Vestibular Disorders

I started a new thread cause I found out my neighbours cat has a vestibular disorders ...the vet told her there is nothing that can be done for her..it has to get better on its own...I started to research and it sounds like it can be very serious...she bascily thinks its just an ear infection ...I do not want to alarm her but wasn't the vet suppose to do something for her ? The cat is also sneezing so was giving antibotics for that...and has an ulcer in its eye ..the vet told her needs to be treated or its going to get worse...I asked how it was treated she said she didn't know.....SHould she be worried ? Should I tell her to seek another vet ?

You really can't do anything if it is truly a vestibular disorder. It has to get better on it's own and sometimes it doesn't. If the cat is having vestibular symptoms due to an ear infection they should be treating the ear. It almost sounds like the cat has some upper respiritory issues going on as well. As far as the ulcer in the eye she should have gotten eye drops for the cat to treat it with. Was your friend in the room when they looked at the cat because she sounds kind of clueless[not to be mean, just saying she sounds like she doesn't know what it going on tratment wise]... either way someone looks bad in this scenario. If the vet was really that vague with her i would get a 2nd oppinion.

Well she did say...the vet was very hard to understand....he is kinda new and not from Canada orginally....in her defence.....Having said that I personally wouldn't walk outta the place without having everything treated...or at least find out what the treatment was..She said the vet did tell her the cat will lose her eye ..if not treated....I will call her later and tell her what I have found out...Do they really treat eye ulcers with just drops ? If so I am not sure why they didn't just give her the drops....on a side note her h/b doesn't think cats should be going to the vets..He thinks just let nature take is course....I feel bad for her and her cat...

Info on eye ulcers:
http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/corneal_ulcers

Since communication between vet and client is so important, please, do your best to persuade your neighbor to take this kitty to another vet.

One other thing. Getting the right eye medicine is crucial. The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook warns: "Cortisone, which is incorporated into many eye preparations used for conjunctivitis, should not be put into an eye suspected of having a corneal injury. This can lead to rupture of the cornea and blindness."

...Do they really treat eye ulcers with just drops ? If so I am not sure why they didn't just give her the drops....on a side note her h/b doesn't think cats should be going to the vets..He thinks just let nature take is course....I feel bad for her and her cat...

Click to expand...

I would DEFINITLEY see another vet. I didn't mean to sound like I thought she was dumb, but if she didn't understand what the vet was saying I would definitley find another vet. We have vets around here who talk above your head and then vets who talk personally and explain everything to you. She really needs to find someone who can explain to her what all is wrong and someone who has a better treatment plan.

"Cortisone, which is incorporated into many eye preparations used for conjunctivitis, should not be put into an eye suspected of having a corneal injury. This can lead to rupture of the cornea and blindness."

Click to expand...

This is very true. Usually they send home an antibiotic drop, something with gentamicin in it. You give the drops and recheck the eye in a week or so I believe.

Another article. In it: warning about cortisone and other very important information
http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proce...2991&O=Generic

Thanks for the info...I will pass it on to her....I did find out I think why the vet didn't give drops...He did suggest some testing on the eye to see how deep the ulcer goes...but in fear of her h/b freaking she just wanted to deal with the head tilting only...and I know these vets at this hospital..they will NOT give meds until some testing is done....I miss my old vet....if he was pretty sure he knew what the problem was you would get the meds.....none of these very expensive tests....he saw there as an ulcer in the eye..he should have at least giving the drops...if it was to deep and more treatment was necessary..that would be one way of finding out...if she didn't get better...I'm also concerned after reading about how painful eye ulcers are...this cat has had it for 6 months now...and I told her its suppose to be painful she said you would never know it ....her cat wasn't acting in pain....do u think its possible not to be painful ? Now that I think about it....the cat is kinda wild..scratches ppl very easily and for no reason....I chalked that up to being driven kinda crazy from young children...but now I am thinking ..maybe she is in pain ? I'm actually kinda upset the vet didn't just give her some kinda meds for the eye

I'm also concerned after reading about how painful eye ulcers are...this cat has had it for 6 months now...and I told her its suppose to be painful she said you would never know it ....her cat wasn't acting in pain....do u think its possible not to be painful ?

Click to expand...

Ulcers can be very painful. The cat might not be showing outward symptoms like a person would but ulcers can be caused by scratches or something that was once in the eye that injured the eye. Have you ever had a scratch on your eye? It hurts and it can be itchy, so yes I would say it is uncomfortable for the cat. Ulcers untreated can cause the eye to rupture. We had a dog come in once to "check the eye" and while the dog was in clinic the eye ruputured and they had to go to a specialist that day as an emergency.