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Sudden Dizziness In Greyhound


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Hi All,

 

Zero is having some health issues I wanted to share. I discussed some of this in an earlier post, but wanted to go into more detail.

 

About two eeks ago Zero fell off my bed on to the carpeted floor in the middle of the night and later had some pain behind his ear / on the back of his head. I thought it was an ear infection and took him to the vet this past Monday 5/23/11. The vet I go to is "greyhound friendly". The doctor looked at Zero and didn't find an ear infection, but thought that he might have hurt his neck from the fall. She prescribed Carprofen (otherwise known as Rimadyl) (100mg), 1/2 tablet every 12 hours. I gave him one dose Monday night, one Tuesday morning and one Tuesday afternoon. Yesterday afternoon Zero was very dizzy, not good on his feet and almost unable to climb the stairs. In addition to the dizziness Zero's eyes were moving back and forth. I took him back to the vet who suggested Zero might have vestibular disease, but said it usually occurs in older dogs. She said it could also be some other type of neurological disorder as well. She suggested I give him dramamine and continue with the anti-inflamitory.

 

Last night I looked up the anti-inflamitory on Wikipedia and found that a possable side effect of Carprofen could be dizziness. The vet never told me this, in fact I asked them specifically if dizziness was a side effect and they said no. I took him off the medication this morning.

 

This morning he still seemed dizzy, but not as bad? Not sure. We went for a short walk and sometimes I saw his eyes darting around, but other times it looked as if they weren't or he was just looking around. He's still eating, drinking, pooping and peeing ok.

 

I'm so worried about Zero. He just turned seven....I've only had him for two years. I hope he's ok and that his condition does worsen.

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If it is the medication it will take a while for all of it to get out of his system. Since he seems to be improving since you took him off the meds if he's not significantly better in a couple of days I'd have him seen by a neurologist. If he hit his head hard he could have something going on in there.

Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel

Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee

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Does he still have the pain in back of his ear - if not, then he may not need the Rimadyl especially since it seems to be causing the dizziness. Since you have stopped the Rimadyl it might take a day or two to get out of his system so if the dizziness is not gone by Friday then you might want to consider taking him back to the vet.

 

If he still has the pain in back of his neck then you might want to try a chiropractor or acupuncture - I've never used either but others on the forum seem to have had good luck.

 

Hope Zero is feeling better

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Something like that happened with Poodle, but I wasn't able to zone in on the ear as the source of trouble. He totally fell off the bed in the morning and couldn't walk. . The vet told me he had had a stroke according to his eyes. Maybe not the case but a thought......

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How is he doing this evening?

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Vestibular disease often shows up acutely- totally unannounced. The duration of the disease varies and may actually leave him with a head tilt. I wod not encourage excerise-- that would be like trying to enjoy your walk with the bed spins. You should be in contact with your vet- giving updates. I know others claim to have seen neuro side effects from the rimadyl but, I never have. Perhaps he fell from the bed from the vestibular?

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Hi All,

 

Zero is having some health issues I wanted to share. I discussed some of this in an earlier post, but wanted to go into more detail.

 

About two eeks ago Zero fell off my bed on to the carpeted floor in the middle of the night and later had some pain behind his ear / on the back of his head. I thought it was an ear infection and took him to the vet this past Monday 5/23/11. The vet I go to is "greyhound friendly". The doctor looked at Zero and didn't find an ear infection, but thought that he might have hurt his neck from the fall. She prescribed Carprofen (otherwise known as Rimadyl) (100mg), 1/2 tablet every 12 hours. I gave him one dose Monday night, one Tuesday morning and one Tuesday afternoon. Yesterday afternoon Zero was very dizzy, not good on his feet and almost unable to climb the stairs. In addition to the dizziness Zero's eyes were moving back and forth. I took him back to the vet who suggested Zero might have vestibular disease, but said it usually occurs in older dogs. She said it could also be some other type of neurological disorder as well. She suggested I give him dramamine and continue with the anti-inflamitory.

 

Last night I looked up the anti-inflamitory on Wikipedia and found that a possable side effect of Carprofen could be dizziness. The vet never told me this, in fact I asked them specifically if dizziness was a side effect and they said no. I took him off the medication this morning.

 

This morning he still seemed dizzy, but not as bad? Not sure. We went for a short walk and sometimes I saw his eyes darting around, but other times it looked as if they weren't or he was just looking around. He's still eating, drinking, pooping and peeing ok.

 

I'm so worried about Zero. He just turned seven....I've only had him for two years. I hope he's ok and that his condition does worsen.

 

Sorry, typ-o.....I hope his condition DOESN'T worsen

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How is he doing this evening?

 

When I go home this evening he was up and barking to greet me. A great sign considering what alternative could have been. He went down the stairs slowly, but was able to get down them none-the-less. He ate his dinner, drank water, peed, pooped and we went for a short / slow walk, but he did pretty good. Just now he was circling in his bed getting ready to lay down and got dizzy from the circling and staggered. Poor baby, I hope he gets better.

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Hi All,

 

Woke up this morning and Zero seems worse. He's stumbling around a bit, not good balance. I'm so worried. I'll call my vet today and give her an update. I think at this point I'll make an appointment with a neuologist. Last night I had to carry him up the stairs. He just turned seven in April. Please pray for him.

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Please do take him for a neurological exam. This is how my friend's greyhound Ozzy's problem started. I hope and pray it is not the same for Zero. I too have wondered if the fall from the bad wasn't a result of the dizziness.

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Zero is at Tufts University right now, best hospital in the area. They are going to do an MRI on him this afternoon to see what's going on. Please pray for him. I'll keep you all posted on the results. I'm numb right now.

Edited by aryon92

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Lots of prayers for your boy. Hopefully the MRI will give you some answers.

Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel

Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee

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Lots and lots of prayers.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Hi All,

 

Good news. Zero's MRI came back clear. His brain, nasal passages, skull & ears look great. The doctor showed me the MRI himself. The blood work came back with a positive Lyme disease reading so I have him on pills for that, otherwise his blood is good. His heart & lungs are great & they also did a spinal which came back clear as well. The doctor said Zero has Vestibular disease which he should recover from in several weeks. He has the classic head tilt to the left, he has trouble blinking his left eye, but they checked his tear production and it was fine, he has the slight shifting back and forth of his eyes and of course the dizziness. I am so relieved that his brain is ok. The doctors said he was an excellent patient. They said Zero didn't complain at all no matter what they did to him. What a good boy.

 

I can't thank you all enough for all your support and prayers throughout this whole ordeal. I will be there for Zero to help get him through the vestibular disease.

 

Sincerely,

Zero's Daddy

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Thank goodness! Have been worried about your boy -- not as worried as you, I'm sure, but still. Hope he makes a steady and complete recovery.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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