Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 4/14/2011

Question
We have an 8 year old male DSH who shows signs of vestibular infection (head tilt, darting eyes, walks in circles, and now has stopped eating).  Our vet said it could be a brain tumor and sent us to a neurologist.  The neurologist said it could be vestibular disease (one ear was completely filled with wax and debris) but would do nothing unless we ordered a very expensive MRI.  If it is brain cancer, we don't want to treat it, but vestibular we might.  Is there another path of treatment we can try?  Like cleaning out the ears or antibiotics?  Or doing an xray?  The doctor just dismissed us when we were hesitant about the MRI.

Answer
IF it is a brain tumor, then an MRI is what the neurologist will want to see to determine that.  But if you just want to treat it, have your vet do a deep ear flush and a middle ear flush.  Then they can use high concentration of steroids placed into the middle ear to see if that will relieve the pressure on the nerves.  If there is a middle ear infection, then an oral antibiotic like azithromycin may be needed.