Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Head tilt when turning in dogs and cats with vestibular problems
By Shinji Tamura et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2024·Tamura Animal Clinic, Hiroshima, Japan, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Case report: Positioning head tilt observed in a dog and four cats with bilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male mixed-breed dog was observed to have a head tilt that changed when he turned his head, a condition known as positioning head tilt (PHT). This symptom can indicate issues with the vestibular system, which helps control balance. The dog was diagnosed with bilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction, which can be caused by various underlying health problems. Treatment focused on managing the dog's symptoms and addressing any underlying issues. After care, the dog showed improvement in his head position and balance.
People also search for: dog head tilt causes · dog vestibular disease treatment · why is my dog tilting his head
Abstract
Positioning head tilt (PHT) is a dynamic neurologic sign that occurs when the head tilts in the opposite side of a voluntary lateral turn of the head. Notably, a head tilt is absent when the head is held stationary or when the animal is moving forward. PHT is thought to be caused by a lack of inhibitory input to the vestibular nuclei due to dysfunction of the cerebellar nodulus and uvula (NU). NU dysfunction is proposed to not only be caused by pathologies that affect the NU itself, but also by reduced input of proprioceptive information from the spindles of cervical muscles. As an example of the former, it has been noted in dogs with hypoplasia of the cerebellar nodulus and uvula (NU), dogs with lysosomal storage diseases, and in a dog with a cerebellar tumor. As an example of the latter, it has been observed in feline cases of hypokalemic myopathy and myasthenia gravis. In this study, we describe and discuss our observations of PHT in one dog and four cats with lesions affecting the peripheral vestibular apparatus bilaterally.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1495807