Hi, everyone. I'm brand new and this is my first post to the forum! I wasn't sure which category was most appropriate since my elderly Springer Spaniel has so many issues at the moment, so I chose this one.
I've had my 13 1/2 year old Springer, Robbie, since he was 10 weeks old and his health was always excellent until recently. He went deaf a few years ago, and just this past year or so has gone mostly blind due to cataracts. You wouldn't know it, though - before he lost his sight he responded well to visual cues, and afterwards he retained an amazing mental map of the house and yard. He never needed any guidance to find his way around, although the stairs were a bit of a challenge.
A few weeks ago, I ran to the store and came home to find that he was unable to walk. He made it over to me at the front door and was unable to take any more steps. He was shaking, eyes rolling back and forth in his head, head tilted and bobbing around, and he threw up once. Then he lay down where he was and refused to get up any more. I feared the worst, of course.
We went to the emergency vet that night, and they diagnosed him with vestibular disease and kept him overnight. After that, his vet felt he would be more comfortable recovering at home as long as I felt able to care for him. It's been challenging, to say the least. I got a support harness, invested in baby gates for stairwells, diapers for accidents, and I carry him up and down the stairs every time we go out. I will have to build a semi-permanent ramp onto the deck for him sometime soon. He's improving slowly, but he is still disoriented and somewhat unsteady. I want to make him as happy and comfy as possible - he still has a great personality and even shows interest in his toys again.
To complicate things a bit, my other Springer (who is also 13 but has only been with us for 2 years since I got her through Rescue) has begun getting a bit aggressive with him. She is generally a very sweet, submissive pup so the only thing I can thing is that she is jostling for position in the "pack"? She doesn't do anything beyond a little teeth baring and nips, but it's very out of character for her and confusing for him.
Anyway, I didn't want to write a novel here. Just wanted to introduce us...and of course any advice would be most welcome!
Karen
Vestibular disease
Re: Vestibular disease
Welcome Karen...Bailey had a bout with vestibular and before I understood what it was, I was so scared for her. It is very scary to see your dog stumbling around and not knowing why. They do not know what causes it and so they call it idiopathic vestibular syndrome and sometimes they call it "old dog disease" even though it also affects younger dogs.
My girl went blind in February, 2005 and regained her sight a few months later. This February, she suddenly started to circle and lose her balance - vestibular syndrome. One of the vets I work with prescribed antibiotics and another suggested prednisone. It took about a month, but the prednisone seemed to do the trick. She did regain her balance, but lost her sight for a second time. She still has a slight little thing left over in that after we go for a walk, the first thing she does is lean up against the couch as if to gather herself. She never did that before the vestibular incident.
My husband built ramps for us and that made things much easier especially with the return of the blindness.
I am sure you are reading a lot of the posts searching for answers. One of the most important things you can do for your baby right now is to make sure that he is urinating completely so he won't get a urinary infection. If he is having problems with bowel movements, there are easy ways to help there too. Check the Sticky under the Incontinence section.
Just remember that the vestibular is making his world spin around. That is why he did not want to get back up and got sick to his stomach. It is similar to an inner ear infection in humans. The good news is that it usually clears up in 3 weeks to a month and most of the time, there are little to no remaining symptoms.
As for your other dog's behavior - this is just a guess..she misses her playmate and is trying to get his attention?? When Bailey first went through this, she snapped at us for the only time in her life and I now know it was because she felt so bad. Sounds like the little girl wants to play and right now he just wants to be left alone until his world stops spinning...maybe???
There are lots of good people here and we all want to help each other - you'll add to the vast amount of information once your baby is better too. Please keep us updated and keep asking questions, others will answer also.
Take care,
My girl went blind in February, 2005 and regained her sight a few months later. This February, she suddenly started to circle and lose her balance - vestibular syndrome. One of the vets I work with prescribed antibiotics and another suggested prednisone. It took about a month, but the prednisone seemed to do the trick. She did regain her balance, but lost her sight for a second time. She still has a slight little thing left over in that after we go for a walk, the first thing she does is lean up against the couch as if to gather herself. She never did that before the vestibular incident.
My husband built ramps for us and that made things much easier especially with the return of the blindness.
I am sure you are reading a lot of the posts searching for answers. One of the most important things you can do for your baby right now is to make sure that he is urinating completely so he won't get a urinary infection. If he is having problems with bowel movements, there are easy ways to help there too. Check the Sticky under the Incontinence section.
Just remember that the vestibular is making his world spin around. That is why he did not want to get back up and got sick to his stomach. It is similar to an inner ear infection in humans. The good news is that it usually clears up in 3 weeks to a month and most of the time, there are little to no remaining symptoms.
As for your other dog's behavior - this is just a guess..she misses her playmate and is trying to get his attention?? When Bailey first went through this, she snapped at us for the only time in her life and I now know it was because she felt so bad. Sounds like the little girl wants to play and right now he just wants to be left alone until his world stops spinning...maybe???
There are lots of good people here and we all want to help each other - you'll add to the vast amount of information once your baby is better too. Please keep us updated and keep asking questions, others will answer also.
Take care,
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08
Re: Vestibular disease
Thank you for the reply! Yes, I have been doing a ton of reading on this, although I haven't yet come across anything on the danger of UTIs - thanks for the tip! He was treated for one a couple of months ago and he just went through a round of antibiotics for the ear infection (no prednisone, but they did give us some motion sickness pills for the first week or so that he was home). Do you know why they are more prone to UTIs once they have vestibular disease? He has been having many more accidents than he used to, but I know it's not his fault. I try to take him out as much as possible but I know we're bound to have some "misses". I've even been keeping him on the bed with me so he can let me know if he needs to go out in the middle of the night.
I'm sort of at a loss as far as ramps go. Luckily, my house is set up so that we can live on the ground level and he doesn't need to deal with stairs in the house. However, there is a deck with 4 or 5 stairs to get down to the yard. Truthfully, I've never built anything like that before. How did you and your husband build the ramps? I tried a store-bought ramp, but it was too narrow and unsteady for him even before he went vestibular.
That's a thought about Lady (my rescue girl). They've never really played because she was 11 when I got her, but they did like to curl up together on the couch. She was very excited when he came home from the hospital. I think it irritates her that he stumbles into her a lot now, and doesn't know his dish from hers anymore. I've thought about keeping them separated when I'm not here, but I don't know how practical that is. I do make sure I never leave them unattended when the food is out.
I'm sort of at a loss as far as ramps go. Luckily, my house is set up so that we can live on the ground level and he doesn't need to deal with stairs in the house. However, there is a deck with 4 or 5 stairs to get down to the yard. Truthfully, I've never built anything like that before. How did you and your husband build the ramps? I tried a store-bought ramp, but it was too narrow and unsteady for him even before he went vestibular.
That's a thought about Lady (my rescue girl). They've never really played because she was 11 when I got her, but they did like to curl up together on the couch. She was very excited when he came home from the hospital. I think it irritates her that he stumbles into her a lot now, and doesn't know his dish from hers anymore. I've thought about keeping them separated when I'm not here, but I don't know how practical that is. I do make sure I never leave them unattended when the food is out.
Re: Vestibular disease
The vestibular, itself would not cause the UTI, the fact that they can't go completely would cause it. Bailey could not hold a squat and if she was interrupted by falling over or when I might try to help her, she would just stop and hold the rest. They need to urinate (help me out here, friends) four times a day?? One of the girls on this board sent me a hip sling and it was so much help along with using a harnass to walk her. The harnass keeps them from pulling on their neck and it is easier to help guide them...the hip sling holds them up when they urinate or have a bowel movement. If he is wearing a diaper, be careful that he does not get a urine scald from leaking. Don't mean to scare you, but better now, than later.
I sleep with one eye open and am on my feet in a second if I hear her tags jingle which tells me that she might need to go out. We have slept with the living room light on since February, 2005 to make sure we don't bump into or step on her during the night. Once you get him back on a bathroom schedule, it makes things easier. Read about the "poop on demand" methods - big help for sleep and peace of mind.
We also have a back deck with just three steps. My husband bought three 2 x 4's about 10 feet long and laid them just under the lip of the top step and then nailed them into place. Make the ramp long enough so the incline is not so steep. We covered the ramp with carpeting so it is not slippery.
I use a leash on her harnass, but when we are going up or down the ramp, I hold directly onto the harnass and keep her close so she won's step off the side and pulll us both down. Make the ramp as wide as practical. We extended the carpet down onto the ground a few inches so there was not a lip for her to get caught on. Also did the same at the top. Ever since this happened and she lost her sight, Bailey will not walk on tile or slippery surfaces so I have a carpet on my back deck and rugs on the tile inside.
You are wise not to leave the dogs alone with food if they are having a problem with that right now. Maybe you could separate them when you are not around until he gets his bearings again. (Maybe you could leave a radio or tv on for company) If she likes to cuddle with him, maybe you could sit with them at night and cuddle with both of them together soothing them with your voice so they will both know everything is okaye again. (I know how devastated I was the first time Bailey snapped at me, I can imagine how your girl feels that her best friend is acting differently and the same for him.) You are their constant so you will have to be the calming presence for both of them and remind them of how they used to be...and will be again.
Talk about a novel!!! You asked what time it is and I told you how to build a clock! Time to hit the hay or I will be useless at work tomorrow. Hang in there...
I sleep with one eye open and am on my feet in a second if I hear her tags jingle which tells me that she might need to go out. We have slept with the living room light on since February, 2005 to make sure we don't bump into or step on her during the night. Once you get him back on a bathroom schedule, it makes things easier. Read about the "poop on demand" methods - big help for sleep and peace of mind.
We also have a back deck with just three steps. My husband bought three 2 x 4's about 10 feet long and laid them just under the lip of the top step and then nailed them into place. Make the ramp long enough so the incline is not so steep. We covered the ramp with carpeting so it is not slippery.
I use a leash on her harnass, but when we are going up or down the ramp, I hold directly onto the harnass and keep her close so she won's step off the side and pulll us both down. Make the ramp as wide as practical. We extended the carpet down onto the ground a few inches so there was not a lip for her to get caught on. Also did the same at the top. Ever since this happened and she lost her sight, Bailey will not walk on tile or slippery surfaces so I have a carpet on my back deck and rugs on the tile inside.
You are wise not to leave the dogs alone with food if they are having a problem with that right now. Maybe you could separate them when you are not around until he gets his bearings again. (Maybe you could leave a radio or tv on for company) If she likes to cuddle with him, maybe you could sit with them at night and cuddle with both of them together soothing them with your voice so they will both know everything is okaye again. (I know how devastated I was the first time Bailey snapped at me, I can imagine how your girl feels that her best friend is acting differently and the same for him.) You are their constant so you will have to be the calming presence for both of them and remind them of how they used to be...and will be again.
Talk about a novel!!! You asked what time it is and I told you how to build a clock! Time to hit the hay or I will be useless at work tomorrow. Hang in there...
Christine... and Bailey, playing at the Bridge
?/1999 - 10/25/08