Expert: Jo Ann - 11/7/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi, My Chihuahua is 5 1/2 months old and this is the third time she has had these same symptoms. She get noticeably dizzy. When she stands up she falls over does not have any balance and her head wobbles all over. The first time it happened I took her to the emergency vet and they didn't really do anything she had been like that for most of the day so they gave her some high protein food and it seemed to go away after having been like that all day. The second time it happened I took her to her normal vet and they said she could be hypoglycemic and to give her syrup or honey so I did that and it didn't seem to help. It is happening again and I don't know what to do. There is no pattern of when it happens. The 1st 2 times she was playing and it started and this last time she had been sleeping for about 2 hours. I need help I don't know what to do.

ANSWER: Hi Sarah....

There are three things that come to mind when you mention these symptoms:

The first is hypoglycemia.  However, it's interesting that the symptoms went away with high protein food and that they don't get better with syrup.  A good high protein food could act to resolve hypoglycemia though....  Do you recall what they gave her at the ER? I don't usually recommend honey, but Karo syrup is recommended for instances of hypoglycemia often. Usually, you see hypoglycemia with much younger pups.  Is your pup extra small by any chance?  Something that I prefer to use instead of syrup is Nutrical.  You rub that or syrup on the gums.  She should be fed several small meals per day.

The second thing that comes to mind is a liver shunt.  You can often see a dog that has a shunt have a reaction to high protein food by becoming wobbly and losing balance.  But, you said that your dog actually got better after they gave her a high protein food at the ER.  You should definitely record when these things happen and note if she was just fed or when she had been fed prior to the "occurrence".  You can take her to the vet and have blood work run and they can check to see if her liver enzymes are elevated.  If they are, you will want to have what's called a Bile Acid Response Test done.  

The last thing that crossed my mind is that she may be having what's called a focal seizure.  It sounds like she could be having this type of seizure being that it has happened when she's been sleeping and when she's been playing (she may become excited when playing).  Again, you need to record every single time this happens and record exactly what she was doing, how long it lasted, etc.

If I were you, I'd definitely take her to your regular vet (or another vet who is experienced with small breed dogs) and have blood work run.  

I'm wondering what you're feeding her, how many times per day that she eats and when she was last vaccinated?  I'd also like to know if you've been using any flea preventatives or heartworm preventatives or anything like that??

Jo Ann

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I dont think that the high protein food really resolved the problem. That 1st time she had been like that for probably about 8 hours and hadnt eaten so I think she might have just been hungry. It seems like each time it usually goes away after a couple hours and she usually just sleeps it off but if you make her stand up she remains the same. I don't think its the liver shunt because it doesn't happen after she eats. Also there was no change after givin her syrup and other things so I don't think it is hypoglycemia either. I feed her science diet and her bowl is there for whenever she wants to eat. She is 3 pounds right now and it up to date on her vaccinations and the last one was probably a month or 2 ago. They say she is healthy. The dizziness and wobbling have stopped both times I have taken her into the emergency vet and regular vet by the time I get there so they cant ever tell me anything. I have read alittle bit about vestibular syndrome and she seems to have the signs but they say it runs in older dogs. I just don't know what to do.  

Answer
Hi Sarah...

No, vestibular syndrome is not common in pups and it's different.  The eyes move back and forth and that's much of the cause for the dog being unsteady on it's feet.  Usually, a bad middle ear infection precedes symptoms of vestibular syndrome.

To me, this sounds like a focal seizure.  A dog can be wobbly and lose balance and remain fully conscious.  They occur in different ways, but what you've described can most certainly be one of those ways.  Dogs very often sleep for quite awhile after having one.  Take a look at this website:  

http://www.canine-epilepsy.net/basics/basics_index.html

As you scroll down the page, you'll find a discussion of focal seizures.  You can google more information on this type of seizure by googling "canine focal seizures".

You might consider getting your pup on a better food.  Science Diet has long been known to be an inferior dog food (I know, I know...vets sell it) and there are much better foods out there that your dog should have while experiencing medical problems like she currently is. Try something that is premium and human grade like EVO, Evanger's, Innova...something like that.  Switch her over gradually - definitely not all at once. Be very cautious about vaccinating her while she's in this condition.  Vaccinations, in and of themselves, can cause neurological problems, so you want to be cautious.

Do you have a camcorder?  Have it ready to record her when she's having one of these occurrences.  That way, the vet can see exactly how she's presenting.

Don't hesitate to write me further if you need to.

Jo Ann