The most heart stopping moment in any dog owner's life is when your normally cheerful, bustling little dog suddenly topples over, head tilted to one side, eyes darting furiously from left to right, tongue hanging out, drooling, staggering around like a drunk before collapsing on the floor. When they try to stand up, they stagger and fall again. The eyes are rolling from left to right and not focused on anything and the dog looks very frightened and frail.
Vets aren't kidding when they say, "Canine idiopathic vestibular disease begins acutely and resolves acutely". But to someone who has never experienced those symptoms before, your first reaction is panic followed by Seizure? Stroke? Of course your first thought is Oh! no, please god! no, don't let them die!" then you rush them to the emergency vet and rightly so. On your way to the vet, cradling your dog in your arms, you go through the scenario in your mind and wonder if maybe it could be an heart attack or stroke. The vet will tell you by examining the dog, whether it is a stroke or something called an Idopathic Vestibular attack. No one knows what triggers the attack and if it is any consolation, it is non-fatal, non-progressive and very common, especially among older animals. It is not genetic or gender related nor is it specific to particular breeds
The symptoms mimic a stroke and that's why the collapsing, tilting of the head, drooling, jerking eye movements and disorientation are often mistaken for a seizure or a stroke. One way of distinguising between a stoke and an IVD attack is the eyes. In an IVD attack, the eyes swivel constantly from left to right very fast even when the dog is on its side. (See the little moving sketch at the top of the page.)
Over the years I have owned and also looked after many dogs who have experienced IVD. I have now become an old hand at recognising the signs. When you get them home from the vets, here are some tips for making their lives as comfortable as possible to help them recover .....and they will.
..Raise the water and food bowls so that the dog doesn't have to keep bending its neck.
..Keep them calm and as quiet as possible. The less excitement going on aroun them, the better.
..Keep a light on at night as total darkness disorientates them and the panic may bring on another attack. A child's night light is good.
..Massage their neck and shoulders every day or as often as you can.
..Place extra pillows or cushions in their baskets to prop them up.
..If you feed them only dry food, then help to ease the discomfort in their jaw by mixing in some cold chicken mixed in with chicken oxo to give them some gravy. Slurping is easier than chomping on hard bits.
..Hold them up by the middle with a cloth when they are outside doing their business. Sometimes, the back end is weak and they collapse in a heap, making life difficult when doing their toilet.
..Don't pick them up during or after an attack as this frightens them. Get the help of another person to hold one end of the dog as you hold the other then lay them on their side.
..Place a non slip mat directly by the bed if they are on a wooden or tiled floor.
Quite often, the vet will proscribe an anti-nausea pill and other medications to help calm down the dog. It must be equally scary for the dog who has no idea what is happening to it. I give them 4 drops of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy in the side of their mouth or in the food. It does calm them right down.
Alternative therapies such as Reiki, Cranial Therapy massage and Acupuncture work very effectively. I highly recommend Peter Arbeid, acupuncturist and holistic vet at The Kynance Veterinary Clinic kynanceveterinaryclinic@yahoo.co.uk 0207 584 2019.
Homeopathy works brilliantly in helping the dog to get back to normal. I use Cocculus Indicus (6c or 30c). Give the dog 3 tabs every 2 hours for the first day and then 2 tablets three times a day for five days. You can either crush the tabs and sprinkle it over the food or disguise them in a piece of chicken or cheese. Cocculus Indicus can be ordered online from the following three homeopathic pharmacies: Ainsworth Pharmacy, Nelson's or Helios.
The most important thing to remember: Vestibular syndrome looks dramatic but the prognosis of this condition is very good and usually has no long term effects on the quality of your dog’s life or longevity.
This and that ............
Did you remember to do something nice for your mum on Mother's Day?
Mums are great. From making sure you never ate sandpit sand or earthworms to hiding the scissors when you wanted to cut your own hair, she's always looked out for you. As we all know, flowers will wither, chocolates may melt and cards are usually appropriated for hastily scribbled shopping lists, but a shout out in an online blog lasts forever. So to all the mums out there, you were right. About everything. Especially the not cutting our own hair thing! If my mum were alive, that's what I would tell her. Make sure you tell your Mum how terrific she is.
Here's a clip to give you a smile. Its not something you see very often.
That's it for this month. Get out there and start enjoying the joys of Spring.
Dawn ("")
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