I posted nearly a couple months ago about my girl and her vestibular syndrome. She did much better on Bonine/meclizine. At 55 lbs, one tablet twice a day seemed just the best, although the regular vet had me double that to two twice a day, since she was severely affected at first, clawing through space as she tumbled. After a couple days, it seemed to make her nauseous, as does the vertigo, so I experimented with taking one dose at a time down, slowly weaning her off it when she could eat and walk without it. Crating her 24 hours a day helped her define space and lean on walls, then I would help her out to go potty.
Holding her head at times, or trying to support at least one paw on the bottom while lifting her seemed to help her orient in space. I had to give up regular food, and was able to get baby food meat and baby rice cereal, very sloppy, into her for a while, if I held the bowl up to her mouth. She lost a lot of weight. I used NutriDrops, as I would for a newborn or a whelping mother, to provide some instant energy and nutritional support. Nutrical was too thick for her jaw and impaired movements. She did well enough to get fattened up on puppy food and home cooking in time to be presentable for our annual Halloween visit to a nursing home. She loved giving and getting the attention, all decked out in a seasonal collar and bandana. We took it easy, and I brought a mat in case she would tire, but she was fine.
I am grateful for the support and advice I got that horrible first night on the forum, as I still don't know what that high dosage I was initially given by the covering young vet was all about, other than inexperience. My girl went from looking as though she might have to be put down to nearly normal, for a very old girl. Thanks again! And Jill, thanks for putting the forum back up. I truly think the help on this forum prevented more problems for my girl, when a newly graduated vet was having a bad first week covering a practice.
Pat typed faster! Pat is right about the other possible causes for the symptoms. We were lucky, and followed up the posting on the forum by seeing a wiser vet with more experience the next day, when our girl was stable, and could even take the car ride, crated, without nausea. It saddens me to think of all the other dogs I have heard of who "stroked" who were put down, on vet advice, without further testing or a trial of simple medications. Stroke is rare in dogs. That being said, anything can happen with an old dog, except her getting young again, and each day is a blessing.
