Why Is My Dog Wobbly And Throwing Up: Causes & What To Do

When your beloved dog is wobbly and throwing up, it’s a distressing sight. This combination of symptoms can signal a range of issues, from mild stomach upset to serious neurological conditions. What are the main reasons for this combination of signs, and what steps should you take to help your furry friend?

The primary reasons your dog is wobbly and throwing up often involve pet gastrointestinal upset coupled with neurological symptoms in dogs. These can stem from infections, dietary indiscretions, toxins, underlying diseases affecting the brain or inner ear, or even internal parasites. It’s crucial to seek veterinary attention promptly to diagnose the specific cause and implement the correct treatment.

This comprehensive guide will delve into the various potential causes for a dog’s wobbliness and vomiting, explain key terms like canine ataxia and vestibular disease in dogs, and outline the crucial steps you should take to ensure your dog gets the best care.

Why Is My Dog Wobbly And Throwing Up
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Deciphering the Wobbles: Causes of Canine Ataxia and Dog Balance Issues

A wobbly gait, known medically as canine ataxia, is a sign that your dog’s nervous system isn’t coordinating movement properly. This can affect different parts of the nervous system, leading to a variety of balance issues.

Types of Canine Ataxia

Cerebellar Ataxia: This occurs when the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for fine motor control and balance, is affected. Dogs may exhibit jerky, uncoordinated movements, tremors, and a wide-legged stance.
Spinal Ataxia: Damage to the spinal cord can disrupt the signals between the brain and the limbs. This can result in weakness, paralysis, and a dragging of the hind limbs.
Vestibular Ataxia: This is related to the vestibular system, located in the inner ear and brainstem, which controls balance and spatial orientation.

Common Causes of Dog Balance Issues

Several factors can lead to a dog experiencing dog balance issues:

Vestibular Disease in Dogs

Vestibular disease in dogs is a common culprit for sudden onset of wobbliness, often accompanied by a characteristic dog head tilt. The vestibular system’s job is to tell the brain where the body is in space. When it malfunctions, it’s like a faulty compass.

Idiopathic Vestibular Disease: Often referred to as “old dog vestibular disease,” this is the most common form and typically affects older dogs. The cause is unknown, but it can resolve on its own within a few weeks, though the head tilt may persist.
Infections: Ear infections (otitis interna or media) can spread to the inner ear and affect the vestibular system.
Toxins: Certain medications or ingested toxins can damage the vestibular nerves.
Tumors: Tumors in the brain or near the inner ear can press on vestibular pathways.
Trauma: Head injuries can disrupt the vestibular apparatus.

Symptoms of vestibular disease can include:

Head tilt (often to one side)
Nystagmus (involuntary rapid eye movements)
Loss of balance, falling or leaning to one side
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite
Disorientation

Neurological Conditions

Beyond vestibular issues, other neurological symptoms in dogs can cause wobbliness:

Brain Tumors: These can affect various brain regions, leading to a wide range of neurological signs including ataxia, seizures, and behavioral changes.
Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD): This condition affects the spinal cord. If the discs in the neck or back are affected, it can lead to severe dog weakness, paralysis, and ataxia, particularly in the hind limbs.
Encephalitis/Meningitis: Inflammation of the brain or its surrounding membranes, often caused by infections (viral, bacterial, fungal), can result in severe neurological signs, including wobbliness, fever, and seizures.
Stroke: Like in humans, dogs can experience strokes, which can cause sudden neurological deficits, including ataxia and weakness.
Distemper: This highly contagious viral disease can cause severe neurological signs in unvaccinated puppies, including a characteristic “chewing gum fits” tremor and ataxia.

Other Causes of Wobbliness

Metabolic Disorders: Conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, or liver disease can cause metabolic imbalances that affect brain function and lead to wobbliness and other neurological signs. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is particularly dangerous and can cause wobbliness and collapse, especially in puppies or small breeds.
Age-Related Degeneration: As dogs age, they can experience some degree of cognitive decline or joint issues that might contribute to a less stable gait.
Injuries: A sprained leg, hip dysplasia, or other orthopedic injuries can make a dog appear wobbly as they try to compensate for pain or instability.

The Vomiting Puzzle: Causes of Dog Nausea and Pet Gastrointestinal Upset

Dog vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents. It’s a common symptom with a vast array of potential causes of dog nausea. When combined with wobbliness, it points towards a more systemic issue.

Gastrointestinal Issues

The most direct cause of vomiting is related to the stomach and intestines.

Dietary Indiscretions: Dogs are notorious for eating things they shouldn’t – garbage, spoiled food, non-food items (like socks or toys). This can lead to irritation, inflammation, or even obstruction of the digestive tract.
Food Allergies or Intolerances: Some dogs may vomit after eating a particular ingredient they are sensitive to.
Gastroenteritis: This is inflammation of the stomach and intestines, often caused by viruses (like parvovirus, especially in puppies), bacteria, or parasites.
Intestinal Obstruction: If a dog swallows a foreign object that gets stuck in their stomach or intestines, it can cause severe vomiting, abdominal pain, and dog weakness as they can’t absorb nutrients. This is a life-threatening emergency.
Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas can cause severe vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, and sometimes a hunched posture.

Systemic Illnesses Causing Vomiting

Many diseases that affect other organs can also manifest as vomiting because the body tries to expel toxins or deal with systemic imbalances.

Kidney Disease: When kidneys fail to filter waste products, toxins build up in the bloodstream, leading to nausea, vomiting, and general malaise.
Liver Disease: Similar to kidney disease, liver dysfunction can cause a buildup of toxins, resulting in vomiting.
Diabetes Mellitus: Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition causing vomiting, lethargy, and dehydration.
Infections (Systemic): Infections anywhere in the body, if severe enough, can make a dog feel unwell, leading to nausea and vomiting as their system fights the illness.
Cancer: Various types of cancer, especially those affecting the abdomen, can cause vomiting and weight loss.

Toxins and Poisons

Ingesting toxic substances is a significant cause of both vomiting and neurological symptoms.

Household Cleaners: Many cleaning products are highly toxic if ingested.
Pesticides and Herbicides: Garden chemicals can cause severe poisoning.
Certain Plants: Many common houseplants are toxic to dogs.
Human Foods: Chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and artificial sweeteners (like xylitol) are highly toxic to dogs.
Medications: Accidental ingestion of human or pet medications can be very dangerous.

Internal Parasites

While less common for causing acute wobbliness, severe infestations of internal parasite symptoms can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and general weakness.

Roundworms, Hookworms, Whipworms: These common intestinal parasites can irritate the gut, steal nutrients, and in heavy infestations, can even cause blockages or migration that leads to more serious issues.
Protozoa (e.g., Giardia, Coccidia): These microscopic parasites can cause significant gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting and diarrhea.

The Dangerous Duo: When Wobbliness and Vomiting Combine

When a dog exhibits both wobbliness and vomiting, it suggests that a more serious underlying issue is at play, likely affecting both the digestive and nervous systems, or a systemic illness impacting multiple body functions.

Here are scenarios where these symptoms frequently appear together:

Vestibular Disease: As mentioned, vestibular disease in dogs directly causes balance issues (wobbliness) and often triggers nausea and vomiting due to the disruption of the inner ear’s signaling.
Toxin Ingestion: Many poisons can affect both the brain (causing neurological signs like wobbliness) and the gastrointestinal tract (causing vomiting as the body tries to expel the substance or due to irritation).
Severe Infections: Systemic infections like distemper, certain types of encephalitis, or severe bacterial infections can lead to widespread inflammation, affecting the nervous system and causing a general feeling of sickness that includes vomiting.
Metabolic Crises: Conditions like severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis can profoundly affect brain function, causing wobbliness, and simultaneously disrupt metabolic processes, leading to vomiting.
Intestinal Obstruction or Severe Gastroenteritis: While primarily gastrointestinal, severe pain and dehydration from these conditions can sometimes indirectly impact neurological function, or the underlying cause might have systemic effects. For example, a blockage can lead to severe electrolyte imbalances.
Certain Neurological Diseases: Diseases affecting the brainstem, which houses the vestibular nuclei and plays a role in vomiting reflexes, can cause both symptoms.
Heatstroke: Overheating can damage the brain and other organs, leading to neurological signs like wobbliness, collapse, and gastrointestinal distress including vomiting.

Recognizing Other Neurological Symptoms in Dogs

Beyond wobbliness, other neurological symptoms in dogs that might accompany vomiting include:

Head tilt: Often seen with vestibular disease.
Nystagmus: Rapid, involuntary eye movements.
Tremors or Seizures: Uncontrolled shaking or convulsions.
Weakness or Paralysis: Inability to move limbs properly, or complete loss of function.
Behavioral Changes: Confusion, disorientation, lethargy, or sudden aggression.
Vision Changes: Blindness or difficulty tracking objects.
Loss of Coordination: Difficulty with fine motor skills.

What To Do When Your Dog Is Wobbly and Throwing Up

Immediate Veterinary Attention is Paramount. This combination of symptoms is rarely a “wait and see” situation. Your dog needs a professional diagnosis.

Steps to Take Immediately:

Contact Your Veterinarian: Call your vet immediately. Describe the symptoms clearly: when they started, how severe they are, and any other changes you’ve noticed (e.g., changes in appetite, urination, defecation, behavior). They will advise you on whether to bring your dog in right away or if there are specific first-aid steps you can take.
Do Not Induce Vomiting Unless Advised: While vomiting might seem like the body trying to expel something bad, inducing it without veterinary guidance can be dangerous, especially if your dog has neurological signs or a suspected obstruction.
Prevent Further Injury: If your dog is very wobbly, create a safe, confined space for them. Remove any stairs or furniture they could fall off. Keep them away from other pets or children who might inadvertently knock them over.
Withhold Food and Water (Temporarily, If Advised): Your vet might suggest withholding food and water for a short period to try and prevent further vomiting before your appointment. However, this depends entirely on the suspected cause. Always follow your vet’s specific instructions. Dehydration can quickly become a serious problem, so you’ll need their guidance on rehydration.
Gather Information: If you suspect your dog ate something they shouldn’t have, try to identify what it was and how much. Bring any packaging or samples with you to the vet.

At the Veterinary Clinic: Diagnostic Process

Your veterinarian will perform a thorough examination and may recommend various diagnostic tests to pinpoint the cause:

Physical and Neurological Examination

Overall Health Check: The vet will assess your dog’s hydration, temperature, heart rate, and respiration.
Neurological Assessment: This involves checking reflexes, gait, coordination, balance, eye movements, and mental status. They will try to determine if the problem is central (brain or spinal cord) or peripheral (inner ear or nerves).

Diagnostic Tests

The following tests are commonly used:

Test Category	Specific Tests	Purpose
Blood Work	Complete Blood Count (CBC), Biochemistry Panel	To check for infection, inflammation, organ function (kidney, liver), electrolyte imbalances, blood sugar levels, and overall health.
Urinalysis	Urine analysis	To assess kidney function, check for infection, and detect metabolic abnormalities.
Fecal Examination	Stool sample analysis	To detect internal parasite symptoms or other intestinal microorganisms that could cause gastrointestinal upset.
Imaging	X-rays (Radiographs)	To look for foreign objects in the digestive tract, bone abnormalities, or signs of spinal issues.
	Ultrasound	To get a detailed view of abdominal organs, identify masses, or check for fluid accumulation.
	MRI/CT Scan	The gold standard for diagnosing brain and spinal cord diseases, including tumors, inflammation, or disc herniation. These are crucial for definitive diagnosis of canine ataxia causes.
Infectious Disease Testing	Specific viral or bacterial tests (e.g., Parvovirus test, distemper titers)	To rule out or confirm specific infectious causes of illness.
Toxin Screening	Blood or urine tests for specific toxins (if ingestion is suspected)	To identify ingested poisons.
Blood Pressure Monitoring		To check for hypertension, which can sometimes be linked to neurological issues.
ECG (Electrocardiogram)		To assess heart rhythm, especially if cardiac issues are suspected as a cause of weakness or related to certain neurological events.

Treatment Approaches

Treatment will be tailored to the specific diagnosis:

Vestibular Disease: Often managed with supportive care, anti-nausea medications, and sometimes steroids or antibiotics if an infection is suspected.
Toxin Ingestion: Treatment depends on the toxin and may involve inducing vomiting (if safe and timely), administering activated charcoal, providing supportive care (IV fluids), and using specific antidotes if available.
Infections: Antibiotics for bacterial infections, antivirals or supportive care for viral infections, and antifungals for fungal infections.
Intestinal Obstructions/Gastroenteritis: May require IV fluids, anti-nausea medications, pain management, and in cases of obstruction, surgery.
Neurological Disorders (Tumors, IVDD): Treatment can range from medication (steroids, anti-inflammatories) to surgery, depending on the condition.
Metabolic Diseases: Management involves correcting the metabolic imbalance, often with fluids, glucose, or specific medications.

Prognosis and When to Seek Further Help

The prognosis for a dog that is wobbly and vomiting varies greatly depending on the underlying cause, how quickly treatment is initiated, and the dog’s overall health.

Idiopathic Vestibular Disease: Many dogs recover well, often within a few weeks, although a head tilt may persist.
Toxin Ingestion: Prognosis is highly variable and depends on the type of toxin, the amount ingested, and the speed of treatment.
Infections: With prompt and appropriate treatment, many infections are treatable. However, severe infections or those affecting the brain can have a poorer prognosis.
Obstructions and Tumors: These often require surgical intervention, and the outcome depends on the severity, location, and the dog’s ability to tolerate surgery.

Always maintain close communication with your veterinarian. If your dog’s condition doesn’t improve as expected, or if new symptoms develop, don’t hesitate to seek further veterinary advice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can my dog’s wobbliness and vomiting be due to something simple like motion sickness?

While motion sickness can cause vomiting and sometimes mild disorientation, it doesn’t typically cause significant wobbliness or true canine ataxia. True wobbliness suggests a neurological issue affecting balance, which is usually more severe than what motion sickness alone would cause.

Q2: My dog is an older dog, is wobbliness and vomiting just a sign of old age?

While aging can contribute to some mobility issues, sudden onset of significant wobbliness and vomiting is not a normal part of aging and warrants veterinary investigation. As mentioned, idiopathic vestibular disease is common in older dogs, but other serious conditions can also affect senior pets.

Q3: How long does it take for a dog to recover from vestibular disease?

For idiopathic vestibular disease, most dogs start showing improvement within 48-72 hours, with significant recovery usually occurring within two to three weeks. However, some residual head tilt or mild wobbliness can persist for longer, or even be permanent in some cases.

Q4: Is it safe to give my dog human anti-nausea medication?

Never give your dog human medication without explicit instructions from your veterinarian. Many human medications are toxic to dogs, or the dosage can be incorrect, leading to serious side effects. Always use medications prescribed by your vet.

Q5: My dog has diarrhea as well as wobbling and vomiting. What does this mean?

Diarrhea, along with vomiting and wobbliness, often points to a significant gastrointestinal upset or a systemic illness. It could indicate severe pet gastrointestinal upset, an infection (viral, bacterial, or parasitic), or exposure to toxins. Dehydration can be a major concern with both vomiting and diarrhea. Prompt veterinary care is essential.

Q6: Can diet cause my dog to be wobbly and vomit?

While a sudden change in diet or eating spoiled food can cause vomiting and general malaise, it’s less common for diet alone to cause distinct dog balance issues or significant canine ataxia. However, severe nutrient deficiencies over a long period or metabolic disorders influenced by diet could contribute to neurological signs.

Q7: My puppy is wobbly and vomiting. What are the most common causes?

For puppies, common causes include parvovirus (especially if unvaccinated), ingestion of foreign objects, intestinal parasites (internal parasite symptoms), and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Their developing systems are more vulnerable to severe illness. This is a critical emergency for puppies.