow - all consuming at an Indian restaurant 😁

Edited to add:
Just saw your later post, our boy was a rescue too, also from someone who couldn't cope with the crazy! He was older though.

I'd also read that having one episode means it's more likely that they'll have another, but at least we'll be prepared for it this time and will know what to look for. I hadn't even heard of it until this happened.

Been an up and down day today, unsurprisingly. He started out really well after a more settled night, went for a small walk and ate breakfast well. Since lunchtime however, he's been moving very slowly and had quite a lot of unsteadiness. However I think a week off his arthritis medication has now taken its toll, so after a solid poo yesterday and this morning I've chanced putting him back onto them this afternoon. Fingers crossed I don't regret it.....

I hope you had a great lunch @CarrieMoonbeams.

It's strange isn't it @Spaniels4Eva , as I said we had similar a few days ago.

I suppose it must be taking a toll on their old joints, constantly feeling off balance and trying to right themselves. I was saying to DH today that our boy must have a sore neck too since he's had his head tilt for over 2 weeks. Hopefully your boy's arthritis medication will get him right again with no ill effects.

Had a lovely lunch, thanks for asking. Ate far too much and then came home for an excellent snooze on the sofa 😁

My dog had it when he was about 11. No diarrhoea but I had no idea such a small body could vomit so much - plus the head tilt and flickering eyes. He spent a night at the vets and came home with a prescription for Vitofyllin which works on increasing blood flow. Two days of tablets and he was a new dog - more energy and an increased appetite.

Yes and No: DDog had vestibular syndrome when she was 14 (nearly 15). She did recover well however I do feel like it was the beginning of the end for her health-wise. She also had dementia. She lived to just past her 16th birthday, around a year and a half since the vestibular syndrome.

Hi @Spaniels4Eva , just checking in to see how your boy is today.

My lovely spaniel had an episode of this when he was 13; it was really distressing to witness. He did fully recover, he had a head tilt for a while but even that went in time. Sadly he had to be PTS 18 months later but he never had another episode.

It's terrible isn't it @bucketbucket . I hadn't even heard of it prior to my boy's episode (also a 13 year old Spaniel, as is the OP's. I wonder if they're more prone to it or if it's just that they're a popular and generally fairly long-lived breed).

Interesting to hear that your dog didn't have another episode and, reading between the lines, it doesn't sound like @DamnAAStuckWithFlatTyre 's girl had another one either. I've read that it's pretty likely to happen again and that's been bothering me a bit, to be honest, so that's eased my mind a little.

We've had a mixed day, thanks for asking. He was keen to walk this morning, but then decided to shake his head and went flying.... and his back legs are wobbly on and off but he's now had 24 hours back on his arthritis medication so I'm hoping that by tomorrow he should start to move better again. His appetite is still very hit and miss, but thankfully we're still getting solid poop so that's a very welcome blessing.

I have to remind myself that it's not even 2 weeks yet and he's come on so well overall. I just want my boy back the way he was

Crikey, what a mixture of emotions right enough. Poor boy, we had the "head shaking turning into a fall" as well last week ☹️

We're obviously a few days further along so I feel we're definitely improving slightly every day, but we're still having to be really careful because his confidence is definitely outstripping his ability at the moment. I'd taken him out for a pee in the garden earlier tonight and he fell when trying to go back up the steps. He's fine though, but I'll have to keep him on the lead in the garden for a while longer.

If it's any consolation, it was about this time that we noticed our boy's personality coming back - he was caught trying to have a sneaky drink of my tea!! So since they seem to be following the same sort of trajectory I'm hopeful it'll be the same for your boy.

Our then 13 year old lab x did he lived a comfortable and happy life for another 18 months with only the occasional stumble if he tried to stand up and take off too fast. He did have to stay on anti sickness but he ate well and was his normal self until his last 24 hours when he went downhill immediately and we knew there was no way back.

He walked better this morning and we managed a short loop of a nearby field, so he had a great time sniffing and he only got me up once in the night so a better day today already. Appetite still dreadful but he's always like this after a gastric upset so I'm not surprised. It's such a battle between what he wants to eat and what doesn't upset his tummy...

I think I've never really seen him as an old boy before, and he does look older/tired with this. It's just so sad, isn't it, seeing them age before us

I know what you mean, they're kind of "flat" aren't they, like their sparkle's gone a bit. 😢

It's still early days though (I know it doesn't feel like it!) and he's probably still feeling tired, a bit dizzy because of the head tilt, and a bit lacking in energy because he's not eating properly yet.

Everything I've read and was told by my vet says that it can take up to 21 days for them to be "right" again but my goodness, I had no idea that 21 days was such a long time! It feels relentless doesn't it, analysing every little thing to see if they're improving or not. Here's hoping his cheeky side comes back soon.

I hope you have a couple of nice things to look forward to at weekend for yourself, you're doing such an amazing job looking after him, you deserve a wee treat.

Thank you @CarrieMoonbeams you've been a huge support.

I do have to remember we're on day 12 and like you say, most people report 2 to 3 weeks for a decent level of recovery.

Bless you (and him), you're doing great 🤗