My 8-month puppy is stumbling. Is it vestibular disease or stroke?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Papillon | Male | unneutered | 7 months and 17 days old | 5 lbs
My 8 month puppy just started to stumbled, tilting to the side. ( can stand up and run with wobble of course) Im not asking what i should do because i will have a vet look over him tomorrow morning but im worried and i just like to know somethings.. With my puppy being 8 months does that rule out vestibular disease? Im not seeing any signs that point to v.d or stroke, its just imbalance, no nausea, no circling, no head tilt. My main point, can it still be one of these things without symptoms?
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on June 18th, 2019
Little Baby Boy needs to see the veterinarian quickly. Weakness/neurological signs are never normal and can indicate many things including toxin ingestion, drug exposure, an infection in the brain, low blood sugar, a middle ear infection or liver dysfunction. Vestibular disease affects older dog but an infection in the middle ear is similar. A stroke would be very unlikley unless he got into certain medication or had a congenital abnormality. Also, yes, there are classic presentations to these diseases but not all pets read the book about how they should look so other presentations are possible. A physical exam and bloodwork is needed to begin figuring out the cause and the best treatment. Other diagnostics may also be indicated. I hope it's nothing too serious and that he gets back to normal quickly.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on January 27th, 2020
Hi Joanne. I'm sorry that Blue has idiopathic vestibular disease. This is information about the disease from VCA Animal Hospital: "The clinical signs associated with vestibular disease are often most severe during the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Many pets begin to improve within seventy-two hours. The head tilt and stumbling often improve over a seven to ten day period. Most patients are completely recovered within two to three weeks, although some will have residual symptoms such as a head tilt or mild "wobbling" for life. If the patient fails to improve or worsens, then a more severe underlying disorder should be suspected and advanced diagnostic testing should be pursued." If the episodes are severe, you can ask your vet about sedatives to help him through those episodes. This is a non-progressive disease, meaning this should not get worse and worse over time.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on October 9th, 2017
Hello, sorry to hear about Oscar. It sound like he may be having vestibular disease. This affects parts of the nerves and brain which deal with orientation and coordination. In older dogs, they can develop idiopathic vestibular disease which resolves on its own within 5-14 days. Management of this includes giving them anti-nausea medication as this disease is sort of like having vertigo and can make patients very nauseous. Other causes of vestibular disease include an ear infection, a brain tumor, or a stroke. You can watch him for a couple of days and if he is getting slightly better then you may not need to see a vet. If it has not resolved in 2 weeks then he should be seen by a vet. However, if he gets worse within the next 2 days, he should be seen immediately by a veterinarian. You can try and contact your local veterinarian or SPCA for information about aid in your area. Hope this helps and best of luck
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on December 24th, 2017
Poor guy. I suspect he may have severe spondylosis of his spine and also it’s possible he may have vestibular disease which is a neurological condition that can cause pets to lose their balance, get nauseous and walk in circles or to one side. This conditon usually also causes pets to have a head tilt. Here is more information on this disorder. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=564 Many cases of vestibular disease are self limiting and go away within a few weeks, but treatment with anti-nausea medicine through your vet can help pets cope with the disorder and eat normally. Spondylosis of the spine however isn’t something that will go away, but you can manage the pain with pet friendly medications (i.e. Rimadyl, Tramadol, etc) through your veterinarian. I hope this helps you find out the next best course of treatment for your pet Hexa, and hopefully she can get some relief soon from her debilitating disorders. Best wishes and take care.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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