#Rufus Update
Day 4
We had our follow up visit yesterday. The vet believes he is improving (though this was her first time seeing him since the initial event was treated at the emergency vet). If I had to put a number to it I would say he is 40% better. His walking has improved, He can walk on the hard wood flooring in the house as long as he is careful. The vertigo seems to have subsided for the most part. His eye movements are minimal. However the balance is still heavily affected and the head tilt is still pretty severe. Also he swings his head about pretty badly.
They tested his ears again and again it came back with no infection, but he screamed when they tested his left ear so there must be something going on in there. The vet sent him home with Antibiotics and more anti-nausea meds and we will monitor the situation.
My main concern right now is to get him eating and drinking again normally and making sure he does not hurt himself trying to move around. I really hope this clears up soon. He is currently snoozing behind me in my office.
@slider7420 Support the hounds!
The symptoms faded after the first 48 hours, and she was able to walk mostly okay afterwards. Appetite returned, too.
Her ears were fine, so it probably wasn't an infection, but I didn't spend the money to see if it was something neurological. (So, without any definitive explanation for the cause, it was labeled idiopathic.)
@darniil Rufus was also diagnosed with idiopathic vestibular disorder. I hope if there is anything permanent that the head tilt is the only issue he has to deal with. He is 13 years old and I don't want what time he has left to be suffering.
The tricky part will be the food/hydration whenever the symptoms present themselves. I managed to get my cat to eat a little if I gave her something pungent like canned fish. Not sure what Rufus would prefer.
@darniil Rufus is a turkey and hamburger man.
@slider7420 I am not a vet, not even close. My dog, Moka, is about 13 or 14 (she came to us from a shelter about 11 years ago). Almost exactly a year ago she suddenly started to show similar symptoms as you describe, from one minute to the other. I was sire it was a stroke, but I was wrong. Back then, I had some really sad days. But she improved over a week or so. She is not the same as before, but she enjoys a (very slow) walk. With a medication called Karsivan she can also easily relax, where she was very nervous before. Large stairways no longer work for her, but she still enjoys her food as well as an occasional treat.
@underlander Yeah I have heard similar things from several people. I hope he will be able to navigate stairs again because his favorite thing in the world is to go for car rides. He had been using stairs to get in and out of the car. Unfortunately he is a 90 lb dog that hates being picked up. Getting him in and out of the car to go to the vet has been a fight. Leisurely joy rides might be a thing of the past if he can't use the stairs. 
@slider7420 I really hope that Rufus will be good again. My feeling is that Moka still is a happy dogs; dogs are modest creatures, who are willing to take what comes.
@slider7420 Feel better soon, Rufus!!!!!!
@giamora He is feeling better, thank you! Today is two weeks from when it happened. Unfortunately I think some of the effects of the vestibular disorder (head tilt, balance issues) will be permanent. But his is getting better at walking without falling.
@slider7420 That's a hard transition. I have two girlfriends who suffer from vertigo, and I know how it affects them -- and they can express themselves verbally. Sending so much speedy healing your way!!
I hope Rufus is feeling better soon. ❤️
@sunnywillow He is Feeling Better, Thank you! He does have lingering effects but it is very possible that those effects are permanent, unfortunately.
@slider7420 Poor baby.