# Idiopathic vestibular disease



## jfo (Nov 19, 2010)

A co-worker of mine had this happen to her elderly German Shepherd. It did pass on its own, but it took some time. I believe her vet gave their dog some nausea meds to help with the vomiting.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

jfo said:


> A co-worker of mine had this happen to her elderly German Shepherd. It did pass on its own, but it took some time. I believe her vet gave their dog some nausea meds to help with the vomiting.


Thanks for sharing. The vet gave Bob an injection of something for nausea and recommended that I pick up some meclizine, an over-the-counter nausea med. Just started Bob on that.

It is so hard to see Bob lying on his bed unable to get up. He is 55 pounds -- not easy for me to manage, but not impossible either. I did get him out to pee this morning, but no poop. Hard to imagine how he could possibly defecate when he is barely able to stand up. Sigh.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

There is a good article about Vestibular disease at The Bark. I know that humans get it too - there were numerous cases in the village where I live a few years ago. Some people recovered very quickly, some took much longer, but all got over it eventually.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I was at a rally trial on Saturday and a friend of mine and I were talking about how we get dizzy from doing spirals, 270 degree turns and 360s when they come very quickly/close together. She said a doctor advised her to stay very well hydrated to help her vestibular apparatus function better. So it sounds like it is good that Bob is drinking.

I hope it is the vestibular trouble and nothing more serious. Update us as you can.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Just want to send some sympathy for the anxiety you must be feeling........getting old, and getting ill suck!!! Wishes for a quick recovery!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

I have known many humans who have gotten it - I had it myself about two years ago and it was horrific - I literally had to crawl across the floor to get to the bathroom, couldn't walk without falling down everything was spinning so bad, but antivert cleared up immediately, took it for about a week, and then weaned off, and it has not come back since. The nausea and vomiting is totally connected - I also happen to get horrible motion sickness, and I took one of those pills when we had to go on a ferry a couple of weeks ago, and for the first time in my life I was perfectly fine and enjoyed the boat ride!
Is there something like that for dogs? It would be wonderful if he could take it to see him through until he is better!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Our GSD had it when he was about 13years old. It cleared up pretty quickly for about two years then came back...we "threatened " the dog that it must be nearing his time and he got better for two more years. Each time the symptoms lasted about a week; worse for the first two days, than gradually he'd get better. When he was 17 we could tell he was ready to move on... just too tired to be here any more. He was a good old boy.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

It sounds like the prognosis is very good. Frightening in its sudden onset for you and confusing for Bob, poor guy. Hope he's out and about very soon. Hugs from Houston to both of you.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

adThanks to all of you for your concern, advice and shared experiences. What an odd disease this is.

Here's the Bob update. With regard to food, the news is good. He is back to his old self. Yesterday afternoon, he was even barking at me, demanding his supper. Many dog owners would not tolerate such a bossy dog, but I actually find the way that he asks for his supper to be totally charming. And I especially love it now because it is a sign that the old Bob is coming back. Yes! So I made him some nice chicken hearts, eggs and left-over millet and he ate it with his usual extreme delight. The boy really loves his food.

Walking is still a problem. I was discouraged last night when I got him outside (with the help of a neighbor) and he couldn't even stand up. So he went to bed without peeing. But this morning he was awake at about 6 am. I carried him outside (55 pounds is difficult but not impossible for me). He was able to stand up and take a few steps and pee! Yippee! Still no poop.

I am of course encouraged by what the vet and many of you have said about how dogs usually recover from this. But I have to say that it is quite disconcerting to have a dog who is unable to walk. Almost hard to believe that he will return to his normal self. But I guess he probably will. I certainly hope so. Sweet Bob. I love that boy.

PS. I just noticed that Bob is holding his head slightly tilted to the side. That is one of the other symptoms of this disease. I hadn't noticed it before.


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## Poodlerunner (Jul 4, 2014)

This is sad for you and Bob. At least he has you to look after him and I am sure that makes him feel safe. 

pr


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Yes, tilting the head is a sign of vestibular. Jose` had something like that happen several months ago. We were on a walk and all of a sudden, I noticed he was listing to starboard but nothing too dramatic. I kept saying, "Jose` why are you crossing in front of me? You never do that." He kept sort of getting in the way. We were only about 1/2 a block from home and then I_ really _noticed something was definitely wrong. So I think it began while on our walk unless it came on so gradually I didn't notice at first.

The vet concluded it must have been vestibular and I went back and forth from thinking it was that or a mini stroke or some other neurological thing. (possible brain tumor) The signs weren't all what you read as typical vestibular but sort of. I didn't take him to the vet right away as I thought it was a stroke, it had done it's thing...and whatever it was, didn't think there was anything to be done. 

So in about 3 or 4 days it cleared up and he was fine...absolutely normal. Again, that thing with my vet where I can't get in for days and days. So I finally took him to someone close just to see if there was something she could tell me...and she didn't see that rapid, lateral eye movement (nystagmus) seen in a stroke. She didn't think it was a stroke. I think it's actually seen sometimes in vestibular too. But that's something that I figure could have come and gone and we both missed it. Anyhow, he walked out of alignment, ran into things on just one side...everything seemed to be right sided...couldn't see out of that same sided eye. He fell easily. And then all of a sudden, after about 3 days, he was normal. A month or so again, he had a seizure. This may or may not be related. But I think something neurological is going on. If it's a brain tumor, you'd think something would have progressed. He is just fine right now...playful, plenty energetic enough for a dog of 13 and no further signs of anything. 

Hopefully your dog will go back to normal too in a few days. It is rather disturbing, isn't it. But if it is vestibular, apparently nothing too serious should come of it.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

*peppersb*: Count me among those wishing Bob well. I know how dearly you love him. I also know it isn't easy to maneuver a big dog who can't ambulate. Take care and try to watch out for your own back. Care-giving is hard on a body! Got you both in my thoughts. :clover:


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

*Good news and bad news*

The bad news is that it has been over 4 days now, and we have seen very little improvement. Head tilting which is a sign of this disease was not present at first, but it now is (but only slight head tilting). The main problem is walking. Bob just can't walk. I push or pull him on his dog bed to the front door and then get him up with a sling and harness -- or sometimes I just carry him. He flops down on the grass. If he really needs to pee or poop, he gets up, staggers around and manages to do his business. But sometimes he just sits there. He has the hugest bladder in the whole world and normally can go 14 hours without peeing. So when I took him out this morning at 7 am, he just sat there. No effort to stand and pee. 

The good news is that my vet was here yesterday (he does house calls). He definitely thinks that it is idiopathic vestibular disease and he definitely thinks that Bob will recover. He says it might take 3 weeks. He did say that there is a possibility that something more serious is going on (e.g. a brain tumor), but he thought that was very unlikely. So the vet was reassuring, but of course I still worry.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

It must be desperately worrying, but you have a very positive prognosis and it is still early days. When my neighbour had it, and phoned me in the early morning because she could not get out of bed, I really thought it was a stroke - she was a nurse before she retired and assured me it was not. It was at least a week before she felt able to get to the loo on her feet, rather than her hands and knees - she said the nausea and disorientation was horrible. Bob must be feeling utterly confused, poor dog.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

peppersb said:


> ...The good news is that my vet was here yesterday (he does house calls). He definitely thinks that it is idiopathic vestibular disease and he definitely thinks that Bob will recover...


From your vet's lips to the ears of the great Dawg above! Hope you begin to see steady improvement in Bob soon. Three weeks must sound like an eternity right now. Wishing Bob along quickly!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I am glad to see that the vet thinks Bob will recover, albeit perhaps too slowly for either of you to be happy. It is so hot, I can't imagine how hard it is to get him out the door. Be careful of your own back, knees, etc. We all know you will be an excellent nurse for Bob, but you can't help him too well if you end up laid up!


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## Wren (Jul 2, 2013)

I hope you feel better soon Uncle Bob.
Luv you, 
Bossy Jonah (I learned from the best.)

Thinking of you, peppersb.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Wren said:


> I hope you feel better soon Uncle Bob.
> Luv you,
> Bossy Jonah (I learned from the best.)
> 
> Thinking of you, peppersb.


Love hearing from you Wren. Love to Jonah from momma Cammie, brother Sam and of course "uncle" Bob. (For those of you who don't know, Jonah is one of Cammie's puppies, littermate to Sam.)

Today's news:

1. Bob is showing a lot of anxiety about all of this. Poor boy. It must be very confusing for a poodle to suddenly not be able to use his body. He takes it out on the rest of the world by barking and moaning. The barking/moaning is especially bad when I leave the room, or if I dare to leave the house. :sad: Sweet Sam gets upset when Bob is upset. If I am not actively trying to attend to Bob's every need, then Sam comes over to me and puts his big feet in my lap (if I am sitting) or on my chest (if I am standing) or he snuggles up next to me, almost sitting on me (if I am lying down). He is very sweet and has nice therapy dog instincts. I think he likes Bob quite a bit. Bob's anxiety is understandable, but no fun for any of us. Today, I was supposed to go to a play and have dinner with friends, but I think Bob's anxiety would have gone through the roof if I left him alone for 5 or 6 hours. So I stayed home. 

2. To add a little humor to the situation ... Bob woke up at 5 am which is very unusual for him. I was still asleep and Sam noticed that Bob needed something, so Sam came and leaned on me to get me up. (We are all sleeping downstairs.) After offering Bob water and treats, I figured that he wanted/needed to go outside to do his business. So, I dragged him on his dog bed to the front door and with great effort got him outside on the grass. He stumbled around and managed to defecate, but then he fell in the poop. So I pushed him away from the poop and left him lying on the grass while I went inside to get a wet paper towel. Normally, I don't leave my dogs alone in the unfenced front yard, but I figured Bob wasn't going anywhere. Well I was wrong! I came back with my wet paper towel, and Bob was GONE! Nowhere to be seen!!!! It turned out that he walked all the way down my driveway and into my neighbor's unfenced back yard to finish doing his business. That's the farthest that he has walked so far, so maybe he is getting better. But he still walks like a drunken sailor. It is just that once he gets going he can keep going.

I am fortunate to be working at home and to have a very flexible schedule. I can't imagine what people do when they have a sick pet and they really can't stay at home all day. This sickness stuff is not easy.

Still hoping for a full recovery. SOON.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

As scary as not seeing Bob where you left him was, that he went as far as he did sounds like a good sign. I hope you will have more of them today and in the coming days.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Sending get better soon wishes to Bob. What a great night nurse your Sam is, btw.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Definitely a good sign that he is walking! What a good helper Sam is, knowing when to wake you up and knowing that you need lots of emotional support.


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## Nicofreako (Aug 19, 2013)

Such good news! hopefully Bob is now on the upswing part of his recovery. And Sam will have to get some special time with you once this situation has passed. Sounds like he is working right along with you to attend to Bob's needs!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Hooray for signs of progress! You have my understanding for how hard it can be to care for an ailing big dog. I have over the years four times been called at odd hours by different gal pals needing assistance to get their big dogs safely down the stairs and into the car for an ER vet visit or something. _Not easy at all! _Also had the worry of working full-time while having an ailing senior dog at home, talk about stress and having your heart and thoughts wondering to things back home while your mind had to be at the office! I was lucky, thanks to the help of a wonderful dog sitter and a neighbor, to be able to manage that for the several months I had to. I'm proud of Bob for mustering the stamina to walk and wander a bit. But heartbroken too to hear how upsetting this malady is for the sweet old guy. :Cry: :angel2:Bless Sam's concerned, compassionate 'brother-loving' heart! What a good boy he is to want to comfort you both. Hang in there, *peppersb*!:hug:


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Chagall's mom said:


> ... You have my understanding for how hard it can be to care for an ailing big dog. ...


This is exactly why I was trying to breed small standard poodles! Bob is 55 pounds, and it is very difficult for me to carry him and/or drag him around on his dog bed. It is not going to be any easier when my young dogs are old and I am 10 or 15 years older than I am now. So a year and a half ago I bred my beautiful 35 pound Cammie to a gorgeous AKC champion who was only 40 pounds. And what did I get??? I got Sam. At 50 pounds, Sam is 15 pounds heavier than his mom and 10 pounds heavier than his dad. Sigh. Not what I wanted. His brother Toby is about the same size, and brother Jonah is even bigger! 

Other than size, Sam is everything I could ever hope for. It is very sweet to see the way he has reacted to Bob being more needy than usual. In addition to alerting me to Bob's needs (as if I was unaware...), Sam does what he can to take care of Bob himself. He's been licking Bob's left ear -- I think the vestibular problem originates in Bob's left inner ear, so apparently Sam can tell that something is wrong in there. And if I go sit down next to Bob, Sam likes to get right in between us, sharing has happy licks with both of us. Such a sweet boy.

The other thing I really appreciate about Sam is that he has done very well with far less exercise than he usually gets. We've almost eliminated walks and trips to the dog park because I just can't leave Bob alone. So exercise is limited to throwing the ball in the back yard. Sam and Cammie both love to be out and about, but they both tolerate it very well when they are stuck inside. I am very grateful for their mellow temperaments.


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

This too will pass! My 17 year old mpoo had vestibular disease and it lasted about 18 days. I had never heard of it before and it's appearance will certainly scare the crap out of you! Brain tumor?....stroke? .???.........poor baby couldn't walk, nausea, just confused by the whole situation! But, she began improving after about 8-10 days.......by the 18 th day, she was completely back to normal!


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

rubymom said:


> This too will pass! My 17 year old mpoo had vestibular disease and it lasted about 18 days. I had never heard of it before and it's appearance will certainly scare the crap out of you! Brain tumor?....stroke? .???.........poor baby couldn't walk, nausea, just confused by the whole situation! But, she began improving after about 8-10 days.......by the 18 th day, she was completely back to normal!


Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Hearing your timeframe is very encouraging. I somehow got the idea in my head that I would see improvement within 72 hours and was disappointed when I didn't. But the 24 hour vet hospital actually said I should see improvement in "a few days or up to a week or two" and my regular vet said to allow 3 weeks. I think the 72 hours was something that I read on the Internet. Anyway it has been a week and I am just starting to see some real improvement now. 

You are right about this scaring the crap out of you. This is one bizarre disease. It is hard to believe that an almost 15 year old dog who is so incapacitated is going to get better! So I LOVE hearing about your mpoo's full recovery.

I actually managed to take all 3 dogs on a walk tonight, with the help of a friend. Bob has had bad hips for years, so I have a stroller that he rides in when we go more than a block or so. When we got to the park, Bob wanted to get out of the stroller and he walked around quite a bit. He was still staggering and he fell a couple of times, but he is really looking much much better. He's certainly not normal, but it is very encouraging to see his improvement.

Here's an old picture of Bob in his stroller, so you can see how he gets around. He loves it.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

It is such wonderful news to hear he is improving! It is always hard to see them struggle and heartwarming to see their 'will' to get better! Bless his little Spoo heart!


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I am glad Bob is starting to get better. I love his stroller. You really are well prepared.

Hearing the size of Cammie's puppies, I think I can understand why an oversized miniature might be bred to a small standard to reduce the size of the puppies. Breeding 2 small standards does not guarantee puppies that are small standards.

At least you got the temperament you wanted so that Sam is a big help to you.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

MiniPoo said:


> ...
> Hearing the size of Cammie's puppies, I think I can understand why an oversized miniature might be bred to a small standard to reduce the size of the puppies. Breeding 2 small standards does not guarantee puppies that are small standards.
> ...


The problem with breeding a mini to a standard is that you often get really odd proportions. I was just looking at a web site the other day that was advertising moyens or kleins that were actually mini-standard crosses and they were seriously funny looking dogs. Some photos showed dogs with very short legs in proportion to their body length -- none of the grace and beauty that I like to see in poodles. I really wish that there were some good breeders who were producing nice well proportioned poodles in the 25 to 40 pound size range.

In Cammie's litter, we did get one small one -- Daphne who is owned by KimC on the forum is about the same size as Cammie. The other girl is bigger but still smallish -- about 40 pounds last I heard.

Anyway, sorry for taking this off topic. I just really really like Cammie's size and wish it was easier to find.


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

How ironic! I also have strollers for my babies! Cali loved stroller rides when we in rough terrain or on long walks! ( I use a smaller one sometimes ES for Ruby if we are going into places where I want her protected from unwanted germs!)


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

*Bob update: day 12*

I am definitely seeing some improvement. He has not fully recovered, but the improvement gives me the hope and even the expectation that Bob will get back to his old self.

Bob can now walk pretty well on grass or on carpet. He's still wobbly, but usually can walk without falling down. He is still pretty much unable to walk on hard wood floors or on the ceramic tile in the kitchen. We spend most of our time in the living room and I have a thin foam dog bed at each end of the living room rug. I drag him on the dog bed to the front door, then help him down the one step at the door on to the walkway and then to the grass. From there, he is able to walk around, do his business and come back to the mat waiting at the front door. Similarly, I use the mat at the other end of the living room to drag him into the kitchen. He can walk across the living room from one mat to the other. 

The main problem I have now is that he is extremely anxious when he can't see me. I guess that's understandable, but I am feeling like a prisoner in my own home. The one time I left to do some shopping, I came back to Bob in high-anxiety mode, and he had gotten Sam upset too. So I have been pretty much staying home. I'm assuming that the anxiety will subside when he has control over his ability to walk again and I will be able to do things like walk into the kitchen or even leave the house for a couple of hours without him barking and moaning. 

I hope that this thread with its updates and with the very helpful comments from some of you will be helpful in the future to others who might do a search for vestibular disease. (By the way, if you are searching the internet, check out duckduckgo.com. It is better than google.)


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

That is good news, Peppersb - less than two weeks, and so much improvement. I suspect you may need to revisit staying alone training when he is more fully recovered, but I am sure that too will improve when his confidence returns.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

It sounds like his improvement is going to be sort of slow but steady. It's a shame he's feeling so anxious, but totally understandable. He's lucky he has you to be there for and with him, poor baby. I hope it's not something serious that is causing it. I think as he improves, you'll know. With Jose`, once he got over his bout with it, he became himself again...playful, ready for walks, eager for attention etc and not anxious. I am sending my very best that Bob continues this steady healing. I've never used it, but I hear a lot about rescue remedy. You might see if that helps. It is very hard, isn't it, to have to stay so close to keep him comforted. I'm sorry you're having to go through this with him. (((hugs)))


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Dear old Bob sure is trying to overcome his malady, what a guy! You continue to be an exemplary caregiver, but it has to be draining and exhausting. I wonder if he may be experiencing some underlying Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) which is being exacerbated by his vestibular issue? Both my bff and I have had senior dogs (16 and 17 year olds) with CCD and when they were hit with physical issues (kidney problems) their confusion, disorientation and distress was amplified. Just a thought I'm throwing out there. It may well be Bob is simply in dire need of the constant reassurance of your presence, much like a sick child. Hope you can continue withstand this added pressure, and when he recovers from his illness he'll revert to being "'chill" Bob. Meanwhile, I know you're doing all you can for him and then some. No greater comforter hath any dog! Wishing for his recovery to speed up!


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Chagall's mom said:


> ... I wonder if he may be experiencing some underlying Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) which is being exacerbated by his vestibular issue? Both my bff and I have had senior dogs (16 and 17 year olds) with CCD and when they were hit with physical issues (kidney problems) their confusion, disorientation and distress was amplified. Just a thought I'm throwing out there. It may well be Bob is simply in dire need of the constant reassurance of your presence, much like a sick child. ...


Interesting idea, Chagall's mom. But I actually think that Bob is very alert mentally. Alert, bossy, controlling and manipulative. I give him a bit of a pass on what would normally be unacceptable behavior because I think his loss of control of his physical body is probably alarming to him. But I am definitely going with the sick (and manipulative) child idea, not the CCD idea. Bob has always been bossy. I think that life will return to normal when he is once again able to walk normally and go out back (walking across a brick patio and down 3 steps to go to the bathroom). But we'll see. As fjm says, he may need some staying alone training.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

I've been pulling for you and Bob, and admiring Sam's watchful caring, and it is so heartening to see Bob is improving.

Haven't posted because for the life of me I just can't recall much of my own experience of a dear passed dog's vestibular. Kept hoping more detail would come to mind, but it's gone. Maybe that is a good thing, because I know she recovered.


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Just to offer a comparisons , Cali's recovery was a gradual thing? The physical abilities returned little by little as she grew more able to control her coordination and gain strength and resilience . Overall, it was about a 3 week process. Hope your baby is coming to the end of his bout with this disease!


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Thanks everybody. This forum is the greatest! I love hearing from all of you, but especially from those who have experience with this disease. It is scary to have a dog who can't walk, and then it was scary when I didn't see as much improvement as I expected in the first week. I have been very reassured by those of you who wrote to tell me about dogs (and people!) who actually recovered! So thank you! Bob keeps getting a little bit better each day.


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## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

Yay Bob!! I love his curmudgeon-like personality. At least he barks for his dinner and doesn't go help himself to the cupboards like Maddy! So glad he's getting better


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Lily, Javelin and I went to my mom's for lunch with her, her sister (my aunt), my sister in law and my nieces. It was really nice to see them all and for Javelin to meet some new people in a new place.

My aunt's dog is about 15 years old and has had some health problems. I didn't know until yesterday that his most recent problem has been vestibular disease. He is recovering, but has had many of the same issues that Bob has. He obviously can't get up or down the stairs and is big, so they haven't wanted to try to carry him up at night. He was so anxious about being alone downstairs they have been sleeping in the living room to keep him company!


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

lily cd re said:


> Lily, Javelin and I went to my mom's for lunch with her, her sister (my aunt), my sister in law and my nieces. It was really nice to see them all and for Javelin to meet some new people in a new place.
> 
> My aunt's dog is about 15 years old and has had some health problems. I didn't know until yesterday that his most recent problem has been vestibular disease. He is recovering, but has had many of the same issues that Bob has. He obviously can't get up or down the stairs and is big, so they haven't wanted to try to carry him up at night. He was so anxious about being alone downstairs they have been sleeping in the living room to keep him company!


Thanks for sharing about your aunt's dog. I've been sleeping downstairs with Bob too. But to be totally accurate, I've been sleeping downstairs with him for 6 months or so. Even without the vestibular disease, his hips are not good enough to go up and down a full flight of stairs. When my previous poodle, Sophie got old, she would be sound asleep by the time I went upstairs and she was happy to sleep downstairs by herself. But Bob is a different story. He normally howls in protest if left downstairs by himself, and with the vestibular disease, his anxiety is just through the roof. He doesn't even like it if I go into a different room. I guess that is understandable since during the worst of the vestibular disease he relied on me for absolutely everything -- bringing water and food to him, getting him up and outside, moving him from one room to another, etc. Now that he is recovering from the vestibular, I am once again feeling free to leave the house once in a while. But I still sleep downstairs with him, of course. Fortunately, I have a little sunroom off of my living room and it makes a great bedroom. Getting old is not easy.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Getting old isn't easy for us or for our dogs! My aunt and her partner are both in their later 60s.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

*Final update*

So here's the final update on my boy Bob and his vestibular disease. 

It has been exactly 3 weeks since he collapsed in the park and could not walk. I'd say he is now about 95% back to normal. He still has trouble walking on slippery surfaces like the ceramic tile in the kitchen. I've put some carpets and mats down to make it easier for him. And his gait is still a just little bit wobbly -- wobbly in addition to the generally bad hips that he has had for his whole life. But other than that, I have my boy back! Major accomplishments of the past few days:

-- He ate his supper standing up! Wow. After 2+ weeks of bringing his supper to him and putting it down next to him, it is a real pleasure to see him walk over to his supper dish and chow down. 

-- He drank from the toilet! Another big achievement! This means that he walked on the tile bathroom floor and drank standing up! 

-- He went out into the back yard to do his business! This means he walked across the brick patio and down 3 steps to the yard. He's done this a few times now. Sometimes he waits for me to help him down the steps, sometimes he just stumbles down himself. At least once he even managed to get up the 3 steps without my help!

-- We went to the park yesterday! Yippee. We are out and about again. He walked all the way to a little hut where there are benches, a water fountain and water bowls for the dogs. He had a drink and happily watched as Sam chased his tennis ball and Cammie greeted other dogs and made sure the squirrels stayed up in the trees. 

-- I've left him alone (with Cammie and Sam) and gone out for a few hours at a time! This may not seem like a big deal, but when he was totally not in control of his body, his anxiety was so over the top that he would be upset if I even left the room. For more than 2 weeks, I didn't leave the house. (One exception when I got a dog sitter to stay with him.)

So now I am working on undoing the increased sense of entitlement that has come from being waited on hand and foot for the past 3 weeks. He seems to think that I will come running with treats whenever he barks asking for them! So we are sticking to a schedule of treats only at specific times, and any other time, he can just eat kibble. 

Thanks to all of you who shared your experiences, wisdom and support. This forum was a huge help to me in managing this whole process. I feel extremely fortunate to have my boy back again.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

That is splendid news! I will tell my aunt and her partner. They will find it hopeful to know that there should be an end in sight to having to sleep on the floor in the living room.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Thanks Lily CD!

By the way, tell you aunt and her partner that "getting old" and "later 60's" are NOT the same thing. Not at all. Jimmy Carter is 90. That's old. So I figure that "getting old" is being in your 80's, or maybe late 70's. Sorry. But I'm getting a bit too close to "later 60's" for comfort. And the closer I get, the more I feel a need to redefine concepts like "old" and "middle aged." 70 is the new 50, right?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Excellent news - it sounds as if he is recovering steadily, and I am sure that you will continue to see improvements over the coming weeks. It is especially good to hear that his anxiety has eased, as that must have been particularly hard to cope with.

And I am with you all the way on what constitutes elderly! I finally decided to accept that I was entering middle age in my late 50s. I don't intend to even start being elderly till 75 at a minimum, and 80 odd if I can manage it. I may be creaky, and wobbly (in more ways than one), but what has that to do with anything?!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Just loved reading your good news update! Bob has a wonderful owner,:adore: life and hopefully a healthy future ahead! _Woohoo!!_:dancing2:


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Very happy!!! I just knew he'd come back around, especially with your good care. What a long ordeal though. It lasted much longer than Jose`'s, if in fact that is what Jose` had....still not 100% sure. I hear ya...that sense of entitlement. lol. What a chore. I'm just so very glad to get online and see your good news.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Oh yay Bob! That is such great news. Good on him for continuing to try and milk the extra attention though...


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

You Go Bob!..................milk yer Mom for all you can get...hahaha!
So glad to hear things are getting back to normal life for Bob!


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