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Vestibular Syndrome

Idiopathic vestibular syndrome is a disorder which results from abnormal function of either the receptors in the inner ear or the eighth cranial nerve, the cause is not known. Adult cats of a wide age range are affected.

Clinical signs include a sudden onset of  falling, staggering, circling, and/or head tilt, flickering of the eyes from side to side may also occur. Other less common accompanying signs include sickness and being very vocal. The affected animal tends to struggle and be extremely disorientated

Treatment involves supportive care, the cat should be kept in a quiet area with no unnecessary noise or lights.

The prognosis for complete or near-complete recovery is good and usually occurs within 2-3 weeks. Most cats show dramatic improvement in 72 hours and continue to gradually improve. The head tilt is often the last problem to resolve.

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