What is Vestibular Disease in dogs?
The vestibular system is responsible for maintaining balance and posture. The vestibular system includes a balance receptor situated in the inner ear, an associated nerve and specific areas in the brain. To maintain balance, the balance receptor continuously sends information to the brain to update it about the body's orientation with reference to gravity and movement. If there is a dysfunction in any of the vestibular structures, then the brain will receive wrong information and lead to clinical signs.
Causes of vestibular disease includes
middle ear or inner ear infections
drugs that are toxic to the ear trauma or injury
tumours
hypothyroidism
When no specific cause is found, the condition is called idiopathic vestibular syndrome. Idiopathic cases are distinguished by the sudden onset of clinical signs and the subsequent, rapid improvement with little, if any, medical intervention and usually are more common in older dogs.
Written by Dr. Mariella Roberts, Veterinary Surgeon, Animal Trust Vets CIC | Published May 2025 | Review date May 2027 | This advice is for UK pets only and is not a replacement for seeing a vet
Symptoms of vestibular disease in dogs
Sudden loss of balance, disorientation
Head tilt
Irregular, jerking eye movements
Reluctancy to stand or walk
Leaning or falling in the direction that the head is tilted
When to contact your vet
Vestibular disease is not usually an emergency, but the symptoms can be alarming to pet parents. In addition, symptoms of vestibular disease are like others, more serious conditions, including life-threatening poisoning. Prompt veterinary attention is advised to rule out more serious conditions, especially if your dog is in distress.
Diagnosis
Medical history
Clinical signs
Ear exam to assess the external ear canals and ear drums
Results of blood and urine tests
Other diagnostic testing might include blood pressure measurement or X-rays of the head to assess the skull and the ear drum cavity. Occasionally, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans will be performed to look for tumours or other brain abnormalities.
How to treat vestibular disease in dogs
If no underlying cause is found, treatment is symptomatic.
Supportive care:
Padded bedding to prevent sores from lying down for extended periods
Safe environment by restricting the dog’s movement to a small area, preventing falls and keep the floors free of obstacles
Assistance with activities such as helping with eating, drinking, walking using a towel for support
Nutritional support by ensuring adequate food and water intake
Medications such as anti-nausea medications to help with motion sickness and vomiting, sedatives to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.
Prevention
While idiopathic vestibular disease in dogs cannot be definitively prevented because its cause is unknown, there are steps that can be taken to minimise the risk and improve your dog’s overall health:
Focusing on measures like maintaining a healthy lifestyle
Preventing ear infection by regular cleaning (if your dog is prone to infection) by use of an approved vet ear cleaner.
Keeping your dog’s vaccination up to date to avoid infectious disease that could potentially contribute to vestibular disease.
Prevent exposure to toxins.
Annual veterinary exams and lab tests can help your vet detect subtle changes in your dog's health before your dog develops vestibular dysfunction.
Outlook
The outlook for animals with idiopathic vestibular disease is very good. Most pets will improve in 2-3 days and have a complete recovery within a few weeks. In a small number of pets, the head tilted does not fully resolve, however animals quickly learn to compensate, and this rarely causes a problem.