German Shepherd dog

I've had two old dogs go through it.  If it is truly vestibular, he should start to come around pretty soon I would think.  If it's vestibular they will come around, it can just take some time.  And they may not be totally normal afterward.  The one recovered rather quickly, whereas the other took some time and always had a head tilt till we had to put her down.  Has the dog showed any improvement at all?  Is he on any motion sickness medication?  Sometimes they will also be put on a steroid.  As that can help them to feel a little better.  It's very hard to see them like that.  There's a very good chance that it is vestibular if it happened suddenly.  However, there are two other things to consider if the dog does not show improvement.  Brain Tumor or a middle ear infection.   You are almost at a week, and sometimes it can take several days to a couple of weeks from what I've seen, if it's vestibular.   Are the eyes still moving back and forth?  It can also happen in "younger" dogs too, not just exclusively the geriatric patient. 

My first dog that had it, completely freaked me out.  I thought that the time was come and had already mentally prepared myself.  When we got to the vet, he said most likely vestibular, but it could be brain tumor or an inner ear infection.  He "recovered" within a few days.

My second dog that had it, since I had seen it before and since my first dog had it, I had starting working for a vet.  Where I had seen it a few times.  Did not freak me out, but totally freaked my husband out.  She too recovered, except for the head tilt.  I found it helpful to keep the dog confined to a crate or a very small area.  So that they didn't try to move around.  Only helped her out to potty, then back in the comfort of the crate.  The motion sickness meds helped too, quieted her down a little bit and she just slept.

We once saw a Pomeranian with rather severe vestibular.  When put on the ground it would literally roll itself across the room.  The vet that I worked for, thought that it might be vestibular, but due to such a bizarre presentation, we sent the little dog to a neurologist.  And it was just very severe vestibular and the dog recovered.

 he was totally normal monday morning. i went inside to get dressed and he was stumbling his eyes were going back and forth and he was falling over to his left side. i rushed him to the vet. he stayed over night until i heard he had fell into his feces, so i brought him home tuesday morning. i am seeing that his eyes are almost better but he can not get his balance. they only gave him pills for motion sickness.

scared the crap out of me!!!!!!

his appetite is fine and he did not throw up. his personality is coming back now i just wanted to here from everyone "HOW LONG' .i know it's an individual thing but it's killing me to see him like this..

thanx so much for sharing your experience 

Sounds like he is well on his way to recovering.  But remember too, that the head tilt might still be present.  My second dog that had it, now that I remember, did have another "episode" though not as severe about a year later.  In her case, I think that she too had "something" else going on.  The eyes going back and forth are what makes them feel sick, if that has stopped he should really be feeling better.  If he's eating, that's really a good sign.  I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised at how he looks a week from now. 

I know how hard it is to see them like that!  Especially if you've never seen it before.  When my old girl had it (the second one) I was like, oh, it's vestibular, but my husband was totally and completely freaked out.  As she was his baby.  So to calm him, as I knew what it was, most likely.  I called the vet that I worked for to talk to him to help "soothe" him.  LOL

hi hodie,

3 weeks!! my poor back.

i am giving him everything i have. i haven't left my house since tuesday. LOL i figure he has given me all of him for almost 13 years this is the least i can do for my old man..

 i just was led to believe that he would be better in 3 days

I don't think that either of mine that had gone through it were totally better in three days.  The "could" be better in three days, but I think in most cases they are not better for at least a week, if not more. 

Use a long towel and support under his belly to help him walk.. that will save your back!! I didn't even think of that when it happened here .. was just so consumed with taking care of her .. My lower back has never been the same!

Don't think my husband has ever been here when something like this has happened medically to the dogs or the cat for that matter!

FWIW, the "old school" treatment, such as it was, consisted of some basic antibiotics (ampicillin, amoxicillin...IOW, not one of the high-powered antibiotics) and prednisone to help with any inflammation that might be involved. I know it's not the popular choice these days, but when my own 12 year old bitch was hit with this last Christmas Eve, that's the route we went for her.  The nystagmus (abnormal rapid eye movement, usually side to side) resolved in about 3 days, so she was no longer falling over as readily, but it took a solid month for her to recover for the most part (and she was on the drugs for that time period) and another three to four weeks before she completely lost the head tilt.  Looking at her now, you'd never know she'd gone through it...so patience, harley, your boy should start to turn around soon, too.