Last week’s blog discussed that “Dogs Get Dizzy Too!” I mentioned that I was unaware of any specific case reports of doggy BPPV. Well, the next day, I got an email from my friend Erin Miller AuD, who just happens to be one of the top audiologists in the country and past president of the American Academy of Audiology. Erin’s dog, Grace Kelly (see picture above), had a recent episode of what sure sounds like doggy BPPV. I asked Erin to describe the experience:
“My Grace Kelly, a 13 1/2 year old yellow lab, just went through a vestibular episode in January. She was staying with my parents during a period I was traveling. My brother called early on a Sunday morning to report he thought Grace Kelly had a stroke. She was unable to walk down the hall or stand up. He eventually got her out to go to the bathroom that morning with his assistance. She had no nausea. Like all good labs she ate her dog food quickly. Because my brother felt so bad for her he also made her eggs and sausage which she also ate with no concerns.
I drove to my parents, about a 2 hour trip from my home to take her to the emergency vet. When I arrived at my parents, I did a quick cranial nerve exam and knew immediately she didn’t have a stroke (tail wagging both ways, responded to touch on both ears, around eyes with eye blinks and on both sides of her nose.) I thought perhaps it was a hip issue as she has arthritis. I did notice a left head tilt but it wasn’t until we got to the emergency vet that I noticed the circling behavior. Each time we tried to have her walk (and you’re not going to carry an 85 lb lab), she began to circle to the left. The vet did a similar cranial nerve exam. She suggested a $2000 MRI to rule out stroke, however, I opted for a less expensive diagnostic/treatment protocol, a course of meclizine.
I questioned the vet about BPPV during the visit. Since Grace Kelly has been a pup, when she lays down she often hits her head on the floor, it’s quite loud and looks like it would hurt! I thought perhaps she had dislodged some otoconia. When this all happened it was amazing to watch how she reacted. The first night she wouldn’t sleep on her bed, preferring the floor as it was stable. Throughout the night I noticed her banging her paws on the floor, assuming she was trying to stop the spinning or at least recognize she was on stable ground. She wouldn’t lay on her left side, infact every time she went to lay on her left, she immediately righted herself. This went on for about two days. The meclizine may have provided some initial relief for the symptoms but she has compensated beautifully.
Grace Kelly is now back to her old self. At 13 1/2 she sleeps quite a bit but no vestibular issues since this episode in January. I’m looking forward to reading the article posted in Dr. Desmond’s blog last week about the canine epley.”
