Realizing “My dog is wobbly and off balance” can be disconcerting for even the most seasoned dog parent. Integrative veterinarian, Dr. Julie Buzby, dives deep into the heart of your dog’s nervous system to explain the “why” behind the loss of balance and seven conditions that could be the culprit.
What should you do if your dog is staggering around like he or she spent a bit too much time on a merry-go-round? The answer—take a calming breath, then call your vet. Let him or her know, “My dog is wobbly and off balance.”
I understand how unnerving it can be to watch your beloved dog lose balance and even stumble around. I’ve witnessed these signs in my own canine patients, and I’ve felt my clients’ concerns along with them.
That’s why I want to share seven reasons a dog may be wobbly and off balance. But first, let’s dive into some nervous system anatomy so we can better understand what’s going on with a wobbly dog.
Ataxia in dogs: an uncoordinated gait
When I see a dog who is wobbly and off balance, I think of the word ataxia. This is the medical term for an uncoordinated gait. Ataxia is classified based on which structure in the nervous system is affected—the cerebellum, the spinal cord, or the vestibular system.
Cerebellar ataxia in dogs
The cerebellum is the small part of the brain that sort of looks like a walnut. It sits just behind the cerebrum (large portion of the brain responsible for learning and memory).
The cerebellum plays a role in balance, posture, and coordination of voluntary movements. Thus, damage to the cerebellum impairs these functions.
Signs of cerebellar ataxia in dogs may include:
- Exaggerated high stepping gait.
- Tremors that occur when trying to initiate voluntary movement.
- Wide based stance in the rear legs.
- Head and body tremors.
Spinal ataxia (proprioceptive ataxia) in dogs
The spinal cord transmits information between the body and the brain. One of its many uses is proprioception—the ability of the body to sense and change how the limbs are positioned. Sensory receptors in the limbs send information up the nerves to the spinal cord. One of two things happen with this information.
One option is that the signal causes an immediate reaction, known as a reflex. This is what occurs when you touch a hot stove and rapidly jerk your hand away. The body acts before you are even conscious of what happened.
The other option is that the information continues up the spinal cord to the brain. The brainstem, cerebellum, and cerebrum process that information then send signals back to the limbs via the spinal cord.
Testing conscious proprioception in dogs
Vets may evaluate part of this system by flipping a dog’s foot over. Now the top of the foot is against the floor. In a normal dog, the sensory receptors send a message up the nerve to the spinal cord that says, “My foot is upside down.”
The signal goes up the spinal cord, through the brainstem and to the cerebrum. The cerebrum says, “Hmm…that isn’t right. I need to fix the position of the foot.” So a signal is sent back down to the foot to tell the dog’s muscles, “Flip the foot back so the paw pad is against the ground.”
You can watch me perform this test in this video, Knuckling in Dogs: How to Test a Dog for Conscious Proprioception.
When the spinal cord is damaged, signals can’t get to or from the brain. The portion of the spinal cord in front of the damaged area will function normally. However, communication is slowed or cut off to the body parts behind the damaged area. This means the dog will not flip the foot over or will do so slowly.
Signs of spinal cord problems
Dogs who have spinal ataxia may also:
- Sway or wobble back and forth.
- Stand with the limbs positioned abnormally (i.e. crossed or splayed out).
- Swing the limbs out widely or cross them when walking.
- Be unable to move the affected limbs.
Vestibular ataxia in dogs
The vestibular system is made up of the inner ear, vestibulocochlear nerve, brainstem, and cerebellum. The inner ear is located within the skull and contains fluid-filled semi-circular loops. These loops run in different directions such as horizontally and vertically, almost like the tracks of a rollercoaster.
Hair cells inside the ducts are displaced when the fluid moves relative to the body’s position (e.g., standing up or lying down). This creates a signal that travels through the vestibular branch of the vestibulocochlear nerve to the brainstem.
Nerve signals may stop at the brainstem or proceed to the cerebellum. The brainstem controls things that dogs do without being consciously aware of them, in this case stance and posture. The cerebellum, as discussed above, regulates voluntary muscle movements to help a dog balance.
Signs of vestibular syndrome in dogs
Damage to any of these components will cause a dizzy dog who may:
- Appear wobbly and off balance as though drunk.
- Drool excessively.
- Stumble when walking.
- Exhibit rapid involuntary eye movements (nystagmus).
- Have a head tilt.
- Repeatedly circle in place, which looks like walking in circles.
Why is my dog wobbly and off balance? 7 common culprits
Now that you understand the different types of ataxia, we can start to address the seven reasons why a dog is wobbly and off balance.
1. Ear infections in dogs
Before we start talking about ear infections in dogs, we need to review some ear anatomy.
The external ear is the portion that you would see if you peered into your dog’s ear. It is L shaped, and ends at the eardrum (i.e. tympanic membrane). The middle ear is an open space immediately behind the ear drum. Just above this space are the the small bony structures that make up the inner ear.
Remember how we talked about the role of the inner ear and vestibulocochlear nerve in the vestibular system? It makes sense then that infection or inflammation in the middle or inner ear could keep those structures from functioning correctly. The end result? A dog who is wobbly and off balance.
In this case, we are talking about vestibular ataxia caused by peripheral vestibular disease. The term peripheral denotes the problem lies with the inner ear and/or nerve. This is in contrast to central vestibular disease where the brainstem and brain are affected (more on that later).
Dogs with peripheral vestibular disease usually have horizontal nystagmus. This means their eyes move rapidly from side to side. They are usually awake, aware, and acting like themselves. We refer to this as having normal mentation.
If present, head tilt and circling are usually towards the abnormal ear. For example, if the left ear is affected, the head tilt and circling are to the left. You may also notice any of the other signs listed above for vestibular syndrome.
Causes of ear infections in dogs
Otitis interna (inner ear infections) and otitis media (middle ear infections) can be caused by:
- Bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus spp., and E. coli.
- Fungi
- Foreign bodies
- Cancer
- Bloodborne spread of infections from other locations
- Trauma
Sometimes, external ear infections can extend into the middle and inner ear. In those cases, affected dogs will also show signs of external ear infections. These include debris in the ear canal, head shaking, or ear scratching. Other times, the external ear canal will be completely normal.
2. Brain conditions in dogs
A variety of conditions can affect the brain or brainstem, causing central vestibular disease. Affected dogs tend to have vertical nystagmus (eyes moving up and down) rather than horizontal.
In addition to the other symptoms of vestibular syndrome listed previously, they may have impaired or dull mentation. This means they are slow to process information or respond to stimuli, are unaware of their surroundings or are not acting like themselves. Seizures may also occur.
Infection, inflammation, or brain tumors (tumors of the brain or brainstem) are the most common reasons for a dog to develop central vestibular syndrome signs. Infections may be caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or protozoa. Many of these same causes can also affect the cerebellum, causing cerebellar ataxia.
3. Old dog vestibular disease
Sometimes a dog will be wobbly and off balance and show other vestibular signs that are not related to hypothyroidism in dogs, tick-borne diseases in dogs, or any of the other causes discussed above. We call this idiopathic vestibular disease. The other name for it is old dog vestibular disease because it happens more commonly in older dogs.
In fact, it also happens to be the most common cause of vestibular disease overall. The good news is that signs often resolve over a period of a few days with supportive therapy. So if there is a “good” type of vestibular syndrome, it is this one.
To learn more about old dog vestibular disease, please refer to my article, Old Dog Vestibular Disease: A True Story About Doggy Vertigo. Also, if your dog has been diagnosed with any of the causes of vestibular disease, you might find these 10 Tips and Exercises for Dogs with Vestibular Disease helpful.
4. Stroke
While strokes are less common in dogs than in humans, they do still happen occasionally. Strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is disrupted due bleeding or an obstruction in a vessel. Without the oxygen, glucose (fuel for the brain), and other blood components, the brain doesn’t function correctly. As a result, a dog may be wobbly and disoriented or show other vestibular syndrome signs.
You can read my article, Dog Stroke Symptoms & Treatments in Senior Dogs to find out more.
5. Spinal cord conditions
Anything that damaged or disrupts the spinal cord can cause spinal ataxia. This is the case in IVDD (intervertebral disc disease) in dogs. In this condition, disc material leaves its normal position between two vertebrae (bones in the spine) and starts to press on the spinal cord.
When the spinal cord is compressed, nerve signals have trouble moving past the affected area. In some cases, a vet may recommend IVDD surgery for dogs. Other times, non-surgical IVDD recovery in dogs is possible.
Spinal stroke in dogs is another condition that may cause a dog to be wobbly and off balance. The other name for this condition, fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE), gives a clue about how it occurs.
A piece of intervertebral disc material (a fibrocartilaginous substance) breaks off and blocks one of the blood vessels that nourishes the spinal cord. When blood supply is obstructed (i.e. an embolism occurs), the portion of the spinal cord supplied by that vessel is damaged.
6. Trauma
Some ataxic or disoriented dogs have external injuries that might point to a known or suspected traumatic event as the cause of the signs. The brain and spinal cord can be damaged by :
- Motor vehicle accidents.
- Falls from a great height.
- Crush injuries.
- Gunshot wounds, bites, or other penetrating injury.
- Blows from an object, animal, or person.
- Violent shaking.
Head trauma causes damage to the neurons and bleeding and swelling in the brain. If there is swelling in other parts of the body, it isn’t as big of a deal. For example, a leg has space to expand outward when it swells. Not so much with the brain since the skull is a fixed size.
As the brain swells and blood builds up around the brain, the pressure in the skull (intracranial pressure) increases, compressing the brain tissue. This makes it harder to get the blood through the vessels in the brain.
Without the blood supplying needed nutrients and oxygen, brain function declines and the dog may become depressed or disoriented. Cerebellar and/or vestibular ataxia will also occur if either of those systems are damaged.
Spinal cord trauma will cause spinal ataxia since the neurons are damaged by the initial injury and the body’s response to the injury. In severe cases, the dog may even be paralyzed.
7. Toxins
Lastly, a variety of toxic substances can cause a dog to be wobbly and off balance. They may also cause other neurologic signs like seizures or tremors, as well as heart, lung, kidney, liver, or gastrointestinal signs.
Toxins to suspect include:
- Metaldehyde (a component of slug bait).
- Mycotoxins (toxic substances produced by fungi found on moldy food or trash).
- Cannabis (marijuana).
- Permethrin (insecticide found in powders, sprays, bait stations, and some flea treatments).
- Ivermectin (anti-parasitic drug that can be toxic at higher doses, but is typically safe at the dose used as a preventative for heartworm disease in dogs).
- High doses of drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics and metronidazole.
Other toxins not on this list are also capable of causing neurologic signs and some intoxications may be fatal. Anytime you suspect your dog may have ingested a toxic substance, immediately contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. (Please note, there is a consultation fee charged for the ASPCA’s services.)
Enlist the help of your vet
If you notice your dog is wobbly and off balance, call your vet right away. You may have a suspicion about which of these seven conditions is the culprit. However, your vet is the best person to help reach a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan.
The outlook for these diseases can vary, but starting appropriate treatment right away typically can give your canine companion the best chance at recovery.
Has your dog ever been wobbly and off balance?
Feel free to share your dog’s story. We can all learn from each other.
I have a 10-month-old Great Dane mix that gets all wobbly and off balance whenever he gets too excited. it has only happened a few times but I’m concerned what it might be?
Hi Vanessa,
I am sorry your puppy is experiencing these episodes of wobbling and instability. Without examining him myself, it is hard to offer specific advice. Due to his breed, I would want to rule out Wobblers syndrome. Here is a link to an article with more information from a reliable source (Veterinary Partner/Veterinary Information Network): https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102899&Id=10944486
It would also be a good idea to have him evaluated by your vet in case there is something else contributing to this issue. Hoping for answers and praying your boy has many happy years ahead.
can I please send you a video of my dog I am really worried thank you
Hi Tammy,
I am sorry you are facing a difficult situation with your pup. I would love to help, but without personally examining your dog, I can’t offer specific conclusions or recommendations. If you are truly concerned, the best way to get immediate and proper care is to have your dog examined by your vet. Hoping for clear answers and an easy solution. Wishing you all the best.
I have a 15 year old husky who has become very unstable, stumbles, doesn’t want to be petted and paces a lot. Is this just old dog symptoms?
Hi Nancy,
I understand your concern for your Husky and think it is good you are reaching out for advice. Unfortunately, without examining your boy myself it is hard to make specific conclusions. If your pup has not had a good thorough exam by your vet lately, that would be a good place to start. Not wanting to be petted could be a sign of pain. Dementia is common in senior dogs and can often cause them to pace and wander and also lose interest in family and friends. Stumbling and weakness can be symptoms of MANY things such as arthritis or neurological issues. Ultimately, you’ll have to let your vet evaluate your boy and start to rule out some of the possible causes. They can offer guidance and hopefully find a way to relieve some of these worrisome symptoms. Wishing you all the best of luck!
My 9 year old lab mix had a 45 minute seizure 35 days ago. He had a 108 fever. We live far from the closest ER vet and it was 1am at night so it took a long time to get medical attention. He has epilepsy, but his longest seizure before that was approximately 4 minutes.
He was in the animal hospital for 3 days. When he came home he couldn’t walk at all. He has been gradually getting better, but still can’t get up by himself and needs help walking. His front seems completely recovered. Initially his Neurologist thought it was the affects of the hospital medicine and he would recover quickly, but that isn’t the case.
He is currently doing doggy rehab, but we don’t have a proper diagnosis.
Dear Matthew,
My heart goes out to you as you face this unknown issue with your senior Lab. I can only imagine how scary things were that night! I am glad you are seeing some slow improvements but understand your ongoing concern. Praying for answers and healing for your sweet boy. Bless you both. ♥
OMG thank you so much for this very detailed and well written article. We have a 9 month old puppy named Piper we adopted from a rescue, so we have no idea as to the exact breed or medical history. We adopted her at about 8 weeks old, and she started going to the vet shortly thereafter. We opted to put her on heart-worm preventative medication Heartgard. Looking back on it the symptoms started occurring around the same time. We thought she was just going through a clumsy phase as she had grown quite a bit very quickly. But as her symptoms got worse we took her to the vet and they offered no insights or suggestions, they were “stumped”. Her symptoms include the tilting of her head, poor coordination or balance, constantly circling to the left, she always walks to the extreme left of door ways, paths, etc. Oh and she is very itchy. Everything we were reading online was referring to Old dog vestibular disease, which is obviously not the case, or ear infections which we had already ruled out, or a more serious brain disability or injury. We have been stuck and feeling helpless until I came across your article today. We now believe it’s possible Piper may have the MDR1 gene as has long collie like hair and is exhibiting a lot of the same symptoms, and could be brought on by the Heartguard medication we have been giving to her. This is the first glimmer of hope in treating her and hopefully getting her back to normal. We have ordered a DNA test and obviously will stop giving her the Heartguard until we get the results. Thanks again for taking the time to post such a detail oriented article.
Hi Jeff,
Wow what a crazy turn of events! I am so glad you were able to find the information you needed to continue to advocate for your pup. Hoping you can get the DNA test results quickly and begin to turn things around for your girl. Thank you for the positive feedback about the article! Wishing you all the best and keep up the good work.
Hello. My 4 yr old male neutered Amstaff has been having hind end wobbly issues. When he gets up from laying or to turn right or left he loses balance. He shakes his head a couple times a day. other than that he goes for walks daily, runs through the yard, eats, poops, pees normal. He has been on Rimadyl and Cosequin for 2 weeks for a previous luxated patella which is fine now but it was a just in case from the vet. Vet said he doesn’t have blink responses and I believe he sees just fine. He can see a bunny in the yard an acre away. I had a full senior blood panel done today. He also has what I call bad dreams where he trembles and his eyes roll back and bounce in his sleep. I was thinking he had Vertigo but she doesn’t feel the same. Any thoughts? Thank you
Hi Julie,
I am sorry your boy is experiencing all of these worrisome symptoms. From what you described, I too was suspicious about an ear infection or vestibular disease (aka vertigo), but the loss of blink response has me worried about a central brain issue. This may be time to think about a referral to a veterinary neurologist. It also concerns me that your pup is dealing with this at such a young age. Hoping you can find the answers you need to navigate this difficult path. Wishing you strength and clarity and praying for a positive outcome.
my 9 year old male yorkie .All of a sudden twitches and loses balance.Then he is ok.He has blood tests which were normal.what else could it be.im so worried.
Hi Joanne,
I am sorry your senior pup is experiencing these worrisome episodes. Without examining him myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. From what you describe, seizure activity would be near the top of my list. Older dogs can develop seizures for many different reasons, but it is not uncommon for their blood work to look completely normal despite these events. Hoping your vet can find some answers and offer a clear path forward with treatment. Wishing you all the best and praying for a positive outcome for your sweet boy.
My two year old Australian shepherd was fine 3 weeks ago but then I noticed he started to have a head tilt and was unsteady. I thought it was vestibular syndrome. He didn’t get any better after a week so I took him to the vet. They put him on 20 mg of steroids a day. At the vet I also noticed he had muscle atrophy on his left side which is also the side of his body that is unsteady. I tried the steroids for 5 days and didn’t see a difference for the better. He actually seemed worse. I went to another vet and they increased his steroids to 60 mg a day and put him on an antibiotic. He’s still very weak and unsteady. He still eats and drinks a ton of water because of the steroids. What else can I do? They said the next step was a ct scan which would be $3500. Any suggestions? I’m so sad.
Hi Amy,
I am sorry your young dog is exhibiting these worrisome symptoms. I wish I could offer advice, but unfortunately, without examining your pup myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. It may be time to ask for a referral to a veterinary neurologist. They will be able to offer details on testing and treatment and ensure you can make a well-informed decision. Hoping things have improved and praying for a full recovery for your sweet boy.
Hi! I have an 8 year old american bulldog who’s been swaying/shaking when she’s sitting or laying down. It’s not constantly; about three times in the past few months, and she doesn’t seem to be in pain when she’s shaking. She doesn’t yelp or bark but she has this dazed look on her face it breaks my heart. She had cancer two years ago, it was a superficial tumor on her back and she’s since had the tumor removed and made a full recovery, however, the vet said that with her age and breed this type of cancer could come back. My worry now is that may be what’s happening because the reason we found out she had cancer was because she was shaking and swaying and one night had bloody stool/vomiting so we took her to the vet. She’s currently having an “episode” of the shaking and head wobbling but this time she seemed to be limping as well. Could this be a neurological condition? Or her cancer coming back? Or maybe just old age? I’m not sure what to think. If I call her she hops right up and seems fine but sits back down and starts shaking again.
Hi Olivia,
I am sorry your girl is having these worrisome episodes, and you haven’t been able to narrow down a cause. Without examining her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. But I can tell you that I think you are right in suspecting something neurological. I am suspicious this could be seizure activity. If there is any way you can catch one of these episodes on video that could be extremely helpful for your vet. Don’t forget you can always ask for a consultation with a specialist if needed. Hoping you can get some answers and ensure your girl remains happy and healthy for as long as possible. Wishing you both all the best!
Hi,
I have a 2 year old shar pei, she is generally in good health however the past couple of days l in the morning after she has woken up and gets her usually morning zoomies she has suddenly seemed abit unsteady on her feet and stumbling about it usually only happens for a min or so and she’s usually fine afterwards, should I be worried, she’s pooping normally and eating and drinking normally and she is not being sick or anything,
Hi Gabrielle,
I am sorry your girl is experiencing these strange symptoms. Anytime a dog shows a sudden change in behavior it is cause for concern. I do think it would be wise to contact your vet and schedule an appointment to have her evaluated. Hoping all is well and praying for good news.
this just happened last night I woke up at 3am because my husky vomitted so I put him outside and took me maybe 3 mins to clean up. when I went to bring my dogs back inside my old lab was acting weird and I noticed my husky was laying on the ground. when I called for him he tried to stand up and got all wobbly like a drunk person and fell and just laid there. I ran inside to get my husband and shoes and when he went out there my husky went up to him like nothing happened. my husband checked him for injuries and only thing that seemed weird is his man parts were very hard and knotted. we stayed up with him for an hour and he acted perfectly fine. so we went to bed. this morning we are going to call vets and find out if they will do a quick check up. I know some sites mentioned an ear infection. hoping to have an update this afternoon. I’ve never experienced this with a dog. so I’m terrified. while we go to work we set up cameras in living room that way if another episode happens I can run home quickly.
Hi Alicia,
I am sorry you experienced this worrisome episode with your Husky. What you describe is very strange and I am not sure what to make of it all. I hope you were able to get him evaluated by your vet and find some answers. Hoping all is well and wishing you both the best. Feel free to leave an update and let us know how things are going.
I have a senior dog going to be 13 years old. This is the second time this has happened. My dog all of a sudden, lose his balance and his wobbly and looking around like she’s disoriented and Sometime just goes around in circles. I took her to the vet the first time it happened and they checked her out because I thought maybe she had stroke or something and he said sometimes dogs get vertigo but sometimes these events last for quite a while.
Hi Blanche,
I understand your concern for your senior girl with these worrisome episodes she has experienced. Vestibular disease aka “Doggy Vertigo” can definitely last a while. While most dogs are affected for days to weeks, there are cases where it lasts for months. Here is a link to another article with more information: Vestibular Disease in Dogs: Doggy Vertigo
Without personally examining your pup it is hard to make specific conclusions, but I am also suspicious this behavior could be mild seizure activity. If there is any way you can catch one of these episodes on video that could be extremely helpful to your vet when trying to make a diagnosis. Hoping all is well and wishing your sweet girl many happy days ahead. Bless you both!
I have a female Chihuahua mix. ( she looks like a mini greyhound) she is approximately 10 years old. when I got home today she seemed fine, running around and excited to see me. All of the sudden she hunched down, front of her laying on the floor and butt in the air. She’s done this before and I’ve always assumed it was a belly ache. I let her out to do her business and she’s fine but today is different. Today she is almost army crawling across the floor and shaking really bad. When she say up she was swaying almost in full circles. what do you think is happening?
Hi Brandy,
I understand your concern for your little pup and these worrisome behaviors she is exhibiting. Without seeing this for myself or personally examining her, it is hard to make specific conclusions. Anytime you notice a sudden change in behavior it is cause for concern and needs to be reported to your vet. I strongly encourage you to make an appointment to have her evaluated as soon as possible. This could be an emergency situation. How is your girl feeling today? Hoping all is well and praying for a positive outcome.
Hi Brandy.
Can you please give us an update on your pup?
I have a 14.5 year old Flat-coated Retriever mix, named Neville( I adopted him 2.5years ago). He’s had “neuro” episodes where he head bobs and gets ataxic. I’ve done, radiographs, bloodwork and an echo. He has a low resting HR but that was all that was out of the ordinary 60bpm(resting). His “episodes” have subsided since I put him on a supplement called Cognadin. But recently he has developed a hobble, can see it best on his left front limb. I’ve done radiographs of his limbs and they’re normal for a dog of his age. He went completely blind 2 years ago, out of the blue. Nothing medically wrong with his eyes, no ulcers, pressures were fine. Could it be that his limp isnt really a limp? He’s currently on a load of medications but noting seems to improve it. 2 Gabapentin 300mg caps BID, 1 cap Amantidine 50mg, 26kg dose of Metacam, 1 capsule of Cognadin , Librela once a month and a Glucosamine supplement. I work in the field so I have alot of resources. But with my dogs age, the doctors advice is to keep him comfortable. I just want to know what it could be and what if I can do anything more. Any resources I could find and read up on.
Hi Heather,
This is such a puzzling situation. It sounds like you have done everything you can and are still left with more questions than answers. I too am suspicious that his limp could be related to the neurological issue and not necessarily be a pain problem. Have you discussed Neville’s case with a veterinary neurologist? That would be my best recommendation. Other than that, you could try a holistic approach or consult with an integrative vet. There are things like acupuncture and PEMF you could try. Also, I have seen supplements containing New Zealand deer antler velvet do some amazing things with the regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties it has. I will attach links to other articles with more information. Hoping you can find a solution to this tricky situation. Wishing you and your sweet boy nothing but the best.
1. PEMF Therapy for Dogs: 7 FAQs Answered by a PEMF Expert
2. Natural Pain Relief for Dogs: 13 Methods
3. Deer Antler Velvet: The Science Behind the Supplement
Hi my chihuahua is mixed with jack russel and is 6 years old. Every 3-6 months or so she has these episodes where she looses coordination. She seems to lose controll of her back end and is wobbly and staggers. The vet said old age bc it only happens 1-2 times a year. I just get worried any advice?!
Hi Van,
I understand your concern for your little pup and these strange episodes she is having. Without examining her myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions or recommendations. Maybe you can catch this odd behavior on video the next time it happens? Seeing it first-hand could be very helpful to your vet. I am not sure if these issues are cause for worry but I would want to rule out the possibility that they could be seizure activity. Wishing you both the best for a bright and happy future!
I have a 2 1/2 year old Jack Russell mix and he all the sudden after a case of the zoomies that he gets a lot started wobbling and he is very confused. we have been giving him droppers of water. 2 hours ago he was fine and now he is a mess. He has thrown up but no idea what to do no vet open for hours.
Hi Nikki,
I understand your concern for your pup. What you describe has me worried and may be an emergency situation. Even if your regular vet is not open, see if you can find an emergency clinic in your area. I think it would be best to get your dog medical attention as soon as possible.
Hi. What happened with your dog? This happened to my dog too.
my 7yr old husky/lab mix Luna had some sort of episode earlier tonight. I thought she was playing with her toys in the livingroom and saw her out the corner of my eye looking like she was marching like a soldier… I then realized it’s because she was trying to gain her balance. she was breathing a little heavier than normal but I believe it’s because she didn’t understand what was happening. you could see in her face she was scared. she proceeded to be very wobbly and off balance, this happened for about 10-15 min and then all the sudden she was fine. she didn’t eat anything she shouldn’t have, she didn’t throw up either. and now she seems ok. does this sound like some sort of seizure episode? I plan to call vet in morning, I’m just very nervous about tonight. thank you in advance for any insight or advice you can give.
Hi Jaimee,
I am so sorry you had to experience that troubling episode with Luna. Without witnessing the event myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. But I will say it does sound suspicious for some sort of seizure activity. I definitely would be wanting to rule out a neurological cause. Were you able to discuss things with your vet? How is Luna today? Hoping all is well and that you will never have to deal with this again in the future. Best wishes to you and your sweet girl.
Hi
I have an 11 year old cavalier, Milli.
When she stands still, she sometimes starts nodding her head,, and she is unsteady. It look like she fades a bit out. But when walking or playing, she seems just fine. No shaking or unsteady feet.
It dont look like there is and pain in the «seizures». Ive been to the vet, but the cant find anything wrong. The say it probably just related to her old age.
Im just worried there something wrong with Milli, that the vet have’nt thougt of.
Hi Tom,
I understand your concern for Milli and these worrisome episodes you are witnessing. It can be incredibly hard to make a diagnosis when there are so few symptoms to work with. Is there any chance you can catch this behavior on video? Sometimes seeing it first-hand can be very helpful. Also, make sure you are honest with your vet about your concerns. They may be willing to do some more in-depth testing or consult with a specialist if they know you are willing to pursue these routes. Hoping Milli has many happy days ahead and wishing you both all the best.
We have a 6 week old chihuahua puppy who weighs about 1#. He got his first vaccine, and since then he has had gastrointestinal issues (diarrhea to constipation) and mobility issues that come and go. His legs splay and he has difficulty walking at times. Other times he runs around like he is perfectly fine. Could this be related to the vaccine or potentially something genetic? He eats, drinks, poops, and pees. Eyes are bright, gums are pink and moist, respiration and. heart rate are WNL.
Hi Garret,
I am sorry your puppy is having these strange mobility issues. This does not sound like a complication from vaccine administration but without examining your pup myself I can’t say for sure. I do think this needs to be evaluated by your vet. When a dog of this age is sick, things can decline rapidly with little warning. Especially in one so tiny! Hoping you can get some answers and begin treatment quickly. Pryaing for good news and a complete recovery.
We took our dog to the vet today after she was sick the night before last and then started doing the wobble, and dead pan stare into a void. She got a clean bill of health, but the vet concluded she agreed the symptoms we explained do seem reminiscent of a minor seizure.
She woke right as rain and was good all day, later in the evening she went outside for about 10 minutes, she comes back in, gets an evening treat and i went about my business. I noticed she wasn’t hanging around me and i found her on the couch lethargic, listless, not her normal peppy self. She had the wobble again. There have been times in the past she’s gotten into something, like a lens wipe from the garbage, well that’s not good – alcohol on those wipes, even dried up ones in the trash. It gave her the wobbles. So to me, it seems like a toxicity thing. She once chewed up a pipe cleaner used to clean a marijuana device. Same deal (she never gets in the garbage or goes for anything unless its THAT, ugh we have lidded trash cans now but I have to be extra careful about it because she goes right for it) With that being said, her wobbly symptoms resemble those times, but those times she was clingy and just wanted to snuggle. But the last couple nights its not been like that. She started doing the dead stare last night which really worried us. No focus, wont follow your finger, wont look at you, will pull away from you and tonight she has been acting fearful of being touched or picked up, lots of excess blinking, lip licking, twitching and wobbling. She displayed what might have been a hallucination last night. Terrified of nothing in the living room. Refused to go out there. Acted so scared. I’m really worried about her but right now the Vet said just document her symptoms try to record them when she’s displaying and wait and see. I dont know if she’s getting into something outside, i saw no evidence of her chewing on plants or getting into anything. Anyways, thats my doggo situation. So far its leaning towards she’s got minor seizures. I just wish i could find more definitive examples online, nothing matches what she’s doing and her symptoms are all over the place.
Hi Hannah,
I understand your concern about these strange symptoms your dog is displaying. They have me puzzled as well. Without examining your girl, myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. I do think there is something neurological going on, but the possible causes are too many to list. Has your pup had any blood work done recently? If not, that would be a good place to start. Just know it is ok to advocate for your girl if you want to be more aggressive with getting answers. I hope you find the best way to ensure she remains happy and healthy. Best wishes to you both and good luck!
I would have waited on a little dog like that especially, when u consider the animal is expendable, to the pharmaceutical industry.. To a mpoint of course.. but My dog was fine and 2hrs later sudden symptoms were wobbly, uncoordinated, sleepy, lethargic, were the words of description as I raced up the mountain.. After 3hrs i had recieved a phone call bac and he said excactly what I found out at both homes the pup 4.5 mnths had eatn lizards…. so i made him emergency coctail and 3 hrs later hes chasing sticks.
Hi Jesse,
Glad your pup was able to recover quickly. Thank you for sharing your experience with us! Best wishes to you and your boy.
I admire how you seamlessly blend personal anecdotes with insightful analysis on your blog. Your ability to connect with readers on a deeper level is truly exceptional.
Hi Kurye,
I am glad you are enjoying reading through the articles on the site. Your encouragement and positive feedback have definitely made my day. ♥
Hi
I have a 12 year old golden field retriever in fantastic shape. 55lbs, hikes 3 miles a day and blood work is perfect (I get blood done every 6 months). Due to age I have her on Previcox and a protocol of Adequan shots every 3 months. Over the last three months I have had a strange situation – when she eats a cookie, while on a walk or hike, her body wobbles almost to the back end going down. It coincides with her eating a cookie (I have switched to soft cookies). I had her teeth cleaned and xrayed to make sure it wasn’t an abscess and it was all clear. My vet and I are very perplexed why the act of chewing results in a wobbler syndrome look. I have had horses with spinal issues which makes me wonder about spinal issues. She does not have this reaction when eating dinner at home. I am wondering what tests I can pursue which could give me insight into this. She’s a strong girl for her age – and still gets the zoomies, walks quickly up stairs and has no problems with other up hill situations – which I use to keep her hind end strong.
Hi Patricia,
What a perplexing situation. I have to admit that I’m a bit stumped too. It sounds like you and your vet have done a great job of trying to track down the cause. If you haven’t caught one of the wobbly episodes on video, that might be helpful as it could allow your vet to see what happens firsthand. Additionally, referral to a board-certified veterinary neurologist could also be an option if you wanted to continue your search for answers. I’m glad to hear that she is still feeling great otherwise and I applaud you for doing such an amazing job with keeping her fit and strong. I hope that the episodes either go away or you find some answers for her. Please feel free to give us an update!
Hi i have a dog half corgy same symptoms idk what do you call the eye thing but i guess shes getting hard time opening her eyes and shes walking but look like drunk walk and her poop was dark borwn and watery. we went to the vet and i spent php 10k i got help from my family and friends i love my dog somush i hope you can help me. After she take the capsules the she vomited the capsules and she also dont eat or drink
Hi Shasha,
I wish I could tell you what was best for your pup but unfortunately without examining her myself I can’t make specific recommendations. I think it would be best to talk to your vet and let them give you some advice on how to proceed. I am not sure what is in the capsules you mentioned but if they are causing negative side effects, your vet needs to know! Praying your little pup can get some relief. Bless you both.
My 6 year old Chiweenie has had two episodes of becoming confused and he was wobbly. He does not want to be touched and he can not ambulate properly. This lasts about 30 to 40 minutes then goes away and he is cuddly and normal. The episodes were months apart. I am very worried and it is the weekend. We do not have any Vets within 2 hours.
Hi Eglenna,
I’m sorry to hear that your dog had these two scary episodes of being wobbly and having trouble walking. It can be such a helpless feeling to watch your dog struggle and not know why it is happening or how best to help him. Not having vets close by definitely complicates things, but I hope you were able to find a clinic that could take a look at him and help you figure out what was going on. Please feel free to give us an update!
Please help we have our loved one Marley that can walk well or hold herself up all of the sudden. It’s been a week. we took her to Dr and they did exrays and all weas well. Heart was good.
Shes just about to be 9 yrs of age . Small in stature and alothough you cant tell, shes mixed pitbull.
She is curently on 3 medications (steroid, pain killer and a another pain killer for nurve) that the dr gave her to keep her comfortable but we have no results as to why this is happening.
She’ll be laying there and all of the suddon shoots up to try and stand then she stiffens up and urunates. In my opinion looks like a seizure but not sure. We have to carry her outside and hold her up to releive herself . We are teriffied and not sure how to prceed.
Financially we are not able to continue much more testing. Last thing we were suggested to do was to see a nurologist . Shes been on meds for now 3 days
Any info you can offer is grately appreciated 🙏🏽
Thank you,
Wendy (Marleys Aunt)
Hi Wendy,
My heart goes out to you. It can be so difficult to watch a beloved dog struggle with concerning health issues and not have a clear answer as to what is going on. The episodes you describe are definitely puzzling and would be hard to watch. Poor girl! Were you ever able to catch one on video to show your vet? Sometimes that can be a helpful way for your vet to see exactly what is happening. I hope that the medications helped her become more comfortable. Feel free to give us an update.
my boxer had her dinner, rest, then half hour ball chase, slept for a hour, woke up wobbly, head down. she’s 2.5 years old.
Hi David,
What you describe about your Boxer sounds concerning. I highly recommend you have her examined by your vet as soon as possible.
Do you have any update on what was wrong with your sago ? Basically the same thing is going on with my dog
Im glad i found your page. After searching the web like a mad man trying to find out what is wrong with my Bichon i came upon this page. I wanted someone’s opinion on what i should do. My dog is an old man he’ just turned 14 years old so i know he is reaching that age of complications. He’s seemed very healthy was checked by a vet in June of last year and was told he looks really good for his age. Until 3 days ago he began to seem off. He wasn’t walking in a straight line, his legs would sort of have a dead leg when he would try to get back up and he just wasn’t in eating at all. Today he seems a little better but still has no balance and struggles a little bit jumping on the funiture. Should i be super worried? And what recommendations do you have for me to help him with his discomfort.
Hi Claudia,
I am glad you are reaching out about your pup and these new worrisome symptoms. Unfortunately, without examining him myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. These issues could be signs of something significant that needs medical attention and you would definitely need a diagnosis before knowing what treatment will be most effective. Your best bet is to schedule an appointment with your vet and have them evaluate your senior guy. Wishing you both the best!
My dogs doing the same thing my chihuahua is 10 years old and just all of a sudden he’s not himself. He won’t jump on the furniture he has no expression in his face. He struggles to stand up and when he’s standing he struggles to step over blankets and walk. I have no idea what to do. last night we took him to the ER vet spent over $2,000 to have everything checked out physically and he was fine. I know I’m going to have to get an MRI but I don’t even know if I can afford that. But my chihuahuas just not himself and it’s breaking my heart to watch him like this.
Dear Yvonne,
My heart aches for you as you face this emotional situation with your senior guy. I encourage you to call your regular vet and let them know what is happening. They may be able to try some medications to see if it helps decrease the severity of your boy’s symptoms while you decide whether to pursue an MRI with the specialist. Praying for answers and a clear path forward. Wishing you and your sweet boy comfort and healing.
Hi, my 6 year old chihuahua woke up from his nap and started to make big twitching movements in his eyes almost like someone was about to hit him and he was scared. He had been abused in the past so I began to calm him down. After a min of him off and on twitching I felt something was very wrong. I put him down and he was walking like a drunk person. He has thrown up twice now and is sleeping in my arms. I have no idea what to do. Please help.
Hi Rachel,
I am sorry your Chihuahua is having these worrisome symptoms. What you are describing does have me concerned. Without examining him myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. I do think it would be best to call your vet right away and have him evaluated. This could be seizure activity, a neurological issue, or even signs of a heart problem. Praying your little guy is ok and you were able to get some answers. Bless you both.
Hi!
I am a little paranoid after needing to put down a 10 month puppy for neurological issues, that included seizures.
Right now, I have two small dogs that are both under twenty lbs. My Coton was raised as a puppy and we just adopted, six weeks ago, a Maltese/Poodle Mix from a rescue group.
The Maltipoo is around 8 years old. He is a deep nighttime sleeper. There are times I can move him without seemingly waking him. In the morning, he needs a solid 15-20 minutes to pull himself together to go outside to pee. He walks down the staircase in the house during this time. But, it dawned on me that he does not feel comfortable walking down the wooden deck stairs to get into the backyard when he first wakes up. I learned this because I tried to get him to walk down the stairs and he was off balance. I had to pick him up and carry him down the stairs.
Give him an additional 15-20 minutes, it runs down the wooden deck staircase.
Is my Maltipoo just needing extra time waking up or is something else going on? Also, because I am paranoid about doggy neurological issues, I have noticed there are two walls in the house that the maltipoo loves to walk next to when he is in the area. One is a hallway wall and other is the cement wall on the roofdeck.
Hi Charlotte,
I understand your concerns after the tragic loss you recently endured. Without examining your dog myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. Has he had regular checkups with his vet? As long as he is otherwise healthy, the slowness in the mornings may be due to some arthritis. Sometimes it takes a bit to work out the stiffness. Also, it is very possible your pup is showing some early signs of dementia/canine cognitive dysfunction. I will attach links to other articles with more information. As always, please make sure to discuss your concerns with your vet. They may have ideas about supplements or other treatments to try to allow your sweet boy to continue living his best life. Best wishes!
1. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Solutions
2. Could Your Dog Have Dementia? Find Out With This Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Checklist
HI JULIE,
MY NAME IS DIANA AND I HAVE JUST ADOPTED A PUPPY WHO IS ABOUT 16 WEEKS NOW FROM A RESCUE IN WEST VIRGINIA. I HAVE RECENTLY TAKIN HIM TO THE VETS ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND HE GOT SHOTS ETC WAS DOING REALLY WELL AND CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH MINUS WORMS WHICH ARE NOW TAKIN CARE OFF. I CAME HOME YESTERDAY AFTER ABOUT 3 HOURS AND WAS ABOUT TO GET MY PUPPY OUT OF CRATE AND SEEN THAT HE HAD VOMIT AND HAD SEVERAL BOWL MOVEMENTS IN HIS PEN SO ONCE GETTING HIM OUT HE WAS REALLY WOBBLY AND ACTING WEIRD BUT AFTER DRINKING SOME WATER AND ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER HE WAS ACTING NORMAL AGAIN. ANY INDICATION ON WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED.
THANK YOU!!!
Hi Diana,
I understand your concern for your young puppy. I wish I could give you specific advice, but without examining your pup myself, it is hard to make conclusions and recommendations. It is possible he was weak from all the vomiting and defecating. He may have had some low blood sugar as well. Your best bet is to take him to your vet and let them do an exam. Any time you are concerned for your puppy’s health or wellbeing, it is best to contact your vet and give them the details. How are things today? Hoping all is well and your little guy is living his best life.
I have a 10 week old Australian Shepherd. She has been fine but today she is wobbling and walking drunk. She is whining a lot and her nose is hot. Do you know what could be going on. The exterminator sprayed at the apartment. And now she is doing this. Please help! Calling the vet in the morning
Hi Tonya,
This sounds like it could be an emergency. Please call your vet right away or find an emergency clinic to have your dog examined. Hoping your pup is ok. Praying for good news.
I have a mix Yorkie + Pomeranian. He is nearly 10. Just in the last few days I saw him sway on his back legs like he was not sure of his balance. He had just woken up from a nap and it only lasted a minute or so. Today he had his head at a tilt and couldn’t straighten it for a couple of minutes. After that he was fine and chasing a ball around. I’m concerned since these two incidents happened close together. No eating or drinking issues and he has abundant energy.
Hi Robert,
I understand your concern for your senior guy and these new worrisome symptoms. Anytime you notice something new it is a good idea to let your vet know so they can decide if some investigation needs to take place. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. I am a bit suspicious that what you are describing could be signs of a focal seizure or other neurological issue. If possible, catching these strange behaviors on video could be extremely helpful in making a diagnosis. How is your little guy today? Hoping all is well and you can find some answers to these puzzling symptoms. Wishing you the best of luck.
my dog is 3years old I seen him bite at his hind quarters then loose control of his legs for a second then try to walk he was wobbly walking with wide stance inching towards me this all happened in the span of 2 minutes then he gained full control again it happened 3 months ago the same way what may be the cause of this he is a young dog husky mixs?
Hi Larry,
I understand your concern with these strange wobbling episodes in your young dog. Since I haven’t examined him myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. With that being said, I am highly suspicious that these could be seizure activity. My best recommendation is to have your dog evaluated by a vet. If you can catch one of these episodes on video it could help with making a diagnosis. Hoping you can find some answers, and this will have a positive outcome for your pup.
Hi Dr. B,
My 7 month old Boston terrier had what seemed to me a seizure episode yesterday morning. It was a very traumizing experience and got him into the vet today. Based on his physical evaluation and his recovery to that episode, we did not proceed with blood work unless if it happens again. He had seemed pretty normal overall and then just a little bit ago he seemed to be wobbling while sitting, which is strange behavior. He also looked very tired. I encouraged him to lay down (he is sleeping now) but that process was a little unusual as well. Should I call the vet back or let it play out?
Hi Charla,
I understand your concern with this strange behavior in your young dog. Without seeing the wobbling myself, it is hard to know if it is something to worry about or not. I do think it would be a good idea to call your vet and let them know about this new episode. Even if they decide not to have you bring him in for an exam, they can make notes in his chart and keep everything updated. How is your little pup feeling today? Hoping all is well and wishing you good luck!
my 3 year-old half breed Shih Tzu/Dachshund just had one eye removed 7 days ago due to infection. Bit now, she’s wobbly, weak hind legs, and sometimes circling around. could this be a post surgery side effect? how can i get her to treatment?
Hi Kat,
I understand your concern with these strange symptoms in your little dog. Since I haven’t examined her myself, I can’t know for sure what the cause could be. It sounds like a neurological issue which I wouldn’t expect to be side effect of enucleation surgery. Some pain medications can cause neurologic side effects when first started. It is possible this could be the case with your pup depending on what medication was prescribed after surgery. I highly recommend you call your vet and let them know what you are seeing at home. They may want to do a recheck exam just to make sure there are no other more serious concerns. Hoping for a full recovery for your sweet girl.
We recently took our 11 yr old black lab to the vet and was told he has lyme disease. I’m not so certain as he now developed the followed symptoms
– He can barely stand up & sways back & forth when he does
– Excessive drooling
– Won’t eat but will drink a little bit of water
– At times it seems his back legs are limp
– Has phases were his eyes twitch & roll back & forth while body shakes
– Vomited once with blood
Hi Travis,
I am sorry your senior guy is struggling with such severe symptoms. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. Is your dog currently being treated for Lyme disease? You can always request a referral to a specialist if you think more testing needs to be performed. Don’t hesitate to discuss your concerns with your vet and let them know you want to investigate this issue a bit further. Hoping you find the answers you need, and your boy can make a full recovery.
My 15 week puppy has started to have these episodes
Excessive drooling
Wobbly and dizzy
Cant focus
Random hyper burst
Shaking
Its happened 2 times within last 5 days
Hi David,
The symptoms you have listed are concerning. I highly recommend you have your puppy evaluated by a veterinarian. They may need to do some lab work and other tests to make a diagnosis. I hope you are able to find some answers. Wishing you the best of luck.
I have a 6 month old miniature goldendoodle. Since I’ve had her she has experienced 3 of these wobbly episodes. She is not interested in food, and generally will lay down and sleep. After reading the 7 signs, I’m thinking inner ear, but plan to call the vet tomorrow. I’ve always had poodles, and even a golden while raising my children. Never have I seen anything like this what I’m seeing with Bridgette.
Hi Barbara,
I understand your concern with these wobbly episodes in your young pup. Since I haven’t examined her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions, but am worried about what the cause could be. I am glad you planning to talk to your vet today. I think it would be best to have your dog evaluated and let the vet do some testing. Feel free to leave an update when you have more information. Hoping for good news and a positive outcome.
Hi my 3 year old Shih Tzu was laying on my bed like any normal evening and then sort of tried to stand up and was having a seizure like dizzy spell, bobbing side to side with his legs spread wide in the same spot unable to move and then he threw up. Earlier that day he ate something that was causing him to gag a little phlegm, so we gave him a metrodonzole but it’s not something we haven’t done before. We recently had to put out our 12 year old Shih Tzu to sleep due to a violent seizure that caused him to have heart issues and caused blood in his lungs, so I am traumatized and worried for my 3 year old Shih Tzu. He eats the farmers dog which is supposed be a good diet, we have recently been spoiling him with extra treats. I have no idea what happened last night but I hope it was a rare occasion. I love my dog very much and 3 is so young to have health issues.
Hi Debbie,
I understand your concern for your young pup and this strange behavior you witnessed the other day. I am concerned that what you are describing could be seizure activity or some other neurological issue. I highly recommend you have him evaluated by your vet as soon as possible. I am sorry for your recent loss of your senior boy. I hope your vet can get some answers and find a treatment that will prevent future episodes from occurring. Praying your sweet boy will have many happy years ahead. Bless you both.
Hi Dr. This web page is so amazing. So helpful.
My 5 years old miniature dachshund “Cookie” is experiencing ataxia. My wife took her to the vet today. Her physical was fine, xrays fine, pancreas and electrolytes were fine as well. The vet gave us a muscle relaxant to try for a week then she say probably try steroids and if that doesn’t help a neurologist. I’m really worried this can be a serious permanent condition. I feel so bad for my cookie. Any advice? Thanks for all your help and information.
Hi Joshua,
I am sorry your Dachshund is showing signs of a neurological issue. I understand your concern for her health and wellbeing. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, I can’t make specific conclusions about her prognosis. What was the diagnosis your dog was given by the vet? Depending on the cause of the ataxia (IVDD, vestibular disease, tumor, etc.) the prognosis can be very different. Like your vet mentioned, a consult with a neurologist may be the best option to get definitive answers. I hope Cookie is feeling better today and on the road to recovery. Best wishes to you both.
Hi our mini dachshund has just started to show these signs . Vet has given him pain killers for five days and if nothing has improved then x rays . How is cookie now ? Henry is nearly 7 .
My 15 week puppy is wobbly and very uncoordinated. He starts running and will often trip over his feet or if he’s going straight he accidentally goes to the side & almost tumbles over. He shakes often, when he’s sleeping he doesn’t & he can play and be okay but will shake/be wobbly a lot. There was a DV situation when he was 11weeks & my ex threw him in the wheelie bin, he seemed fine but his wobbliness & incoordination has gotten worse & I’m wondering if there is a chance that could of been the cause for this? The breeder didn’t say anything about it & I can’t remember if he had the shakes prior to this or not. Thanks
Hi Jules,
I am sorry your puppy is showing signs of incoordination and possible neurological issues. I too am suspicious that the trauma your puppy endured may have caused this problem. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. It would be a good idea to have him evaluated by your vet. You may need to schedule a consult with a veterinary neurologist. I hope you can find some answers and are able to help restore your little guy’s quality of life. Wishing you both the best of luck.
Hello Dr.
Some advise will be very welcome. I have a 14 year old Maltese female, started with balance problems, eyes moving from side to side and head tilt. She eats and drinks normal, and have normal stools. The local vet treated her gum disease by descaling her teeth, and took blood tets which revealed high liver enzymes. He tested her nerve reflexes and overall ability to respond to her environment she tested very well for that but suspects neurological problems, inflammation in the right side of her brain, because she tilts to the left caused by her liver problems. In this country he said vets do not have access to ct or mri scans for animals. So we can not confirm with scans. We will be changing her diet to liver friendly diet and she will get Vitamin B injections twice a week for two months . From the information available is there anything you can add?
Hi Helena,
I am sorry your Maltese is struggling with this neurological issue and liver dysfunction. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. It sounds like your vet has a good plan with the Vitamin B injections and liver friendly diet. Usually if I am concerned about a brain issue or neurological cause, I like to try steroids to see if they help reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms. Unfortunately, in your pup’s case, since she has elevated liver enzymes, steroids would be a bad idea. I think you are doing all you can and encourage you to give these new treatments some time to see if they improve your senior girl’s quality of life. Praying for a positive outcome. Wishing you the best.
My Yorkie when waking up after his nap, is in pain. Can’t touch him. Cries. He can’t straighten out his body, his head is tilted to the one side. Walks as if he is off balance. Eyes seem off focus. This lasts for about 10 seconds after waking up. Then he is fine. He is only 4 years old. Could it be from the Nexgard- side effects. He has had it once only. Month of April. I’m afraid to give it to him again.
Hi Juanita,
I understand your concern for your Yorkie and these worrisome symptoms. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions. What you are describing sounds like possible seizure activity. I would not think this would be related to Nexgard that was given 4 months ago. I highly recommend you have your little guy examined by your vet. It might be helpful if you can catch one of these episodes on video to allow your vet to see what is happening. I hope you can find the answers you need to help free your sweet boy from these struggles and live his best life. Best wishes to you both.
Hello Dr.
I am thankful I found your website it has been very helpful but also concerning, I have a pitbull she is 7 years old not spayed she did have a femur surgery about 5 year ago. But up until now she has been amazing and active fun and loving and literally until today late morning around 10am she seemed not herself, she just wanted to lay there and was not responding to me and the family trying to get her attention to get up her eyes seemed smaller and kept shutting slowly eventually she got up but couldn’t walk on her leg of her surgery but she always used to more like if she couldn’t feel it and she started to wobble and slip all the way she then started peeing while she lay down and would up scared cause she felt the wetness what would you think it is??
Hi Veronica,
You are right to be concerned about your senior girl. The symptoms you are describing could be related to seizure activity. Since I haven’t examined her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions, but this sounds like it needs to be addressed quickly. I recommend you contact your vet right away and see if you can have your dog evaluated. I hope your dog is feeling ok today and hasn’t had any more episodes. Praying for a positive outcome and wishing you both the best.
I took my dog swimming and now he can’t stand it straight when he walked wobbly I don’t understand I took and swim up before and he didn’t act that way the last time we took him swimming I just wanted something that could have caused it could have got water in the air or something
Sorry about the typos
Hi Deb,
You may be right about water in your dog’s ear. That is a possibility. Just to be on the safe side I would recommend you have him examined by your vet. They can rule out other more serious issues and find a treatment for this new ear problem, if that turns out to be the case. I hope your dog is better today and everything will resolve quickly.
Hello Dr. Buzby! My dog has been recently diagnosed with gastroenteritis and is receiving intravenous treatment for it. He seems as if he drinks an alright, not a lot amount of water and he can eat as well. It’s only the second day of treatment, and has been examined but he seems very low on energy and sleepy all the time. He can stand and walk and bark but then quickly needs a rest and is laying down all day. He looks way better than yesterday but seems as he still occasionally feels dizzy and walks wobbly. Is it ok for him to still be this exhausted? Also, although he has had examinations, he has not yet received a poop exam. I heard they are very important. Would you recommend one? Thank you!
Hi Evana,
I understand your concern for your pup and these GI issues he is facing. Unfortunately, since I haven’t personally been involved with his case, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations about his treatment or progression of recovery. It is possible he is still lethargic from the GI issues he has been diagnosed with, or this could even be a side effect from certain medications. If you have any concerns about your dog’s energy levels or how quickly he should recover, please let your vet know. They can give you guidance on what expectations are reasonable for your dog’s specific case. Also, a fecal exam is usually only needed to rule out internal parasites. Your dog may have already been dewormed or is taking a monthly preventative that deworms for intestinal parasites as well. If you would like to have a fecal test done and are willing to pay for it, I am sure your vet would not mind having one performed. They are very simple and can be done in house at most veterinary clinics in just a few minutes. I hope your sweet boy continues to improve and will make a full recovery. Best wishes and good luck!
My shiba inu mix suddenly was trembling and appeared a little out of it. She was wobbly, uncoordinated, and a little out of it but definitely not unconscious. She got herself out of my bed, wobbled to the front door and I took her outside to use the bathroom. After pooping she was totally back to normal! This happened once before and I called my vet tech and they said to monitor for other symptoms and call my vet. Same exact thing – when she went to the bathroom everything on that front was normal and she was totally symptomless after. By the time I was able to get a hold of my vet (it was a Sunday afternoon the first time it happened) my dog was no longer having symptoms and I did not end up bringing her in. But this just happened a second time and it’s really concerning to watch. I will be calling the vet when they open in the morning and asking to bring her in.
Hi Abby,
You are right to be concerned about these neurological symptoms in your Shiba. I am suspicious that what you are describing could be seizure activity. I hope you were able to get an appointment with your vet today to have her evaluated. Praying all is well and you received good news. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
My buddy Max is wobbling and staggering. We had him to the vet today and they said his liver values were high so they gave us steroid and was going to do antibiotics but didn’t. Said try this over weekend. He’s still the same and now trips and falls over on his side, seems very sleepy and inattentive to what we say to him. He was taking to me earlier like he was trying to tell me something was wrong I feel… Help! ☹️
Hi Cathy,
I understand your concern for Max and what you are describing has me worried as well. I highly recommend you call your vet and let them know about Max’s declining condition. They may want to see him back or need to run more tests. It also might be a good idea to have him evaluated by a specialist. It is never wrong to get a second opinion, especially if you have unresolved concerns. I hope Max is feeling better and all is well today. Feel free to leave an update if you get a chance.
My 12 yr old pomeranian poodle was hospitalized for mild diabetic keto acidosis. He’s home and still very weak and wobbly. His sugar is currently 123 and after excessive drinking before, he’s not drinking much at all now. Should I be concerned about dehydration? How long should I expect to wait for his strength to come back? He’s been home less than 24 hrs and is mostly sleeping and is eating ok so far. I’ve just never seen him this way, even after another hospitalization for pancreatitis about 18 mths ago.
Hi Kathy,
You are right to be concerned about your senior pup and watching things closely. I would expect the excessive drinking to decrease with treatment, but since I have not personally examined your dog, it is difficult to say what a normal amount of water consumption should be. I highly recommend you talk to your vet and let them know what you are experiencing at home. If something is wrong, it needs to be addressed quickly. The sooner the better. I hope your sweet boy is feeling better and resting comfortably. Best wishes for a full recovery.
My 7yr Shiba Inu has auto immune issues and recently has developed a wobbly walk. She doesn’t member how to walk up stairs. She drinks tons of water and pees a lot. Has high liver values and is being treated for it. She’s also on steroids for the auto immune. She has even forgot how to shiba cry.
Hi Victoria,
It sounds like your Shiba girl is dealing with many issues. I am sorry she is struggling and not acting like herself. I highly recommend you have her examined by your vet as soon as possible. There may be something new that has not been previously diagnosed that is now adding to her troubles. Because of the autoimmune disease that is already being treated with steroids, it might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They have lots of experience with complicated cases and can help figure out what is causing these new worrisome symptoms. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions, but I am suspicious that many of these symptoms may be side effects of the steroids. Your vet or a specialist may want to change your pup’s current medication regimen. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional information. Hoping you find some answers soon and can get your girl back to living her best life.
1. Prednisone for Dogs: 10 FAQs Answered
2. Prednisone 101
My one year old pup is off balance and seems very weak. Just 4 hours ago she was lively walking outside barking at other dogs as usual. She’s now laying there not interested on anything even on her favorite treats. She walks wobbly but is able to stand up and climb by the window chair but then she slowly let herself drop as she was extremely tired.
I’m at the vet right now. Let’s see what they say.
Hi Olga,
The symptoms you are describing are very concerning to me. I am glad you were able to get your pup to the vet so quickly. What did you find out? Is your girl ok? Feel free to give us an update if you have a chance. ♥
What ended up being wrong with your dog ?
My dog is wobbling and off balance and he will not eat are drink any water
Hi Larenza,
These symptoms can be signs of an emergency situation. I highly recommend you contact your vet as soon as possible to have your dog examined. Hoping everything is ok!