How To Treat A Cat With Vertigo

Introduction

Vertigo (also called vestibular disease) is a disorder of the inner ear that affects balance and spatial orientation. Vestibular disease can be caused by aging, infection, or trauma to the nerve endings in your cat’s ears. Some cats will make a full recovery from vestibular syndrome within a few weeks, while other cats may suffer permanent damage to their nerves. If you notice any of these symptoms in your cat, take them to see their vet right away:

What causes vestibular disease?

Trauma (such as a fall or car accident)
Infection (feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and feline panleukopenia are all common viral infections that can cause vestibular disease)
Genetic predisposition to vestibular disease

What should I do if my cat has symptoms of vestibular disease?

Whether your cat has just been diagnosed or you’ve had the symptoms for a while, it’s important to take care of your kitty.

Take your cat to the vet. Your veterinarian will do a physical exam and might recommend blood work, X-rays and other tests depending on the severity of your cat’s symptoms. Vestibular disease can be caused by ear infections, head trauma and tumors in the brain or inner ear regions of cats. If an infection is found, antibiotics will be prescribed for treatment; however, many times this disease cannot be treated because it stems from age-related changes in hearing ability (so even if an infection were present that’s why they’re not responding properly). More serious cases may require surgery to remove tumors or inner ear abnormalities but there are no known cures for vestibular disease at this time because there hasn’t been enough research done so far into what causes it yet either way!

How will my vet diagnose vestibular disease?

Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination of your cat, checking for signs of trauma, infection and cancer. To begin the diagnosis process, your vet will run blood tests to evaluate your cat’s thyroid gland and adrenal glands as well as his electrolyte levels. If these are normal, it may be possible that there is another cause for the vertigo other than vestibular disease.

Next, your veterinarian will look in your cat’s ears and eyes to see if there is an obstruction or any problems with the inner ear structure that could be causing the vertigo symptoms. Your vet may also check for tumors or masses in his head because they can affect balance and hearing ability.

How is vestibular disease treated?

Your veterinarian will recommend a treatment plan based on your cat’s specific condition. Medications may be prescribed to reduce the effects of vertigo and other symptoms, while surgery or physical therapy can help with mobility and coordination problems. Rehabilitation (for example, if your cat has had strokes) will also help with recovery.

Natural remedies such as acupuncture or homeopathic treatments may be used in addition to medical treatment options, but it’s important to keep in mind that these are not proven cures for vertigo in cats and there’s no evidence that they’re effective at all.

What happens if the vestibular disease is permanent damage to the nerves?

If the damage is permanent, then your cat may not recover.
He will need to be treated for the rest of his life.
His symptoms may be treated with medication that helps him cope with vertigo and nausea, such as anti-nausea drugs.
You can also try giving him a special diet to help him feel better.

Will my cat ever be normal again?

Yes! Vestibular disease is not a cure, but it can get better. If your cat is experiencing permanent damage to the nerves, he may be able to recover over time. It will take patience and consistency on your part. If temporary nerve damage was responsible for his vertigo, he should recover fully within several weeks.

A cat with vertigo may not seem like they are getting better, but they will.

You may be wondering if your cat will ever get better. The good news is that cats are resilient creatures, and they generally have a high rate of recovery from this condition. However, it’s not uncommon for a cat to have a wide range of symptoms, which can make it hard to tell if your cat is improving or not.

Before you worry yourself sick about whether or not your kitty will ever be the same again, keep in mind that:

Cats are highly adaptable and can adjust their behavior accordingly (such as using less energy).
Cat’s have great memories so they don’t forget how they used to be when they were healthy.

If your vet has said that there is no cure for vertigo in cats then he/she hasn’t had much experience with this problem before because we’ve seen very dramatic results in just 3 weeks!

Conclusion

I hope this post has helped you understand more about what it means when your cat is experiencing vertigo, as well as giving you some useful tips to help them get through the experience. It’s important that you don’t worry too much – most cases of vestibular disease resolve themselves within a few weeks. The most difficult thing to deal with is that it can be hard to see them so disoriented or in pain.

Thank you for joining me today, and I hope this information proves useful in helping your cat feel better soon! – Dr. Ted Saunders