My dog's head tilts, not ear infection. What can an MRI reveal?

Hello, I'm sorry to hear that Riley is having this problem. I suggest you take him for a second opinion with a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist. An MRI is not a bad idea but I think there are other less expensive tests that may be more applicable to run first like more extensive bloodwork to check for endocrine diseases, tick borne diseases, etc. Also, if he only had plain film X-rays, a contrast study might be a good idea. I suggest you ask your vet for a referral to a specialist in your area. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Unfortunately I agree with your vet that MRI is probably the next step. Even though his ears appeared normal inner ear disease is still possible although fairly unlikely, especially since there is no nystagmus eye movement noted. A head tilt can be a sign of infectious or inflammatory brain disease, a stroke or blood clot in the brain, or even a brain tumor. If the head tilt is the only neurologic symptom and your dog is otherwise acting like his normal self you could consider simply monitoring for additional neurologic signs - with most of these neurologic problems I would expect more symptoms to develop as the disease progresses.

An MRI is useful to determine if Smodge is having seizures caused by a primary issue with the brain. This would be caused by a number of considtions for example a mass, or fluid changes within the brain. These conditions would be visible on the MRI scan. MRI scans are rarely if ever stopped, as the animals underlying the MRI are sedated so they do not move and interrupt he process. As well as to protect them from stress. If you do not wish to have the MRI performed you can ask your vet to try medical treatment for the seizures. If you take this route you won't know the precise cause of the seizures, but Smudge will still be receiving care. Some seizures are cause by idiopathic epilepsy and this would not be visible on an MRI, but it is a diagnosis reached when no other cause of the seizures can be found. If the MRI comes back clear, idiopathic epilepsy would be the most likely diagnosis. Medical treatment would then be started. I hope that is helpful information. Happy to help more in a consult or if you want to post any further questions in the forum.

That is typical to do with diagnosing, you start with the easiest answer and go from there. This is because it usually is the easiest answer, and you want to rule out those first before doing the more expensive tests. I would be concerned that in a dog Peanut's age, it could be something serious like a brain tumor causing his symptoms. I'm not sure what other possible diagnoses they gave you, but speak to his vet with your concerns and to see what other tests can be done. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear about Jake’s seizure- that can be very scary to watch. The real answer to you question is: it depends. For many young, otherwise apparently healthy dogs who see me on emergency for a first time seizure, I do not push for advanced imaging. I do usually advise bloodwork to screen for tick-borne illnesses, liver problems, and local fungal diseases that can cause seizures and are treatable. You should also know that many dogs will have a seizure once and then never again- we have no idea why this happens. However, if the seizures recur frequently, and especially I’d there are other neurological signs (mental dullness, loss of vision, head tilt, abnormal pupil or eye movements), I do offer the MRI or CT scan. Jake is the right age to have idiopathic epilepsy (seizure disorder of no known cause. Usually starts between 2 and 5 years of age) In the case of idiopathic epileptics, the MRI/CT comes back normal. Many people do not have the funds for these tests and so, if they are the right age and have no other signs and normal bloodwork, we presume this diagnosis. I hope this helps clarify a few things but please reach out to myself or your vet for any clarification or further questions. Best of luck to you and Jake.

Hello. I am so sorry for your worries with Pearl. A radiograph is a good way to evaluate involvement with the bulla, the bony part of the inner ear, & to evaluate for lysis, the destruction of the bony structures. Computerized tomography (CT) & magnetic resonance (MRI) are better than skull radiographs for determining the extent of the tumor's involvement. Median survival is the point where 50% of the patients with a condition are still alive. This also means that 50% of the patients may live longer. A lot longer. Your veterinarian may be more optimistic, because the pathologist is just reporting on published statistics. Your veterinarian knows more about Pearl's health & may feel that she has a much better chance of surviving longer than the median year reported. I would discuss this with your veterinarian & ask why he thinks Pearl may do well for 2-3 years longer. I hope this helps & all the best to Pearl. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You'll want to visit your local Veterinarian. It's possible that treatment may not be so extensive. This could be an inner ear infection. Your doctor will perform a comprehensive exam to determine if more invasive procedures are warranted.