The nervous system is extremely complex, but we could refer to it as the center of operations for the rest of the body, regulating its functions and activity. The neurological disorders in dogs can respond to a large number of causes and, in many of them, rapid action is crucial to avoid serious and/or irreversible injuries. For this reason, it will be very useful for us to be able to detect when our furry friend may be suffering from a neurological disorder.
In this article on our site we detail 7 signs that may indicate a neurological problem in our dog. In any case, we must bear in mind that the signs can easily be confused with those that occur in other diseases associated with different organs, so it is best to contact our veterinarian so that he can start the diagnostic plan as soon as possible and, if it finally turns out to be a neurological disease, that it can locate the lesion correctly, because its prognosis and treatment will depend on it. Keep reading and discover how to detect neurological problems in dogs
1. Limb weakness or paralysis
Paralysis in the limbs is one of the possible signs of neurological problems in older dogs Along with weakness, there is often pain from a or several limbs and is usually progressive if it is a degenerative problem, due to chronic wear of the joints, although it can also be due to aneurological problem , in which this weakness can lead to paresis (or partial absence of movement) or plegia (complete absence of movement).
If the partial absence of movement affects the hind limbs it will be called paraparesis and tetraparesis if it affects all 4 limbs. The same denomination would be applied to the total absence of movement but with the ending -plegia (paraplegia or tetraplegia respectively).
This partial or total absence of movement may be caused by an advanced stage of degenerative joint disease in which there is compression of the spinal cord or due to other causes (whether infections, trauma, herniated discs, etc.), in which age will be more variable. That is why it is essential to arrive at the correct diagnosis in order to find the exact location of the lesion, its origin and thus be able to offer the patient the best possible solution.
If your dog has intermittent lameness, weakness of the anterior or posterior third, does not want to move as much as before, complains when handled by the hip, knee or some other joint, or the most severe, has difficulty standing or it is impossible for him at all, it is important to go to our veterinarian so that he can carry out the necessary tests.
You will most likely need a full exam (both physical and neurological), imaging tests such as X-rays or CT/MRI and it is possible that some laboratory test such as a complete blood test or a spinal tap. Depending on the cause(s), the treatment will be very different, from pharmacology, surgery, physiotherapy, etc.
two. Seizures
Seizures in dogs can be of two types:
- Partial: motor disturbances such as tremor of the head, contraction of a limb, involuntary opening of the jaws, etc. may appear. And they may or may not be accompanied by changes in behavior such as "catching imaginary flies", barking for no reason, chasing their tails, being aggressive without being threatened, etc. Partial seizures can become generalized.
- Generalized: in this type of seizure, motor disturbances also usually appear, but this time affecting a greater extension of the body, such as contractions involuntary muscle cramps, stiff neck and limbs, animal lying down, mouth opening, pedaling and vegetative manifestations such as urination/defecation or ptyalism (excessive salivation) and even loss of consciousness or momentary loss of muscle tone may also appear.
After the seizure and before it, we can also see the animal restless, aggressive, with compulsive licking, etc.
If our dog has a generalized seizure that lasts more than 2 minutes, or increases in frequency, severity, or does not recover correctly after an episode or rows several in a row, we must go to the vet urgently since it may be a vital emergency.
And, in any case, in the event of a partial or total seizure, it is important to go to the veterinarian for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment (one of them is epilepsy, but we must bear in mind that there are many other causes that can give rise to these episodes, including vascular and metabolic alterations, poisoning, trauma, etc).
3. Gait disturbances
Perceiving alterations in the dog's gait, which we could also define as changes or anomalies in its way of walking, may be a sign that our dog suffers from neurological problems. Generally we can see:
- Ataxia or incoordination: this type of gait disturbance in which the limbs lose their coordination, we can observe since the patient he leans to one side, that his course deviates, that when trying to walk his limbs cross or that he drags one of his limbs, he stumbles or is unable to perform a specific movement. This type of alteration can be due to lesions in different areas of the nervous system and it is important to locate it once again.
- Circling movement: is usually associated with other symptoms and may be due to lesions in multiple locations of the nervous system. It would not matter if the dog performs this movement during the game, before going to bed or on an occasional basis. But if we observe that when trying to walk he is only able to move by turning in one direction, he does it continuously and does not seem to control the movement, that is when he should worry us and go to the vet.
4. Altered Mental Status
In cases in which there is an alteration at the level of the Central Nervous System (brain or brainstem), it is common for the animal to present an altered mental state: we can see it listless, barely interacting with the environment, or he may stand with his head pressed against a wall or furniture (known as head pressing). There are very diverse manifestations
In general, a he althy animal will present an alert state (it responds appropriately to the stimuli present in the environment). If it is sick, it may present a mental state ranging from depressed (it will appear drowsy but awake, alternating periods of inactivity with others of brief activity), in a stupor (it appears asleep and only responds to nociceptive or painful stimuli) or comatose (the animal becomes unconscious and unresponsive to any stimuli), depending on severity; and may or may not come accompanied by other behavioral disturbances
5. Head tilted
May be accompanied by other symptoms, such as pathological strabismus or nystagmus (involuntary and repetitive movement of the eye, either horizontally, vertically or circularly and usually affects both eyes), circling, hearing loss or balance. It is very often associated with a lesion in the inner ear known as canine vestibular syndrome. If your dog is old age or has had severe otitis and you notice that he tilts his head, you should go to the vet to assess the condition of your animal and to carry out the diagnosis.
6. General tremors
If our dog exhibits tremors in non-physiological situations, that is, without it being cold or at rest, it should alert us and we must observe at what times it happens to him, if he presents other symptoms and with all the information go to our veterinarian. For this type of alteration, audiovisual support is very useful, such as making videos, to help in the diagnosis
7. Altered senses
In addition to everything mentioned, some signs of neurological problems in young, adult or elderly dogs, can be the alteration of the senses:
- Smell: the dog does not show interest in something unless it hears or sees it, it does not track, if we offer it a treat that they cannot see, they do not detect it or if we put a strong smell in front of them and that they do not usually like, such as vinegar, they do not show rejection. It may be a sign that the olfactory nerve is injured and should be seen by your vet.
- View: there are different nerves involved in it. If we suddenly detect that our animal does not seem to see properly (is more insecure when walking, collides with objects, trips on the steps, etc.), the veterinarian should perform a complete neurological and ophthalmological examination to find out the cause.
- Hearing: with age, our dog can lose hearing capacity due to degeneration of its structures. However, it can also be due to a neurological injury and once again, the causes can be diverse (what we have described above is known as vestibular syndrome) and will often be accompanied by alterations in balance, since both senses are closely related.
- Difficulty swallowing or licking may also respond to a neurological disorder. It may be accompanied by sialorrhea (excessive salivation) or facial asymmetry.
- Touch: an animal with a neurological injury at the spinal level can lose sensitivity, as well as motor skills. For example, you may have a wound from dragging a limb and show no discomfort or pain, we can touch a sensitive area without reacting, etc. However, the opposite can also happen, that is, an increase in sensitivity, a tingling sensation or neuropathic pain in which they can seriously self-harm.
What should I do if my dog has neurological problems?
If we have detected one or more of these signs of neurological diseases in our dog, it will be of vital importance Go to our veterinarian, who will evaluate the case and may refer us to a veterinarian specialized in neurology to carry out neurological tests on dogs that he considers pertinent.
