NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Jonathan Austin, DVM, with Hutchinson Small Animal Hospital said the weather fronts common in Kansas in the spring can bring out a concerning condition in dogs.
"We have some older pets who have a condition that creates a problem for them that's stimulated a little bit by barometric pressure," Austin said. "We see it more often when that happens. It affects their balance and their stability. They call it vestibular syndrome. It creates a nausea and a dizziness in the pet. It's an inner ear thing. It causes their eyes to move back and forth left to right and they will circle and they will be very nauseous and dizzy."
It is serious, but with treatment, it can be helped.
"A lot of the time, owners think it's a stroke," Austin said. "The dog just changes their behavior very rapidly. It just happens quickly overnight. You can have something really strange like that happen. The barometric pressure change can stimulate that. It causes them a lot of distress. They have to have treatment and be hospitalized."
Treatment is directed at the underlying cause, if one, like an ear infection, can be identified. Austin had a patient this week with the condition.
"It creates kind of a nerve inflammation, if you will," Austin said. "You treat it with a high dose of a steroid. Like I said, most of them will respond pretty nicely. This black lab dog has taken about two days, but now he's starting to eat again and starting to be able to move and not just circle."
The vestibular system is responsible for maintaining normal balance. The human condition most like this is vertigo.
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