What this means
A dog can wobble for many different reasons: the ear, the brain, the spinal cord or a general illness. It is therefore worth looking closely at how exactly it moves: whether it plants the legs wide apart, overshoots with a foot, buckles, or tilts its head to one side.
Write down how quickly it appeared. A wobble that began suddenly, especially with a tilted head or moving eyes, needs prompt examination. Some dogs show an unsteady gait from birth or from a young age, which comes from the part of the brain that handles coordination.
Note whether the wobble comes only after exercise or is there all the time. Sometimes it looks like weakness or stumbling after long or intense running and then passes, but that too should be shown to a vet. A video of the gait helps a great deal.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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A coordination disorder of the cerebellum
The part of the brain that controls the accuracy of movement may work poorly from a young age. The dog plants the legs wide, overreaches with a step or trembles when trying to move precisely.
About the condition: Cerebellar ataxia -
Squeezing of the spinal cord in the neck
Changes in the neck part of the spine can cause an unsteady, swaying gait, most clearly in the hind legs. Sometimes the neck is stiff or sore as well.
About the condition: Wobbler syndrome -
Inflammation of the ear
The inner ear helps maintain balance, so a problem there can cause swaying or a head tilt. Scratching at the ear, a smell or discharge is often noticed too.
About the condition: Ear infections -
Collapse after exercise
Some dogs begin to sway or collapse after intense play or running, even though they looked well beforehand. It happens during exercise or soon after and passes.
About the condition: Exercise-induced collapse -
Other nervous system or general illness
Other nervous system problems or a serious general illness can also cause swaying. Only a vet can find the exact cause.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether the wobble began suddenly or grew gradually
- Whether your dog tilts the head to one side or the eyes flick from side to side
- Whether your dog plants the legs wide or overreaches with a foot
- Whether the ears smell, discharge or your dog scratches them
- Whether the wobble comes only after running or play
- Whether your dog is also vomiting, off its food or dull
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your dog's gait stays unsteady for more than a day, keeps coming back or is getting worse. If the wobble began suddenly, your dog cannot stand or you see other nervous system signs, go straight away.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Cerebellar ataxia Nerves and muscles Cerebellar ataxia is a loss of coordination caused by damage to the cerebellum, the part of the brain that fine-tunes movement and helps keep balance. In dogs it can be inherited and appear in puppyhood or adulthood, but the cerebellum can also be affected by other causes, such as inflammation or a tumour. Strength may be preserved, yet movements become imprecise and poorly coordinated.
- Wobbler syndrome Bones and joints This is a condition in which changes in the neck vertebrae or the discs between them narrow the spinal canal and press on the spinal cord. This disrupts the nerve signals to the legs, and the dog starts to walk unsteadily. It can get worse gradually, but sometimes it worsens suddenly.
- Ear infections Ears and hearing An ear infection is inflammation of the ear canal kept going by bacteria or yeast, which can be started by an allergy, a foreign body such as a grass seed, ear mites or trapped moisture. An inflamed ear itches and hurts, and long-lasting or repeated inflammation can change the ear canal for good. That is why it matters not only to calm the inflammation but also to find out what set it off.
- Exercise-induced collapse Nerves and muscles Exercise-induced collapse is an inherited disorder in which, after intense and exciting exercise, a dog's hind legs suddenly weaken and it can no longer walk. Between episodes the dog seems completely healthy and it recovers after rest. A genetic test exists, so breeders can screen their breeding dogs.
- Rabies Infections Rabies is a viral disease of the nervous system that a dog catches when it is bitten by an infected animal. It is dangerous to animals and to people alike. If your dog has been bitten by a wild or unknown animal, or its behaviour has changed so suddenly that you suspect rabies, phone a vet immediately.
Body systems: Nerves and muscles Bones and joints Ears and hearing Infections