Update on How I'm Doing!

I am improving little by little every day. My head still tilts when I look at mom or dad, but not as much. I'm much more steady on my paws and have been enjoying my walks, tail high and wagging and having my sniffs along the way, my appetite is great again, and I've been initiating play with Hunter complete with roll overs and play growls. I still don't want to go down the steps, so mom and dad are continuing to carry me. I am about 95 pct back to myself, and we are all grateful! Vestibular disease does usually clear up after a while, some longer than others, so hopefully soon I will be back to 100 pct again!!

Vestibular Disease Update!

My appetite has come back and today I have kept my food down. I'm still wobbly on my paws and I am scared to go down the steps, so mom or dad carry me. I have been barking again and run eagerly for treats. My head is still tilted a little bit, but with every day I seem to be getting a little better.

Article on Vestibular Disease:

As a dog owner have you ever wondered how your dog is able to move about, run, jump and play without falling to the ground? Ever wondered how your dog can run around in circles without getting dizzy? Perhaps not, because we tend to take these things for granted.

However, all of this is accomplished thanks to the dog's vestibular system, a complex and effective mechanism that originates in the dog's inner ear allowing the dog (and even us humans) to have good orientation skills. In particular the vestibular system allows dogs to well balance themselves and coordinate their eye movements with their head.

All these great features that allows dogs and humans to walk and lead everyday normal lives go unnoticed generally until problems start to take place. When this happens, often dog owners are therefore quite startled and often really cannot get a grasp of what is going on.

The most common reactions to vestibular disorder in dogs are:

''I think my dog just had a stroke''.

''Something is really wrong with my dog''

''I think my dog is having some sort of seizure''.

Indeed vestibular disease can be quite scary in dogs often producing the following symptoms:
•Head tilt
•Eyes darting side to side (nystagmus)
•Strabismus
•Vertigo
•Falling to one side
•Rolling
•Staggering Gait
•Nausea/Vomiting
•Loss of Appetite
•Salivation
•Pain Chewing or Yawning







Causes of Vestibular Disease in Dogs


Owners of dogs affected by vestibular disease of course are very alarmed when their dog starts exhibiting these scary symptoms. More often than not, they will rush their dog to the emergency room thinking their dog just had a stroke and imagining him paralyze for the rest of his life.
Fortunately, often the causes of vestibular disease are not so grim most of the time. In most cases, vestibular disease is due to some problem located in the inner ear (peripheral vestibular disease). However, it is best to have the dog checked out by a veterinarian to rule out problems located in the brain (central vestibular disease).

Here are some potential causes:
•Ear Infection

Because the inner ear is responsible for a variety of important functions such as balance and coordination, when a dog develops an ear infection he or she may start exhibiting symptoms of vestibular diseases. This is because in some severe ear infections, the infection may spread from the external ear to the middle ear and then into the inner ear, negatively affecting all these important balancing functions.
•Canine idiopathic vestibular syndrome

Unfortunately, in some cases the cause remains unknown (idiopathic). This often takes place when the dog reaches its senior years, indeed often it is called ''geriatric vestibular syndrome''.In this case, for unknown reason the nerves connecting the inner ear to the cerebellum become inflamed often resolving on their own after a few days or a few weeks.
•Hypothyroidism

In some cases, low thyroid levels may cause vestibular disease issues.
•Toxins

Sometimes medications placed in the dog's ears may cause sudden acute vestibular disorders. Known culprits may be the following products: gentamycin, streptomycin, neomycin, erythromycin, polymyxin and ear products containing alcohol. Metronidazole has also been know to be a culprit.
•Tumors

Tumors in the inner ear or in the brain may cause vestibular disease symptoms.
•Encephalitis

This term depicts brain infection and may cause symptoms of vestibular disease. Causes may be canine distemper, toxoplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Erlichiosis, blastomycosis, coccidiomycosis .


Treatment

In order for the treatment to be effective it must take care of the underlying cause.Thyroid medicine may be prescribed for hypothyroidism, ear infections must be cleared and the administration of toxic ear drops must be stopped.
In most cases, vestibular disease resolves within two months. Often after 4-5 days the nystagmus episodes should subside. However, in some cases the head tilt will remain. Dogs are often prescribed medications that reduce dizziness such as Diphenidramine (Benadryl) or Meclizine (Antivert).


-Affected dogs should be helped to eat, because of disabled motor skills they may be unable to eat from the food bowl. Hand feeding therefore is helpful.

-Dogs with vestibular disease should be kept away from stairs and safe from bumping into furniture.

Vesticular Disease!!!

I have that along with an ear infection in both ears....but the vesticular disease is what's making me really miserable!! I am dizzy, nauseous, and just kinda pooky! Dogtor told daddy I'm "geriatric" and we "geriatric" doggies are prone to this vesticular disease thing, but it should go away in a few days! In the meantime mommy and daddy are cleaning up after me when I throw up, but I ate cottage cheese for daddy, and so far it's staying down. And, the dogtor sent 4 medications home with me to take for 7-10 days. Sometimes this getting old thing stinks!

Gotcha Day!

Wow, it's hard to believe, but 7 whole years ago today mom and dad picked me up from the CP intakes lady to foster me! I, of course, had to make life more than exciting for the hoomans when I slipped my leash and went on the run for 30 hours. They lured me back with a safe trap laden with yummy food and immediately applied to adopt me. These past 7 years have flown by, and I know these humans will never hurt me, I've learned that they won't slam the front door on me, they won't throw me in garbage bags and sling me around, that they won't kick me or beat me, that I will always have fresh food and clean water and most of all, I've learned they LOVE me!

Mama is sad....

Our hooman gramma is coming to the end of her time here on earth...so we all took a trip home this weekend to help gramma settle into rehab to try to strengthen enough to go home for her hospice care. Hooman gramma doesn't want to go to a nursing home so we are hoping she will be able to go home and live out the rest of her days here on earth in her own house with the assistance of live-in care takers and her hospice care. So for a few weeks or months we might not be able to be here on Dogster much as mom is trying to help gramma long distance and going back and forth to visit an 8 hour round trip each time.

Nurse Cassie

Mama tripped going UP the steps Friday night. She sprained her ankle and hit the bridge of her nose on the porch ledge...big scrape/cut, but nose not broken. She has been aching and when she's been home I've been sticking close to her. This morning she woke up looking like a raccoon with two black eyes to top it off. Sooooo, while mama looks funny, at least she wasn't hurt badly and she has me to take care of her!

6 Year Gotcha Day Annifursary!!

Wow, I can't believe it, but today is the 6 year annifursary of my "Gotcha Day" with my furmily. I was such a scared timid little girl when I came here....even got scared and backed out of my harness and went on the run for 30 hours before the pawrents lured me back into a safe trap with some yummy food. Now I know I'm a much loved cairn princess and that scared little girl is far in the past.

Cassie

My barkday!

Today is my 12th barkday. I've now been out of the puppy mill as long as I was IN it! Yipppeeeee!! We are celebrating with frosty paws for all of us, and I even get some strawberry yogurt with my kibble tonight.

Thank you everypup for the happy birthday notes and rosettes!!

Lubz,
Cassie-role

Daddy and Girls Day!

Mommy and Hunter are leaving in a few minutes to go visit the hooman gramma. Since I don't like travelling much, and we don't want to stress Defi too much with her severe heartworms, we gals and daddy are staying home! Daddy spoils us, so it's gonna be a fun day. Mommy and Hunter will be home in time for mommy to go to church in the morning, so they won't be gone long.

Wildfires

Please continue to pray for all the firefighters in Texas fighting the fires and all the families that are affected by the fires.......... PLEASE NO OUTSIDE FIRES AT ALL. These firefighters are tired and need a break. Pray for rain.