What is Wobbling?
A loss of coordination can cause wobbling in your dog. You may see your dog sway, drift, or stagger, or use a wide stance to keep upright. There are many reasons why your dog could lose his balance and wobble, including:
- Disorientation
- Spinal cord problems
- Muscle weakness
- Gait problems
- Inner ear problems
- Brain condition
- Canine distemper
- Dehydration
- Anemia
Why Wobbling Occurs in Dogs
Why your dog may be wobbling has to do with the cause of the incoordination he is experiencing.
Disorientation
Disorientation is an altered state where your dog’s direction is lost. It can occur as a result of many conditions that affect the central nervous system or inner ear. Age related dementia can also affect your dog, causing him to become confused even in familiar places.
Spinal Cord Problems
Many conditions that can occur to the spinal cord can affect your dog’s balance and coordination. These can include bulging disks, tumors, infections, inflammation, trauma, and diseases such as degenerative myelopathy that can result in paralysis. Wobbler syndrome affects the spine in the neck area, and causes a wobbly gait that is especially seen when the affected dog walks slowly, or on slippery floors.
Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness and atrophy can result from many conditions, and can cause dogs to be wobbly and unbalanced. Myasthenia gravis causes a disruption in electrical signals from the nerves to the muscles, while myositis is an inflammation of muscle tissue that can result in an inability to walk.
Gait Problems
Many injuries and malfunctions in the nerves and muscles of the limbs and feet can result in a loss of balance and incoordination, or ataxia. Such conditions as a ruptured cruciate ligament, hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, or osteochondritis dissecans can cause pain that can influence your dog’s ability to walk.
Inner Ear Problems
The inner ear is where the sense of balance originates, and when it is damaged, that balance can be lost. Infections, inflammation, tumors, and trauma to this sensitive area can cause your dog to be shaky and uncoordinated. When the inner ear is functioning abnormally, or a disruption is caused by the brainstem, it is often referred to as a vestibular syndrome.
Brain Condition
Brain tumors, infections, and inflammation can affect your dog’s ability to balance and walk properly, as well as affect nerve function. Abnormalities in the cerebellum and degenerative changes that can occur due to disease and old age can also affect nerve function.
Canine Distemper
Distemper is a highly contagious viral infection that your dog can catch from contact with infected animals. The virus affects the nervous system, resulting in twitches, seizures, and eventually, paralysis.
Dehydration
When the body loses too much water, it can cause water levels to become dangerously low. As the body compensates by drawing water from individual cells, essential electrolytes are lost. This can severely affect muscle function. Dehydration can also occur from high levels of sugar, as the body increases urination in an attempt to balance those levels.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition where the amount of circulating red blood cells are significantly reduced. Red blood cells transport oxygen to all the cells of the body, including those in the muscles. If there aren’t enough red blood cells to take the oxygen to the muscles, then those cells become starved and weaken. Anemia can also affect the brain and cause disorientation and dizziness.
What to do if your Dog is Wobbling
If your dog is wobbling, you may need to monitor him. If it does not pass on its own and continues for a period of time, he may be suffering from a serious condition.
Your veterinarian will need to know about any other symptoms you may have noticed besides the incoordination, and may ask you questions about your dog’s feeding and elimination habits, exposure to sick animals, or if he has had any injuries. A complete physical and neurological exam will be performed, along with blood and urine tests, imaging techniques such as MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans. Muscle and nerve biopsies, and cerebrospinal fluid, may be taken and analyzed.
Diagnostic testing should reveal the cause of your dog’s instability, and treatment should follow accordingly. Dehydration and electrolyte loss often only needs fluid therapy to replace what is missing. Inner ear infections can be cleared up through the use of antibiotics. Many muscle, nerve, and brain conditions may need surgery, depending on the severity. Tumors can be treated through surgical removal, chemotherapy, or radiation. If canine distemper is found to be affecting your dog, medications to control digestive and neurological symptoms can be administered, as well as other supportive therapies. Pain medications are also given as needed for many conditions.
A dog affected by a chronic wobbling or instability can benefit from small environmental changes that can help him stay balanced, such as non-slippery surfaces and the removal of obstacles.
Prevention of Wobbling
Many of the conditions that can lead to a loss of balance are not predictable. Routine check-ups can help you to catch any conditions before they progress beyond the point of treatment. To ensure your dog does not become dehydrated, always have water available for him to drink, and report an excessive increase in urination to your veterinarian. Getting your dog vaccinated for canine distemper is the best way to protect him from this fatal virus.
Cost of Wobbling
A wobbling dog who is suffering from a loss of coordination may need treatment that will vary depending on the cause. Treatment for canine distemper for example, could cost as much as $1800 while costs for Wobbler syndrome could be approximately $4000. Generally, most treatments can range from $100 to $3000.
Wobbling Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Has Symptoms
Buttons seems normal for the most part except that she keeps having episodes of wobbliness. I've seen her get wobbly in exactly this way when she has stolen marijuana edibles in the past and gotten high; however, her owner swears she could not have gotten any this time. She is able to walk and even run, apparently just fine, but when she sits up she wobbles around and seems to have trouble sitting upright. Looks strikingly similar to a drunk person. Even when lying down her head bobbles back and forth a little bit. I just noticed her mouth is slightly open, too, as if she's breathing through her mouth instead of her nose, although her nose does not seem to be stuffy. There is no discharge. Her nose is dry but not too warm.
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My labradoodle (55lbs) is almost 13 years old. She is up to date on vaccinations, goes on regular walks, has a strong appetite and is generally in great condition. Last night, I noticed she didn't hear me call her for dinner (meals are her favorite), and then this morning I am noticing she is appears a little wobbly/dizzy. We went out for our usual walk and she seemed normal/happy, but occasionally she missed a step or appeared to lose her balance while walking, but then was able to continue on. She loves her inner ears to be rubbed, and they appear clean and in good condition. My plan is to watch her carefully for a couple days, and if the condition persists, I will take her to the vet. But, any ideas what could have caused these symptoms? Any suggestions for at home 'remedies' or soothing medicinals?
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Bella, a teacup chihuahua . 3 days ago she started having muscle weakness in her right front leg and right rear leg. When she tries to walk she wobbles and falls over. The front paw just flops if you pick it up like she has no control over it.
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MrMan presented with back nails scraping while walking. Next he began to stumble occasionally. Now when he stands he crouches down and tail is lowered and he seems wobbly. Symptoms are better some days. Vet did exam and X-ray that did not reveal a problem. Thought it was bulging disc in neck. Prescribed dexaMethasone for 14 days. Finished today. Symptoms the same but now seems to be constpated. Still passing stools but small each time and with effort. I have added pumpkin and wet food to diet. Now what should I do? He does not seem to be in pain. Never cries out and eats and drinks well. Interacts with us and other dog. Thanks
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My pug who is very hyper all the time all of sudden started wobbling? I got home from work and I noticed she didn’t look the same, her nose is super dry and she isn’t interested in good or drinking any water. I’m really scared about this issue because it’s the very time this has happened?
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Kato seemed normal then suddenly appeared to have vertigo, stumbled away and threw up, noticed what appears to be small black pebbles in his vomit (not sure if he may have eaten them or if they are a symptom) and that it smelled worse then 'normal'. He now seems lethargic and will not drink water or eat ice cubes (a favorite treat). Vertigo seems to have subsided but he still seems lethargic and his gait appears off.
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My dog just discontinued gabapentin and tramadol on Sunday night was the last dose. She is still on Duramax but she had a pulled muscle in her leg on the back left side and because of that was compensating on the front right side, so they had put her on the pain meds for that and the pain meds severely sedated her where she couldn’t even walk. They started to do the laser light therapy with her but she is still weak and wobbly not as bad but still somewhat since discontinuing the two meds and my question is is that normal
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Why is my dog swaying/wobbling? He has randomly started to sway out of no where and he seems like he is dizzy , I gave him water to see if he was dehydrated. Please help me.
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My Cocker Spaniel started wobbling a week ago. It starts as a slight wobble, he puts his head down and keeps sniffing the ground. He has a hard time standing. He was also running a high fever. We took him to the vet and they gave IV for dehydration, fever reducer and enrofloxacin for broad antibiotic. He was fine for a week. He is still on his antibiotic, yet it seems to be happening again.
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Kato seemed normal then suddenly appeared to have vertigo, stumbled away and threw up, noticed what appears to be small black pebbles in his vomit (not sure if he may have eaten then or if they are a symptom) and that it smelled worse then 'normal'. He now seems lethargic and will not drink water or eat ice cubes (a favorite treat). Vertigo seems to have subsided but he still seems lethargic and his gait appears off.
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My dog is swaying a lot and stumbling. She loses her balance and has a very hard time walking. She's been on prednisone for over a year and it doesn't seem to be helping. I rescued her from the humane society just over a year ago. She was found in a bank yard tired to a tree with no food, water or shelter. I really need help. I don't want to have to put her down and I don't have much money
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I have taken her to different vets and no one seems to know what it is. She was so wobbly this morning she fell over and hit her head in the wall. It's so sad and hard to watch her and look at her. I was reading about Wobbler Syndrome and a lot of the symptoms are what Riley has. Do you think an xray would show anything at all as to what's wrong with her?
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Hi
A lady is selling a puppy peke that was starved of oxygen at birth he seems happy and healthy apart from he has wobbly coordination and seems slower in his manner. He rolls over onto his back and Off balance. But he is full of energy. Could he have gait from being starved from oxygen or would this be a neurology problem
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my daucshound has suddenly started wobbling and dragging her back two legs. she has thrown up this morning. i have checked to see if her legs are hurt but she does not squell when i check her. she was fine until yesterday so this happened suddenly
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This seems to mirror what my neighbors dog is experiencing. He is a pug/chihuahua/ daschund (and other ones we don't know) mix and he is under a year old. Today he started doing the shaking and being wobbly. He will still walk fine but he threw up a couple times and seems to have bladder weakness. The owner does do marijuana (both smoking and edibles) but he is usually very diligent on cleaning so it is unlikely but totally possible he could have gotten into something. It all started about an hour ago This dog is a dog that will eat ANYTHING. So I told him just keep an eye on him for now. If he gets worse off to the vet we go.