Disoriented, confused- My dog or cat is circling, my cat or dog seems lost, doesn’t know where they are at, my dog is senile
What we will do
- Gather Historical Data: When did the symptoms start and did they suddenly occur or was it more gradual? What is being observed that has us concerned about the patient being disoriented? Has it happened before (as seen after a seizure or heart arrhythmia that could have been missed)?
- Gather Current Data: Patients that are disoriented need a very thorough evaluation because the causes of what we interpret as disoriented can fool people. One example is an onset of blindness, where some pets will circle away from the eye they suddenly can no longer see out of. Checking intraocular eye pressures, menace response, and examining the back of the eye are just a start. Weakened patients can also easily be mistaken as disoriented. All cases should have bloodwork, a blood pressure, an EKG (in case they are having heart arrhythmias which is causing the disorientation) and radiographs (X-rays). Many causes are interrelated. As an example, a high blood pressure may increase chance of retinal detachment while also damaging the kidneys. Seeing the whole picture is crucial. Same cases are disoriented due to gradual onset of senility, but this is a diagnosis of exclusion.
- Treatment: Treatment will vary depending on the cause and the results of screening in step 2. Patients who seem to be unable to care for themselves (cannot make it to the water bowl or litter box) will require much more care. If a severe condition appears to be treatable, we can hospitalize and administer IV fluids and medication.