If your dog or cat has been stumbling or falling over, it may be caused by underlying medical issues. These can include infection, injury, poisoning, or stroke. Today, our Nashua vets discuss why your dog or cat may be staggering like they are drunk and what you should do if this happens.
Why is my cat or dog staggering?
If your cat or dog can't stand up or keeps falling over, they may suffer from severe health issues, some of which we'll explore in this post. This means your pet will need immediate emergency care and you should take them to a veterinary hospital as soon as possible.
Ataxia (Lack of Coordination)
Ataxia is a condition associated with sensory dysfunction in the nervous system and can lead to loss of coordination in the head, limbs, or back end. Pets can experience three different types of ataxia: cerebellar, vestibular, and sensory. A wide range of diseases can cause this condition.
Cerebellar ataxia is caused by damage to the cerebellum, while sensory ataxia results from the spinal cord being compressed due to a bulging intervertebral disc or tumor. An issue with the inner ear or brain stem causes vestibular ataxia.
Along with the stumbling, staggering, and falling over, we see with other health conditions, common symptoms of ataxia in cats and dogs include abnormal walking (taking large steps), weakness, swaying, and tremors in the head and body. You might also notice changes in behavior, lethargy, head tiling, lack of appetite, and difficulty hearing.
Cats with sudden onset ataxia often fall or roll to one side and experience significant nausea due to feeling unsteady. In contrast, cats with chronic ataxia will typically adjust over time and are less likely to suffer from nausea.
Ear Infection
Both dogs and cats can lose their balance due to middle or inner ear infections. If your pet has an ear infection, you may also notice flicking eyes, head shaking, walking in circles, scratching near the ear, and swelling, redness, odor, and discharge in or around the infected ear.
Injury
Head trauma, damage to the inner ear, and other injuries can cause pets to lose their balance. You may find it difficult to tell if your pet is injured since cats and dogs can mask pain well. Slowed reflexes, licking or biting a wounded area, heavy panting, reluctance to lie down or put pressure on a specific area, or change in appetite can all point to pain.
Brain Inflammation
Brain inflammation (encephalitis) can cause an animal to fall over or stagger. Tick-borne diseases, fungal infections, and parasites can cause this condition. Head tilt to either side, seizures, fever, decreased consciousness, depression, and facial paralysis are other common symptoms of encephalitis.
Brain Tumor
Older pets may be especially vulnerable to brain tumors, which can lead to staggering, stumbling or general loss of balance. Other symptoms of a brain tumor will vary depending on the tumor's location and include changes in appetite or behavior, signs of pain, seizures, swaying, a wide stance, head tilting or tremors, pacing, flicking of the eye and lack of coordination.
Stroke
While strokes in dogs are fairly uncommon, they can occur. In cats, strokes are most commonly diagnosed in kitties that are around nine years old. They seem to occur less frequently in pets than in people. They can be the result of high blood pressure, hemorrhage, blood clots, rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, migrating worms, head trauma or other serious disorders.
If your dog is staggering like he is drunk, he may have had a stroke. Stroke symptoms in pets can also include circling, unsteadiness while walking, unequal pupil sizes, abnormal eye movements, loss of vision or balance, falling, head pressing (potentially due to a headache), altered mental state, muscle spasms or head tilt.
Treatment For Dogs & Cats Who Keep Falling Over
If your pet can't walk or stand and is staggering or falling over, take them to the vet as soon as possible. One of our veterinarians can diagnose the issue and recommend a treatment option depending on the problem.
Your vet will perform an examination, discuss your concerns, and ask questions about any signs or symptoms you've seen. Your vet will likely request diagnostic tests to help diagnose the cause of your pet's symptoms. These tests may often include bloodwork and imaging, like X-rays.
Once your veterinarian has diagnosed your dog or cat's condition and the cause, they will recommend the appropriate course of action depending on the location and type of ataxia.
Your companion may require care for any underlying conditions and symptoms related to their primary condition. Some of these supportive treatments may include intravenous fluid to help treat dehydration, medication to help alleviate nausea and vomiting or surgical intervention.
When to Seek Emergency Care for Your Pet
Any pet that is staggering, stumbling or falling over requires immediate veterinary attention since they may be suffering from pain and other symptoms, and their life may be in danger. Time may be a critical factor in their survival and prognosis.
If you are experiencing an emergency with your pet during regular hours, contact us for more information. Other local hospitals provide emergency care after hours. If your pet sees our Nashua vets, we can diagnose the issue and provide compassionate care and treatment. We may also recommend follow-up care or make referrals to experienced specialists.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.