Identification

• Diseases without known causes are "idiopathic."question mark image by Suresh Makinidi from Fotolia.com
  
  Idiopathic Peripheral Vestibular Disease is also called "old dog vestibular disease" because it usually happens in older dogs. The condition begins and ends acutely, meaning it occurs spontaneously and ends quickly. A normal recovery is expected.
  
  

Symptoms

• Falling over is a cardinal sign of the disease.lazy day image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
  
  Signs of this disease include ataxia, which is lack of coordination, motion sickness, circling, head tilting, falling to one side and trouble with facial nerves. Another symptom is nystagmus, which is back and forth eye movements that are very noticeable. Nausea and dizziness are the disease's two main symptoms, according to Encyclopedia of Canine Veterinary Medical Information. In severe cases, the canine may continuously roll to one side. Severe cases and symptoms may be mistaken for a seizure, according to WB Thomas, D.V.M., whose article on vestibular disease appears on the Canine Epilepsy Resource Center's website.
  
  

Treatment

• Medicine can help with symptoms until the disease runs its course.medicine image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
  
  The only treatment is for the disease's symptoms. Medication can control nausea while the condition runs its course, according to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center's website. Medicine that helps includes Solu-Medrol, a corticosteroid, which may decrease severe symptoms. In addition, Diphenhydramine or Benadryl for canines is given to assist with nausea and dizziness, according to an article on the University of Florida's website.
  
  

Diagnosis

• X-rays help with diagnosis.x-ray image by Claudio Calcagno from Fotolia.com
  
  Final diagnosis of the disease is made by performing physical, otoscopic and neurological examinations along with checking the canine's medical history for signs of vestibular disease. Other tests may include X-rays and a computed tomography (CT) scan as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to the University of Florida article. Differential diagnoses of Idiopathic Peripheral Vestibular Disease include possible stroke or brain tumor. In very severe cases, according to Dr. Thomas, the canines may be euthanized.
  
  

Location

• The eighth cranial nerve is right behind both ears.Schieflage - Kernspintomographie image by Marem from Fotolia.com
  
  Idiopathic Peripheral Vestibular Disease does not affect the brain as a whole as does a seizure. Instead, as noted, it affects the eighth cranial nerve, which is the vestibulocochlear nerve. That nerve controls balance and coordination. The vestibular nerves are in the inner ear and their information processed in the lower part of the brain in the brain stem and cerebellum.