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Mgraves04 · 08-23-2014, 08:17 PM

A couple of months ago my little guy, Jax, who is 1 year old, had an episode in which he stumbled around like he was drunk, while shaking his head. After a weekend phone consult with the vet, and a few hours of rest, he seemed totally fine. My thought was an ear infection, or other ear issue. Up until this point, Jax had upright ears 100% of the time. Then, his ears just started staying flopped over and he was holding them back and down. He seemed like they were uncomfortable. But the vet I spoke with on the phone was concerned that he could have a liver shunt due to a previous hypoglycemic episode and some digestive issues. That next week we took him in to have his ears checked, and his regular vet said, very emphatically, that dogs do not get inner/middle ear infections. He also said that it probably wasn't a liver shunt. However, he said he checked his ears, and that his outer ears looked a little bit red, probably due to allergies, and gave him an ear ointment to use for 2 weeks. That next week we went out of town and boarded him. When we got him back a week later, he could barely stand up to potty without falling over, he was so dizzy and stumbling. The vet thought it was because of the ointment and we discontinued it. When that didn't help, the vet decided that it must either be a liver shunt or a congenital brain issue causing inflammation and put him on steroids and a special diet. He also supposedly checked his ears at several visits. He got better and after a week or so, we did a bile acid test and it came back well within the normal range, so we ruled out a liver shunt and resumed a normal diet. We continued the steroids and slowly weaned him off. He hasn't had any more stumbling episodes, although his ears are still floppy. They won't even stand up at all, even though they were up for months. And he's just not quite as steady on his feet as he used to be. We just got back from another trip, and I noticed that one of his ears is extremely red and irritated and the other has a dried bloody discharge. Both are sensitive and he is obviously having ear issues. Could an untreated ear infection last this long and cause the balance issues? Or ear mites? I'm taking him to the vet ASAP, but...how can I take him to a vet that has told me multiple times that dogs don't get ear infections?!? I feel like he won't even consider an ear infection. So I need to find a new vet first thing on Monday. Until then, any suggestions to help my baby feel better? And any thoughts on his whole stumbling situation? Or any suggestions on finding a new vet in Vegas?

08-23-2014, 08:17 PM	#1
Mgraves04 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Las Vegas, nv, USA Posts: 9	Balance/ear issues A couple of months ago my little guy, Jax, who is 1 year old, had an episode in which he stumbled around like he was drunk, while shaking his head. After a weekend phone consult with the vet, and a few hours of rest, he seemed totally fine. My thought was an ear infection, or other ear issue. Up until this point, Jax had upright ears 100% of the time. Then, his ears just started staying flopped over and he was holding them back and down. He seemed like they were uncomfortable. But the vet I spoke with on the phone was concerned that he could have a liver shunt due to a previous hypoglycemic episode and some digestive issues. That next week we took him in to have his ears checked, and his regular vet said, very emphatically, that dogs do not get inner/middle ear infections. He also said that it probably wasn't a liver shunt. However, he said he checked his ears, and that his outer ears looked a little bit red, probably due to allergies, and gave him an ear ointment to use for 2 weeks. That next week we went out of town and boarded him. When we got him back a week later, he could barely stand up to potty without falling over, he was so dizzy and stumbling. The vet thought it was because of the ointment and we discontinued it. When that didn't help, the vet decided that it must either be a liver shunt or a congenital brain issue causing inflammation and put him on steroids and a special diet. He also supposedly checked his ears at several visits. He got better and after a week or so, we did a bile acid test and it came back well within the normal range, so we ruled out a liver shunt and resumed a normal diet. We continued the steroids and slowly weaned him off. He hasn't had any more stumbling episodes, although his ears are still floppy. They won't even stand up at all, even though they were up for months. And he's just not quite as steady on his feet as he used to be. We just got back from another trip, and I noticed that one of his ears is extremely red and irritated and the other has a dried bloody discharge. Both are sensitive and he is obviously having ear issues. Could an untreated ear infection last this long and cause the balance issues? Or ear mites? I'm taking him to the vet ASAP, but...how can I take him to a vet that has told me multiple times that dogs don't get ear infections?!? I feel like he won't even consider an ear infection. So I need to find a new vet first thing on Monday. Until then, any suggestions to help my baby feel better? And any thoughts on his whole stumbling situation? Or any suggestions on finding a new vet in Vegas?