BETAHISTINE DIHYDROCHLORIDE IN CANINE PERIPHERAL VESTIBULAR SYNDROME

Abstract

Vestibular disease is a common syndrome in small animals that  may resulst of central or peripheral disease. The pathophysiology of peripheral vestibular syndrome is unknown, however it can be related to an abnormal dynamic of endolymphatic fluid or neuritis of the vestibular portion of the VIII cranial nerve.  The recovery of neurological sings is slow and, in chronic cases, the neurological deficits can be irreversible. In veterinary medicine, thera are few medical options to treat this condition, however, in Medicine, betahistine dihydrochloride is used to treat peripheral vestibular disorders. These drug  was used in four dogs with vestibular syndrome. The results showed clinical improvement in 7 to 10 days of treatment and completed recovery in 20 to 30 days, followed by the cure. One year after the treatment, the dogs did not have recurrence of the syndrome. This report shows the use of betahistine dihydrochloride in dogs with peripheral vestibular syndrome, with rapid clinical recover, without laboratorial abnormalities or recurrence of the clinical signs .The results encourage the use of betahistine dihydrochloride in the treatment of  peripheral vestibular disorders in small animals.

KEY WORDS: Betahistine, dog, vestibular syndrome.