Optimal treatment for your pet requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow-up can be critical, especially if your pet does not rapidly improve. Administer all prescribed medications as directed. Alert your veterinarian if you are having problems treating your pet.

Follow-up exams with your veterinarian are advised to keep track of ocular problems and development of other signs in cases of presumed idiopathic disease, as disease progression may result in the emergence of an underlying cause for the facial nerve paralysis. Additionally, in animals that are being treated for identifiable causes of facial nerve paralysis, response to therapy should be monitored.

Animals with idiopathic disease may recover in three to six weeks, but many animals never recover completely. Most animals tolerate the disorder quite well, as long as the eye is appropriately managed.

Over time, some muscle contracture (shortening) can occur. This may lessen the asymmetry noted in the face, especially in the lips.