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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
If you have an active, energetic dog, you’ve probably witnessed the combination of an excited dog and polished wood floors. You’ve likely seen a similar scenario: your dog runs across the wood floor to bark at someone who rang the doorbell, and their hind legs slide out from underneath them, causing them to fall.However, if they try to get up, they keep falling down, and this happens over and over again, a slippery floor may not be the cause. Take note if their legs seem to be flying in different directions, losing control, and continuously falling. It could be a sign that your dog might have a condition known as ataxia.Ataxia is a condition that can occur in dogs, but can also affect humans. It happens when you can’t control voluntary muscle movements, as with some central nervous system disorders. When the cerebellum, the part of the brain that coordinates movement, isn’t functioning normally, your dog’s movements will look awkward or out of order. Although they are uncoordinated, it doesn’t mean the muscle is weak.Ataxia is often confused with muscle weakness (paresis), but according to the Head of Neurosurgery at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Ronaldo C. da Costa, DMV, MSc, PhD, DACVIM, they are not interchangeable. Ataxia affects your dog’s coordination without affecting their strength. Paresis, on the other hand, only affects strength.Symptoms of Ataxia in DogsIf your dog suffers from ataxia, the most common and noticeable symptom is a change in their gait, making
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