What Is Unstable Gait in Puppies?

Getting a puppy is usually a joyous and exciting time. Watching your little pup happily frolicking outdoors is one of the most pleasurable aspects of puppy ownership, so you have cause to be concerned if you notice that your pet is wobbling or walking with difficulty. Uneven or unstable gait can be caused by a number of conditions, and it's often an indicator that your puppy needs immediate medical attention.

  1. Wobbler's Syndrome

    • A condition of the cervical (neck) vertebrae which causes wobbly or unsteady gait in a dog, along with pain and weakness, is called Wobbler Syndrome, or spondylolithesis. The pain and unsteadiness that the disorder produces can manifest itself as clumsiness, walking with a drunken appearance, paralysis of the hind legs or front legs, or an unwillingness to move the neck, notes Audrey Pavia, a freelance writer and former managing editor of "Dog Fancy" magazine. Male great danes and doberman pinschers are highly susceptible to the disorder; great dane puppies have been diagnosed as early as 10 to 18 months. Yet, other dogs, including boxers, Rhodesian ridgebacks and samoyeds also have developed the condition.

    Canine Hip Dysplasia

    • Canine hip dysplasia affects more than 50% of large dog breeds, according to the Baker Institute for Animal Health at Cornell University. Some of the breeds that are most susceptible include German shepherds, Bernese mountain dogs, boxers, great danes, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, mastiffs, Siberian huskies, rotweillers and Saint Bernards; puppies that develop canine hip dysplasia are most likely to do so between the ages of four months and one year. The disorder produces a wide range of symptoms. In puppies, unsteadiness may look like wobbling, weaving, or a waddling gait. Furthermore, the condition creates weak or underdeveloped hindquarters, since dogs often put most of their weight on their forelimbs and the front of their body.

    Hemi-Vertebrae

    • Even though conditions that cause unsteadiness are most prevalent in larger breeds of dogs, smaller dogs can also develop such ailments. For instance, pugs are prone to hemi-vertebrae. According to the Pug Dog Club of America, this condition, which involves the spinal vertebrae, produces symptoms including unstable gait, staggering, incoordination and weakness. This grave disorder can even cause paralysis, as it is a degenerative disease. Hemi-vertebrae is common in what are known as "short-faced" breeds, including bulldogs, French bulldogs and pugs, and usually affects puppies between four and six months of age.

    Poisoning

    • Dr. Jennifer Gyles, a veterinarian specializing in emergency care, states that unsteadiness may be a symptom of poisoning. If unstable gait is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, abdominal pain, hyper-excitability, convulsions or weakness, take your pet to a veterinary hospital emergency room immediately.