TL;DR: Ataxia is a lack of coordination that makes dogs appear "drunk" when walking; while it typically requires a veterinary exam within 24 hours, seek emergency care immediately if it is accompanied by collapse or breathing difficulties.
What is ataxia and what does it look like in dogs?
Ataxia is a medical term used to describe a lack of muscle coordination that results in an abnormal gait. To an owner, it often looks like the dog is 'walking drunk,' swaying, or stumbling. This lack of coordination is typically caused by a dysfunction in the nervous system, specifically affecting the brain, the inner ear (vestibular system), or the spinal cord.
Is my dog's "drunk walking" a medical emergency?
- The urgency level for a dog walking with ataxia is generally classified as Medium, requiring a veterinary evaluation within 24 hours.
- While not always a life-threatening emergency, it is a significant neurological sign.
- Seek emergency care immediately if the stumbling is accompanied by difficulty breathing, collapse, or extreme lethargy.
How do photos and videos help a veterinarian triage my dog's ataxia?
- Capturing a video of your dog's 'drunk' walking is one of the most helpful tools you can provide because neurological symptoms can come and go.
- A video allows the veterinary team to see the exact nature of the movement, such as which legs are affected or if there is a head tilt.
- Visual evidence helps the team prioritize your pet's case and narrows down potential causes during the initial triage process.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Canine ataxia, presenting as a "drunk-like" gait, can stem from various etiologies, including cerebellar disorders. Cerebellar abiotrophies manifest as progressive cerebellar ataxia, intention tremor, hypermetria, and potential loss of menace response. Onset varies by breed: at the onset of ambulation in Samoyeds and Beagles; between 4-16 weeks in Australian Kelpies, Rough-coated Collies, and Kerry Blue Terriers; and in young or mature adults in Brittany Spaniels, Old English Sheepdogs, and Gordon Setters. A selective hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis, sometimes associated with hydrocephalus and cystic dilatation of the fourth ventricle (Dandy-Walker syndrome), can also cause ataxia, tremors, and hypermetria; Toy Fox Terriers are predisposed. Bandera syndrome, a cerebellar ataxia present from birth, affects Coton de Tulear dogs, although the cerebellum is anatomically normal; a DNA test is available. Fucosidosis in English Springer Spaniels can cause ataxia, personality change, dysphonia, dysphagia, hearing/visual deficits, and seizures, progressing from 6 to >24 months of age; a DNA-based blood test is available, but prognosis is poor. Unlike cerebellar hypoplasia which is congenital and non-progressive, abiotrophies present after a period of normalcy and then progress.
Chapter: Neurology, Genetics
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1235)