why is my dog loosing her equilibrium, already treated her for ear infection, but did not work? Help?

Question

We have spent $1,000 at the vet, she is 12-1/2 years old and has a far away look in her eyes, and she collapses alot. But I do not have heart to put down. Vet said it was an ear infection, but why wouldn't medicine work?

We have spent $1,000 at the vet, she is 12-1/2 years old and has a far away look in her eyes, and she collapses alot. But I do not have heart to put down. Vet said it was an ear infection, but why wouldn't medicine work?

I should of mentioned that the vet did a complete scan of the brain and looked for the IVR and ran other tests also, she spent 2 days with him, and all he found was the ear infection. I appreciate all your answers and has helped me in deciding what to do, i will start with the treatment first

We have spent $1,000 at the vet, she is 12-1/2 years old and has a far away look in her eyes, and she collapses alot. But I do not have heart to put down. Vet said it was an ear infection, but why wouldn't medicine work?

I should of mentioned that the vet did a complete scan of the brain and looked for the IVR and ran other tests also, she spent 2 days with him, and all he found was the ear infection. I appreciate all your answers and has helped me in deciding what to do, i will start with the treatment first

Can you please tell me where I can find Gentian Violet Solution and the Boric Acid Powder?

Answer 1

It might be a neurological problem, rather than an ear-infection. Sorry. If the prescribed meds are not working, you may need to have further tests done.

Don't know what breed your dog is, but for a lot of dogs, 12 is pretty old. You may be facing some tough decisions. If your dog isn't in pain or suffering in any way that you can tell, and still seems to be enjoying her life, there are ways to keep her comfortable for awhile yet. However, if you suspect that she may be really ill, please have her tested. The "faraway" look in her eyes that you mention might be a sign of pain, or perhaps just old age.

If it comes to putting her down ... a week too soon is better than a moment too late. Trust yourself to make the right decision for her, when the need arises.

Answer 2

Equilibrium Dog

Answer 3

There may be another underlying cause of your dog losing equilibrium. Ear infections can cause this but there could be other issues at bay as well. Why does she continually collapse? Did you bring this to your vet's attention? I know you don't have the heart to put her down. It's a very hard and difficult decision. I would ask the vet if there is anything else that can be causing this issue.

Answer 4

Please don't try the gentian/boric cleaner. Although we have used this many times in our hosp. for some ear problems it would never be used in a case where the ear drum could be compromised.
It could make the situation dramatically worse. Your vet has done a good job doing scans, but has he looked at whether the ear residue is a bacteria or yeast infection? This could determine a better medicine to use for the dog. Some meds work only for yeast and some work for bacteria. This needs to be performed anytime a dog has ear problems.

Answer 5

A Great ear cleaner is a home made one. We use it at the dog shelter and it saved a really badly infected ear. It was WAY better than everything the vet recommended.



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From: http://www.handsomehound.net/recipes.shtml


Homemade Ear Cleaners

Great for Chronic Yeasty Ears

"Blue Power Ear Treatment"

INGREDIENTS:
16 Oz. Isopropyl Alcohol
4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%

Mix together in alcohol bottle and shake well. You will also need to shake solution every time you use it to disperse the Boric Acid Powder.

To use, purchase the "Clairol" type plastic bottle to dispense solution to affected ears.

TREATMENT: Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if very inflamed and sore do not attempt to pull hair or clean out ear at all. Wait until inflammation has subsided which will be about 2 days.

Shake the bottle each time before using. Flood the ear with solution (gently squirt bottle), massage gently to the count of 60, wipe with a tissue. Flood again on first treatment, wipe with a tissue, and leave alone without massage. The dog will shake out the excess which can be wiped with a tissue, the Gentian Violet does stain fabrics.

The SCHEDULE of treatment is as follows:
Treat 2x per day for the first week to two weeks depending upon severity of ears
Treat 1x per day for the next 1-2 weeks
Treat 1x per month (or even less frequently, depending on the dog)

All of these ingredients should be available at a pharmacy. People have found that despite the alcohol, the dog will not object to even the first treatment. The Boric Acid Powder soothes the ear. The Gentian Violet Solution is an ant-infection agent. The solution appears to work well on any and all ear problems from mites to wax to canker. After the 2nd or 3rd day you can clean out the ear with a Q-tip or cotton balls. Their success rate for this treatment is 95-99%. Those who do not succeed have usually not done the treatment long enough or have not been regular about it.

Dogs on the verge of ear canal surgery have been returned to normal with only the regular follow-up treatment to keep the ear healthy. If an infection seems to be remaining in the treated ear after the above course of treatment, you may also have some Pseudomonas bacteria in the site. This can be eradicated by using a gentle flush of raw apple cider vinegar and water (warm). Use 2 Tablespoons of vinegar to one cup of water, 2 x per week.

They have found the Blue Power Solution to be effective for treating fungus-type infections on the feet and elsewhere on the dog, for cuts on dogs or people, and for hot spots. You may find other uses for this simple anti-infective agent. Remember it is for external use only and be careful not to get into the eyes."
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Good luck!!!

Answer 6

The greatest vet in the world is nancy williams at maple falls, in wa. state. She has a web site, I'd ask her for an opinion. She has a huge heart for animals and is very savy. People come with their dogs from across the state and canada becuse alot of people have 4 and 5 dogs or pets and she is reasonable as heck so they can get procedures done without huge costs. She is one in a million.

Answer 7

Sounds like it could be a syndrome called " Idiopathic Vestibular Disease" it happens in senior pets and its a mystery as to what causes it. In most cases the dog will recover fully from it within 3 or 4 weeks.

Loss of Balance May be Related to Ear Problems

Idiopathic Vestibular Disease (IVD) is a disorder of the organ of balance (vestibular apparatus), situated in the middle ear. In dogs, IVD is more commonly termed geriatric vestibular disease since it usually occurs in senior dogs. The purpose of the vestibular organ is to maintain equilibrium (balance) by coordinating movements of the head with the eyes, trunk and limbs. Failure of this system results in a tilting of the head to one side, abnormal body posture, loss of equilibrium, abnormal eye movements and loss of coordination as the body tries to compensate. Vomiting may occur because the loss of balance and dizziness makes the patient nauseous or "sea sick".

This condition can be confused with a “stroke” by pet owners. In some cases, pet owners have mistakenly euthanised their pets, thinking that their pet’s prognosis is poor and the situation hopeless. However, pets with IVD, although confused and anxious at times, are not in pain and there is no reason for euthanasia. Relapses usually do not occur.

There are many causes of vestibular disease. Degenerative processes of the body, inflammation, cancer, trauma and poisons are some of the known causes. Sometimes your veterinarian will recommend a skull X-ray to rule out internal ear infections. However, in some cases, the cause is simply not known. In these situations, the disease is termed Idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome. (The term "idiopathic" means that veterinarians do not know why this disease occurs in this instance).

In cats, this condition occurs at any age, and is most often diagnosed in the summer and early fall (75 per cent between June and September). It is not understood why so many occur during these two seasons.

IVD is usually sudden in onset and initially incapacitating. The pet usually has a loss of balance, disorientation, unsteadiness, and a pronounced head tilt. The degree of head tilt can vary considerably and there are usually involuntary rapid movements of the eyes. There may also be a tendency for the animal to walk around in a circle in one direction. Some animals will be listless, refuse to eat, pant and be nauseated.

In the early phase (up to 72 hours), a pet may need supportive care at the hospital. Sometimes supportive fluid therapy is given, and soft, warm bedding is supplied so that if they tip over, they will not hurt themselves. Sometimes sedatives and antibiotics will be recommended.

There is no definitive treatment for the idiopathic form of this disease nor does any appear to be necessary since most if not all patients appear to recover on their own. In some cases, a slight head tilt may be the only clinical sign that persists after 2 to 3 weeks. Should your dog or cat show signs of this disorder, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Answer 8

It may ne that she is in need of more or stronger andibiotics. My daughter had chronic ear infections and they had to give her stronger ones to make the infection go away/

Answer 9

it is also possible that the dog is just old and starting to loose their balance and well become old(all dogs do)--my dog is thirteen and is constantly falling and sliding on our hardwood floors. it is the natural way of things, they grow up and get old and die and move on to a better place =D