By : Melissa K . Jennings , DVM DACVIM ( Neurology ) - Coral Springs Animal Hospital Neurologist
Dysfunction of the vestibular system :
Vestibular dysfunction is very common in veterinary medicine with patients presenting with clinical signs that vary from subtle to very dramatic .
What is the Vestibular System ?
The vestibular system is a component of the nervous system responsible for the maintenance of posture and balance of the head and body . Components of the vestibular system can be divided into peripheral and central vestibular structures . As a general rule , the peripheral vestibular system consists of structures outside of the brainstem versus those that are within the brainstem and cerebellum which are considered to be part of the central vestibular system . Function of the vestibular system is to maintain the animal ’ s position in space with respect to balance and coordination . This coordinated activity of sensory input and reflex output is performed at the
subconscious level . The maintenance of balance , posture and tone all contribute to normal equilibrium . In addition to maintaining normal equilibrium , the vestibular system is connected to the extraocular muscles which are responsible for reflex ocular movements and tracking objects in space .
Common |
clinical |
signs |
of |
vestibular |
dysfunction : |
� |
Head tilt |
� |
Vestibular ataxia – stumbling , falling , |
circling , rolling , leaning , etc |
� |
Nystagmus |
� |
Positional ventrolateral strabismus |
� |
Nausea / vomiting |
� |
Other clinical signs are possible if the |
portion of the central vestibular system |
is affected ( see chart below ) |
Differentiating between peripheral versus central vestibular disease :
A complete / thorough neurological examination should be performed to help localized the lesion to either central versus