How to Treat a Vestibular Disease in Dogs

By Rhomylly Forbes

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

dog crate
well-lit room

Step 1:
Make sure your dog rests. Your dog will need time to rest to recover from this disease. Crate her in a quiet part of the house, and only let her out for brief trips outdoors to relieve herself.
Step 2:
Light up the room. The room your dog is resting in should be well-lit.
Step 3:
Avoid carrying him. Unless absolutely necessary, i.e., your dog does not have enough balance to walk on his own, don't carry your dog. Lifting him in the air is disorienting and delays recovery. If you must carry your dog outside, keep him upright and put your hands on the pads of his feet to help keep him oriented.
Step 4:
Feed small meals. Nausea is common in dogs with vestibular disease, because the disorientation makes them "sea sick." Feed your dog small meals three or four times a day to keep massive vomiting to a minimum.
Step 5:
Love your dog. Just because she has to stay quiet and rest doesn't mean she wants to be ignored. Take a book, magazine or your Web-connected laptop into the recovery room and keep her company. Pet her. Talk to her.

Tips & Warnings

Dogs can benefit from anti-nausea over-the-counter medications like Pepto-Bismol. Check with your vet for the proper dosage amount for your dog's size.

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