Hypovolemia and hypoxemia need to be recognised and addressed immediately. It is important not to focus initially on the patient's neurological status as many patients will be in a state of hypovolaemic shock following a head injury, which can exacerbate a depressed mentation. Initial physical assessment of the severely brain-injured patient focuses on imminently life threatening abnormalities. Many dogs and cats can recover from severe brain injuries if systemic and neurological abnormalities that can be treated are identified early enough.Īs with all types of acute injury, the "ABCs" (airway, breathing, cardiovascular status) of emergency care are extremely important. Treatment of affected animals must be immediate if the animal is to recover to a level that is both functional and acceptable to the owner. The appropriate therapy for head trauma patients remains controversial in veterinary medicine due to a lack of objective information on the treatment of dogs and cats with head injuries. Severe head trauma is associated with high mortality in human beings and animals.Although there is no standard of care for head trauma in human medicine, a series of guidelines have been developed centered around maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion (The Brain Trauma Foundation 2000). Books & VINcyclopedia of Diseases (Formerly Associate).VINcyclopedia of Diseases (Formerly Associate).If you notice behaviors such as stumbling, staggering, and falling down in your dog, please contact our Doraville vets right away. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet. Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. Other symptoms of encephalitis include fever and depression. Encephalitis can come about as a result of fungal infections, tick-borne diseases, and parasites, among other causes. Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) may cause a dog to stagger, stumble, or fall over. Other symptoms of a brain tumor depend on the location of the tumor and include changes in behavior and/or appetite, seizures, signs of pain, head tilt, swaying, a wide stance, lack of coordination, head tremors, flicking of the eye, and pacing. Brain Tumorīrain tumors sometimes occur in dogs, especially older ones, and can lead to staggering, stumbling and general loss of balance. If your dog is having a stroke, you may notice a loss of balance, head tilt, circling, falling down, and loss of vision. A stroke can be the result of blood clots, high blood pressure, hemorrhage, head trauma, kidney disease, or migrating worms. While strokes in dogs are fairly uncommon, they can happen. 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. It can be hard to tell if your dog is injured because dogs tend to mask pain. Injuries such as head trauma or damage to the inner ear can cause dogs to lose their balance. 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. Inner ear infections are a common cause of balance loss in dogs. Vestibular ataxia is the result of an issue with the inner ear or brainstem.Īlong with staggering, stumbling and falling over, signs of ataxia include head tilt, walking in circles, vomiting, nausea, and flicking of the eyes from side to side. Sensory ataxia is when the spinal cord becomes compressed due to a bulging intervertebral disk or a tumor. There are three kinds of ataxia seen commonly in dogs: cerebellar, sensory and vestibular.Ĭerebellar ataxia occurs when the cerebellum is damaged. AtaxiaĪtaxia is a condition relating to a sensory dysfunction that results in a loss of coordination in the head, limbs, or rear end. This means your dog requires immediate attention and you should get to a veterinary hospital right away. If your dog suddenly loses their sense of balance they could be suffering from any of the following serious health problems.
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