Often mistakenly called a stroke by owners, Ideopathic Vestibular Syndrome (IVS) usually occurs in old dogs, affecting the center of balance within the inner ear. The dog suddenly develops a head tilt and may lose his balance. <\/span><\/p>\n

His eyes flick from side to side as they try to <\/span>stop the world from spinning. Some dogs are so badly affected that they are nauseous, vomit, and walk around in circles.<\/span><\/p>\n

IVS usually resolves on its own after a few days. Your vet may give a drug to reduce nausea if your dog cannot keep down food and water. A drug that promotes blood supply to the brain is available and can help to prevent the disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

CDRM<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

This distressing disease\u2014chronic <\/span>degenerative radiculomyelopathy (CDRM)\u2014affects the spinal cord. It causes a dog to gradually lose <\/span>coordination and movement of his hind limbs, even though he is otherwise well and retains voluntary control over his bladder and bowels. <\/span><\/p>\n

Breeds in which CDRM occurs include German Shepherds, Boxers, and Corgis. There is no treatment, other than helping the dog to cope.<\/span><\/p>\n

Syringomyelia<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

SM, as this disease is known, is characterized by head and neck pain that may be hard to localize. A dog may sleep with his head in a strange position, have pain when being picked up, or have difficulty going up stairs. <\/span><\/p>\n

The classic sign is for the dog to walk along kicking with a hind leg as if to scratch his ear. <\/span><\/p>\n

The most common cause of SM is a structural defect in the brain that results in a mismatch between brain size and the space in the skull. This is an inherited disorder in dome-headed breeds such as Spaniels, Chihuahuas, and Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens.<\/span><\/p>\n

Definitive diagnosis requires an MRI scan, which is also used for screening. Treatment aims at pain control, with lifestyle changes such as feeding from a raised bowl and walking on the lead with a body harness rather than a collar. Surgery is also possible.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nervous system disorders in dogs can occur in any part of the body, affecting the way a dog moves and behaves. The nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord, and the nerve pathways that carry signals throughout the body. Signs of a problem can be the followings:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n