Vestibular Function
Hearing and Sound
Assessment of vestibular system
Disorders
100

When the head tilts to the left what side has increased action potentials? and in what organ?

Left

the Semicircular canals

100

What part of the inner ear is responsible for hearing?

the cochlea

100

What phase is nystagmus described with?

The Fast phase (the hypothetical way the brain thinks the head is turning)

100

What drug is commonly associated with aquired deafness?

Aminoglycosides (also causes nephrotoxicity)

200

What is the difference between vestibular disease nausea and motion sickness?

The proprioceptive system for motion sickness senses motion while in vestibular disease it does not.
200

A dog is right next to a firework when it goes off and now doesn't listen to your comands. What happened?

the hair cells became damaged and became unable to fire action potentials to CNVIII

200

What are the 3 types of ataxia and how do you differentiate between them?

Spinal/Proprioceptive

Vestibular

Cerebellar

200

What Dogs have a prediliction for deafness? and what is the easiest way to check if an animal is deaf?

Dalmation, Merle colorations and white mutations

Create a loud noise and see how they react

300

When a dog is leaning to the right is are the action potentials on the left or right side increasing and what corrects the animals posture?

they are increasing on the right and and the anti-gravity muscles on the right side push the dog upright

300

When frequency increases what to we hear increase?

Pitch

300

A dog is constantly circling left what side is there a perceived increase in action potentials?

The Right 
300

A young heifer is found in the field having trouble walking and with a head tilt. What are your top differentials?

otitis internal

Listeriosis

400

A dog accelerates down a narrow path in a straight line what organ is responsible for maintaining his balance? and describe the process.

The vestibule

The hair cells embeded in the maculae bend in the opposite direction of acceleration due to the gelatinous otolithic membrane. the hair cells gates open increasing action potentials to CNVIII.

400
A loud sound is heard from the right side. How is the brain able to localize the sound?

Even though sound travels bilaterally it arrives at the auditory cortex faster on the side it originated from.

400

How do you know if Vestibular ataxia is from the is Peripheral or the Brainstem?

If other CN (exception CNV) and mentation are effected then it originates from the brainstem also if there is vertical/rotary nystagmus


400

What syndrome is commonly associated with otitis media and interna

Horners syndrome: Facial nerve paralysis

500

Describe the vestibulo-ocular reflex (physiological nystagmus) and what CN are involved?

As the head rotates the eyes remain fixed on the current visual object (slow phase) when the head rotates past the visual field the eyes quicky move in the direction of the head turn.

CN VIII (vestibulocochlear), III (oculomotor), IV (trochlear), VI (abducent)

500

Describe the path of sound through the ear?

The external ear directs sound to the ear canal. the sound waves hit the ear drum causing it to vibrate. The ossicles transmit the sound to the oval window and the oval window causes pressure in the lymph fluid of the cochlea. The spiral organ then vibrates up and down and the hair cells bend against the tectorial membrane

500

A dog presents to the clinic with a head tilt to the left and circling to the left on exam you find nystagmus to the right with exaggerate postural reactions on the right side. Where is the lesion located?

the right side of the cerebellum

500

What  the most common cause of peripheral vestibular diease with acute onset in an older dog?

Idiopathic vestibular disease