My Dogs Eyes Continuously Moveback and Forth

Adrienne is a certified dog trainer and former veterinarian assistant who partners with some of the best veterinarians worldwide.

Learn about the causes of darting eyes in dogs (known as nystagmus).

Image by Nathalia Cristina G Ribeiro Nathy from Pixabay

Why Are My Dog's Eyes Moving From Side to Side?

It may be one of the scariest moments a dog owner endures: Suddenly, they look at their dog and they notice an odd eye movement, almost as if the eyes have decided to do their own little dance. It comes as no surprise why these eye movements are often referred to as "dancing eyes."

"Dancing Eyes" and Other Symptoms

At the vet hospital, I used to get these frantic calls from concerned dog owners obviously rattled by the fact the dog was also walking in circles, exhibiting a head tilt, and losing balance.

The owners' first thought was stroke; my first thought was dog vestibular disease. After the vet conducted a thorough anamnesis (medical or case history), this is indeed what it turned out to be, for the most part. Most dogs recovered uneventfully within weeks, but for a few, the condition remained idiopathic (of unknown cause), leading to a permanent head tilt and much frustration for the owners.

But what causes the dog's eyes to start doing their own little thing? Does the dog have any control over it?

Nystagmus

In the medical and veterinary world, there is a name for this condition: This involuntary eye movement is known as nystagmus. Your dog cannot really do anything to control or stop it. The movements are more commonly side-to-side, whereas up-and-down movements are a bit rarer.

Learn About the Vestibular System

So why are your dog's eyes doing these uncontrolled movements? There are several potential causes but, in order to understand, it helps to familiarize yourself with the vestibular system. The vestibular system is a sensory system with receptors located in the inner ear. This system is responsible for several important functions: maintaining balance, coordinating eye movements, and sensing the position of the head and body in space.

Nystagmus is not always abnormal. Indeed, most living mortals have a vestibular-ocular reflex. Basically, if you turn your head to the right, your eyes will move to the left; and if you turn your head to the left, your eyes will move to the right. Abnormal nystagmus occurs when the head is motionless, yet the eyes are jerking back and forth.

In most cases, this darting of the eyes is due to a problem within the vestibular system. Let's take a look at some potential causes for these worrisome symptoms.

What causes head tilt and eyes darting back and forth?

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Causes of Nystagmus in Dogs

So what is causing this dreaded darting back and forth movement of the eyes? The following list offers some causes.

Middle/Inner Ear Infection

Your dog's inner ear is closely connected to the brain through some auditory and vestibular nerves. The inner ear is also close to the dog's middle ear and external ear. An ear infection may affect the middle ear and, if left untreated, may spread to the inner ear (labyrinthitis), which may affect the dog's vestibular system and its sense of balance.

In such a case, you will usually see some signs of ear problems, such as repeatedly scratching the ear, shaking the head and a bad odor and discharge in the ears. In severe cases, the dog's eardrum may rupture. Some dogs may also find it painful to open their mouth since even the smallest jaw movement may exacerbate the ear pain. When the vestibular system is affected, you also generally see nystagmus and other balance and neurological problems (staggering, head tilt, falling over).

Vestibular Disease

This condition is often seen in older dogs, hence the name "Geriatric Canine Idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome." The term idiopathic once again refers to "unknown cause." In this case, balance problems accompany the disease and darting of the eyes. Affected dogs may walk in circles, stagger, keep their head tilted and more. More can be read about this disease at this link: Dog Vestibular Disease.

Other Causes

Other potential causes for nystagmus include the following (to name a few):

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Read More From Pethelpful

• head trauma
• cancer of the inner ear or brain
• hypothyroidism
• encephalitis

Treatment varies depending on the cause.

Note: The back and forth darting of the eyes is not always obvious or clearly visible. In some cases, you will have to hold your dog's head still and place yourself in front of the dog for a careful assessment.

A Dog With Nystagmus

For Further Reading

• Zymox for Dogs With Ear Infections
  Learn about how to treat recurrent and annoying dog ear infections using over the counter Zymox. Dog ear infection home remedy for dog owners looking for an alternative to antibiotics.
• Signs of Ear Infections in Dogs
  Ear Infection Symptoms in Dogs copyright a farricelli When an ear infection strikes man's best friend, there will be some quite distinctive symptoms that cannot be ignored. An ear infection indeed may be so annoying to deal with that it is not...

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Questions & Answers

Question: Can my dog be medically cured of this disease?

Answer: It depends on what is the underlying cause. If it's old dog vestibular syndrome, the good news is that most of these dogs get better in a few days to a week with some minimal medications and supportive care at home. Please see your vet if your dog's eyes are darting back and forth.

© 2012 Adrienne Farricelli

Adrienne Farricelli (author) on May 25, 2020:

Marisela, so sorry to hear your dog's eyes are shaking after the fight. Please see your vet to make sure your dog isn't injured.

Marisela on March 24, 2019:

My dog got in a fight yestterday and now he is shaking really bad and her eyes r shaking also.

Adrienne Farricelli (author) on September 20, 2013:

Crafty to the Core, try a second opinion, preferably try a specialized pet eye doctor. We had one come every week at the vet office I used to work for. He was highly experienced and diagnosed things our other vets had no clue about. You may have to drive a bit to find one, but sometimes they visit offices nearby. I would think they should take a culture around her eyes and check for bacteria/fungi/yeast. Conjunctivitis and corneal scratches are just two conditions they look like they tested for. Abnormal eyelashes, allergies, dry eye, breed-specific conditions are some other causes and there are many more!.

CraftytotheCore on September 19, 2013:

I've never heard of this. Thank you for the information. I do have a dog with a different eye issue though. I've taken her to the vet twice. It cost $100 each visit. They put her on a cream solution that goes in the eye. At first they thought it was conjunctivitis. We had been to the dog park around a neufi who was suffering from it and I didn't know it until he left all kinds of gook on my dog's face from playing with her.

But then the second time I took her in and they said they had no idea what was causing it. They made sure she had no scratches in her eye.

The symptoms are goonk drainage, but not all the time, and then she loses hair around her eyes.

Upon looking it up, I read that it can be a certain type of noncontagious mange that is hereditary. I'm not sure what to do about it anymore. Even the vet can't help. They told me not to worry about it, but she looks so pitiful with missing hair on her eyes. I have two other dogs and it has not affected them at all.

I was hoping someone would write a hub about it.

Adrienne Farricelli (author) on April 02, 2013:

Have you seen your vet for this? I hope your pal gets better, best wishes!

lynn on April 02, 2013:

now my dog is doing like that..18 years old, this article really help understanding about nystagmus. mostly he recovered it but we don't know treatment exactly.

Kristin Kaldahl on August 13, 2012:

I had this very thing happen with my old American Eskimo. It indeed was vestibular disease. She mostly recovered with treatment and lived for another nine months or so. It is very scary, and stroke was also my first thought as it was accompanied by the inability to walk well.

Good article with important information for dog owners. Voted up!!!

DoItForHer on August 11, 2012:

Also hadn't heard of it. My dog will do the eye thing after spinning around, tho. lol

Witnessing nystagmus is bothersome; it just ain't right. I can see why owners respond strongly to such a sign.

wetnosedogs from Alabama on August 11, 2012:

I wasn't aware of such a thing. Thanks for this hub. It pays to learn these things and hope I never really have to be on the lookout for such.

pattersonloppost.blogspot.com

Source: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Health-Why-are-Dogs-Eyes-Darting-Back-and-Forth

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