Discussion
Got a working cocker spaniel he is 13 years old blind in one eye from 6 weeks old fit as a flea, up until this morning that is, the wife took him out for a walk around our field and he fell over about 20 times he seems to be a bit dizzy and is drinking more water than usual, he went for a swim in the pond last night I was just wondering from some of the experts on here if it could be a urinary infection or an ear infection, only 7.30 going to book an appointment with the vets as soon as they open but also wanted some opinions from here.
In tears watching out for him just cant loose him
In tears watching out for him just cant loose him
My dog (Dalmatian) is 15,and also recently went wobbly.
It happened about a month or two ago.
She falls over a lot and her back legs struggle. Her head also looks a bit wonky.
However, she is not in pain, is still wagging her tail.
Vets have said different things, one thought it was a stroke and another thought it was something that just happens to dogs when try get older.
Either way, she isn't on medication, but is being kept fed well as she wasn't eating as easily as before
It happened about a month or two ago.
She falls over a lot and her back legs struggle. Her head also looks a bit wonky.
However, she is not in pain, is still wagging her tail.
Vets have said different things, one thought it was a stroke and another thought it was something that just happens to dogs when try get older.
Either way, she isn't on medication, but is being kept fed well as she wasn't eating as easily as before
Update, got him to the vets for 8.20 lifted him out of the van and he just couldn't stand up unassisted, totally unbalanced was so upsetting to see him in such a state, vet had a look and said he has a lot of debris in his left ear and under that he could have an infection got to clear the debris 1st so going under for that, otherwise it could be the balance in the brain brought on by old age so fingers crossed for infection, got to call at 1pm for results.
got Murphy home, not good, still zonked out and his good eye is flickering up and down when he lifts his head up, vet said no infection in the inner ear and that it could be a brain annurism or enurism I just heard the brain bit, and that he may recover fully in a couple of days but it may happen again, just keeping our eye on him, got everything crossed, just so upsetting seeing him lying there when he is so active.
Thanks for the kind words though it does help a lot.
regards Russell
Thanks for the kind words though it does help a lot.
regards Russell
Edited by highflyer on Wednesday 21st August 20:46
It sounds as though it could be vestibular syndrome which is a problem within the inner ear causing loss of balance. Charlie my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel suffered from this when he was 13. Sometimes it lasted about 20 minutes and then he would recover completely for several weeks and it would happen again and would recover again. The fact that your spaniel's eye is flicking from side to side suggests that it may be vestibular syndrome. I think if there is a problem in the brain the eye would be flicking up and down instead. I hope he recovers and continues to live a long and happy life.
Yes backseatdriver you are exactly right it does flicker up and down, my mistake, spoke to the vet again tonight and he has said its a brain something or other and he should recover in 24 - 78 hours, if not, then he has had a stroke its a waiting game I am afraid, no infection in the middle ear but as a precaution he has given him some antibiotics to start tomorrow, all he has done is lie down with his head on a pillow asleep just lifting his head now and again for reassurance I am here and thats when his eye flickers up and down, to be honest its heartbreaking, see what happens up to Sat.
Nystagmus (eye flickering) causes poor vision in people (you can have it from birth), but this will all be new to the dog, and I'll bet he probably can't see all that well at present.
Being blind in one eye from a pup, he may navigate his world via scent and memory to a greater extent than other dogs anyway, but make it easier for him by not moving furniture around or introducing strong scents such as cleaning materials.
Paws crossed.
Being blind in one eye from a pup, he may navigate his world via scent and memory to a greater extent than other dogs anyway, but make it easier for him by not moving furniture around or introducing strong scents such as cleaning materials.
Paws crossed.
got a baby monitor heard a crash at 3.30 am and he had a pee in the breakfast room fortunately tiled floor but he was upset about the mess, god bless him, very wobbly so carried him out into the field and we walked around the garden and field until now 6.15am took him to his favorite water tub in the garden and he drank a load of water which is good as he wont drink from his bowl, it's defiantly a stroke you don't have to be a vet to diagnose that, he is leaning to his right all the time but if I walk on that side he falls against you and doesn't fall over, left him by the back door for 2 mins while i mopped the floor up turned around and he was gone on wobbly about, so i followed him on his favorite walk around the garden with out him knowing and he managed to stay up so fingers crossed he may improve over the 24-78 hours the vet mentioned, he is certainly a bloody trier god love him, just makes me cry all the time watching him struggle and wonder what the fck is happening to him, and I am an old male myself 
I remember my collie when she had a vestibular, full signs often don't appear til several later.
She had a set routine in the garden, jump up to the garden go to the toilet and come back down the steps. Obviously with her condition jumping wasn't a practical option so I tried to get her to go up the steps to the garden instead but she would not have it!! She wanted her routine all good fun trying to help a 19kg grumpy and wobbly dog over the wall.
She made good recoveries with the first two though they left her partially deaf. The third one knocked her badly though.
Supportive treatment is key at this time, nausea can be a problem. Are you back at the vets today?
She had a set routine in the garden, jump up to the garden go to the toilet and come back down the steps. Obviously with her condition jumping wasn't a practical option so I tried to get her to go up the steps to the garden instead but she would not have it!! She wanted her routine all good fun trying to help a 19kg grumpy and wobbly dog over the wall
.She made good recoveries with the first two though they left her partially deaf. The third one knocked her badly though.
Supportive treatment is key at this time, nausea can be a problem. Are you back at the vets today?
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