Why is my dog clumsy

Injuries such as head trauma or damage to the inner ear can cause dogs to lose their balance. It can be hard to tell if your dog is injured because dogs tend to mask pain. Signs that indicate a dog is in pain include heavy panting, slowed reflexes, change in appetite, enlarged pupils, biting or licking the wounded area, anxiety, and reluctance to lie down.

While strokes in dogs are fairly uncommon, they can happen. A stroke can be the result of blood clots, high blood pressure, hemorrhage, head trauma, kidney disease, or migrating worms.

If your dog is having a stroke, you may notice a loss of balance, head tilt, circling, falling down, and loss of vision. Brain tumors sometimes occur in dogs, especially older ones, and can lead to staggering, stumbling and general loss of balance. Inflammation of the brain encephalitis may cause a dog to stagger, stumble, or fall over.

Encephalitis can come about as a result of fungal infections, tick-borne diseases, and parasites, among other causes. Other symptoms of encephalitis include fever and depression. Hillman, Dr. Miller, and all MVS staff are fantastic! They all have gone above and beyond for our precious Peteie! Vestibular ataxia is the result of an issue with the inner ear or brainstem. Cerebellar ataxia occurs when the cerebellum is damaged.

Sensory ataxia is when the spinal cord becomes compressed due to a bulging intervertebral disk or a tumor. As well as staggering, stumbling and falling over, signs of ataxia include flicking of the eyes from side to side, head tilt, walking in circles, vomiting, and nausea.

Inner ear infections are a common cause of balance loss in dogs. If your dog has an ear infection, you may also notice additional symptoms like head shaking and scratching, walking in circles, and eye flicking, as well as redness, swelling, discharge, and odor in or around the affected ear.

Head trauma, injury or damage to the inner ear can cause balance issues in dogs. It can be difficult to tell if a dog is injured because dogs tend to be very good at masking pain.

Signs and symptoms of pain in dogs include heavy panting, slowed reflexes, change in appetite, enlarged pupils, biting or licking the wounded area, reluctance to lie down, and anxiety. Strokes in dogs are fairly uncommon, nonetheless, they can happen.

At Carolina Veterinary Specialists , we accept new clients to our specialty services by referral only. Why is my dog shaking and losing his balance? If your dog is in need of urgent veterinary care visit our emergency animal hospital in Winston-Salem. At Carolina Veterinary Specialists, our emergency vets are here to care for your pet when you need them, including late nights, weekends or holidays.

If your dog has been diagnosed with a serious medical condition that requires specialist veterinary care , ask your vet for a referral to our team of veterinary specialists.

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