Seeing our dog staggering while trying to walk is a worrying situation that should immediately alert us. There is no single cause, hence the importance of an early diagnosis, which should always be carried out by our reference veterinarian.
In this article on our site we explain the possible causes of your dog's wobbling when walking, as well as thetherapeutic options that can be managed and the prognosis. Read on to find out Why your dog wobbles when walking :
Poisonings
In the first place, whatever the cause, it is important to identify whether the symptoms appear sudden or gradual When we are faced with a disease, it is also important to take into account the age of the affected dog. Ingestion or simple contact with a toxic product is capable of causing a clinical picture in which our dog's wobbly gait would be found, along with other symptoms such as the following:
- Nystagmus: rhythmic eye movements.
- Hypersalivation.
- Incoordination: The dog wanders as if he has lost control of his body, with strange and wobbly movements
- Tics: involuntary and repetitive movements.
- Vomiting and diarrhea, sometimes.
It is impossible to summarize in this article the number of substances that can cause poisoning in dogs. Just point out that its effect will depend on the causative product, the amount ingested, the size of the animal and the time elapsed since contact with the poison.
Also note that, in addition to toxic products that are also toxic to humans, substances that we use and habitually consume can be fatal to dogs, for example, some human medications (remember that you should not never medicate without veterinary prescription), some common plants, such as pothos or even foods as widespread as chocolate.
So, if our dog staggers when walking, we should fly him to the vet. It's an emergency The prognosis will depend on the speed of action, in addition to the rest of the factors that we have mentioned, such as the type of poison or the amount ingested. Very important: if we know what the poison is, let's take a sample to the clinic
Hernias
Another cause that can cause our dog's wobbly gait is the appearance of a herniated disc, spinal cord pathology which, Broadly speaking, it consists of the protrusion of an intervertebral disc. Depending on its location in the spine, it can cause our dog to walk wobbly, with difficulty holding on to its hind legs.
This problem may appear as a result of such as that produced by a run over or a heavy fall and will manifest itself suddenly or gradually. Veterinary assistance is required for evaluation and establishment of treatment. This and the prognosis will depend on the affected vertebrae. She needs rest, anti-inflammatory and, in some cases, surgery
The Shaking Dog Syndrome is another disease caused by understanding the marrow. Loss of coordination in the hind legs and a shaky gait are the main symptom. This disease, also called cervical spondylomyelopathy, usually affects breeds such as the Dobermann or the Great Dane. It is caused by a hernia or malformation. As we already mentioned for hernias, the treatment may require surgery, at the discretion of the veterinarian.
Myasthenia
Luckily, myasthenia is a very rare disease caused by a deficit in the receptors of nerve endings In this way it is impair nerve impulses and the result is generalized muscle weakness, most evident in the hind legs. Affected dogs wobble when walking. The diagnosis includes neurological tests and the veterinarian must prescribe the appropriate treatment to solve our dog's staggering when walking.
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome
If our dog is already a geriatric animal (from approximately 10 years of age, although it depends on the breed) that wobbles when walking may be due to a syndrome of cognitive dysfunction. To get an idea, it would be similar to a human Alzheimer's The cause is brain alterations that deteriorate mental faculties. In the same way as Alzheimer's, Its progress is progressive Among the symptoms that can alert us to this condition are the following:
- Disorientation, both when locating in space and when recognizing family members.
- Modification of activity and sleep patterns, generally the dog will sleep more but less at night. He will also wander, walk in circles, restless, stiff, shaky, or weak.
- Cleanliness habits suffer and you may urinate or defecate at home.
- "Strange" behaviors such as repeatedly swallowing without having anything in the mouth or approaching the drinking fountain and "pretending" to drink.
All these signs do not always correspond to a syndrome of cognitive dysfunction, sometimes they can be symptoms of diseases, such as kidney failure, so you should always consult your veterinarian about any changes.
