Should you seek medical attention? Not necessarily. Taking your dog to the vet to get checked out is always a good idea, but before you do, consider a few of the non-medical causes of sideways walking and a few possible workarounds.
Sometimes dogs simply learn to walk on two legs growing up. Many learn as pups probably from an older dog and never grow out of it. Some breeds may even be more prone to sideways walking, especially if they have a shorter body length than other dogs. This causes their back legs and front legs to often interfere with each other. Breeds that are most commonly known for sideways walking are:. How old is your dog? A year, maybe two? It could very well be that their legs are still growing.
Just like a teenager may be temporarily uncoordinated as their body continues to grow, so happens with puppies and young dogs. To avoid this, they will move their back legs to the side to avoid tripping over their own paws. Most people are aware they have a dominant arm or leg, meaning that one side is stronger or more flexible than the other. This is also true for most dogs. What happens is while the dog is trotting or running, the dominant side pushes off the ground with a stronger force, which will move their body sideways, making it look like they are running sideways.
In truth, this is completely normal. Underneath all the fuzz and fur, many dogs have super sensitive skin. If a collar or harness is causing irritation, they could be walking sideways to try to get away from it.
Depending on how long this has been the issue, their skin my also show evidence of chafing or a rash developing. If it is, replace it with new gear that is easier on their skin.
Also avoid using their collar or harness until their skin heals. Feel free to review our list of the best dog training collars to combat this issue. As we previously mentioned, sideways walking is usually nothing to worry about. But in rare cases there may be a medical issue causing your dog to have an odd gait. Some medical issues that may be the root cause of sideways walking include:.
If you suspect any of these, or just want to rule them out, please call your vet to make an appointment. Since your dog is unable to definitively tell you want is wrong, it is always a safe bet to get your dog examined than to assume nothing wrong.
Just because your dog walks sideways, it does not mean there is something wrong with her. For herniated discs, the vet may in addition prescribe other pain meds Gabapentin, Tramadol and possibly, muscle relaxers. Severe cases may require surgical intervention. A dog walking crooked, in a sideways fashion may be suffering from a liver problem.
In particular, small dogs are prone to a condition known as liver shunt. Bloodwork including a special test known as Bile Acids Test may help diagnose this condition. If the episode of the dog walking crooked is temporary, there may be chances the episode was a seizure. When somebody thinks of dog seizures, the first idea that may come to mind is a dog lying dog and trashing with his feet in the air, but dog seizures may be much more subtle than this. Partial seizures may cause abnormal brain activity and this can temporarily affect a dog's motion.
While seizures are most common in young dogs, in older dogs systemic diseases or even tumors may be a culprit for the seizures and should therefore require investigation. In an elderly dog, the possibility of a brain tumor needs to be considering as a potential cause for walking sideways. The definitive way to diagnose a brain tumor in a dog is through an MRI. In small dogs there is potential for low blood glucose causing the sideways walking.
In such a case, it may help to rub honey, karo syrup or pancake syrup onto the gums making sure these products do not contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs.
A dog who runs sideways all the time and doesn't seem to be suffering or in any pain, may be walking in this fashion because of some structural issue. This curious gait may be seen in dogs who have structural problems causing them to walk in a sideways fashion so to avoid their legs from touching. Other potential causes for a dog walking sideways may include ingestion of harmful toxins, such as plants, drugs, pesticides or herbicides and other non-edible items, a stroke, or some type of vascular issue in the brain, side effects from certain medications and more.
As seen, there are several causes for a dog walking sideways. It's highly recommended therefore to see the vet so to have your dog correctly diagnosed so that he can receive the most appropriate treatment. Home Health. By Jennifer By Dr. Jennifer Masucci veterinarian. They might seem off-kilter, running like a crab or in a c shape. You can see that their bodies become curved and twisted, with their back legs off to the side, compared to their front legs.
These features of a dog running sideways can be very concerning, especially as it can look like a leg or body injury! We mentioned why your dog could be walking sideways earlier and have now covered what the twisting shape can look like. You might have noticed how humans walk and run differently from one another; well, the same can be said for dogs!
Some dogs will have small and rapid steps, especially little dogs, while others will have long and heavy strides. You will even see some who walk in circles when they get excited! If your dog has been walking or running sideways for as long as you remember, it could just be their natural gait.
If this is the case, then it is probably nothing to worry about! If you have noticed your dog is walking in a c shape like a crab, it could be due to them having one dominant leg. This leg will carry more weight and movement than the others, and we often see this with one back leg, giving your dog that crab-like walk. We see this more commonly in younger dogs and puppies. They are still a little unsure on their feet and clumsy, meaning they can walk in strange and funny shapes at times.
You can sometimes see this pattern in older dogs, too; you should take them to a vet for a check-up to ensure there is nothing untoward happening.
Walking sideways could be the sign of an ear infection and is a cause you should check for! If you notice your dog scratching excessively, their ears smell, or there is more wax than usual, book an appointment with your vet so they can provide you with treatment. Some dog breeds such as Cocker Spaniels , Basset Hounds, and Bloodhounds are more susceptible to ear infections than others, so it is worth exploring this option.
That does not mean that only long-eared dogs are prone to ear infections; they can impact any dog breed! These infections are mostly bacterial, although fungal infections can occur from time to time too. Whichever infection it is, your vet should be able to provide a course of treatment for it. Remember to get any symptoms checked by a vet to ensure you have the correct diagnosis. We would recommend doing this first before trying any at-home treatments yourself.
But there are times where it can be the sign of something serious and will need medical attention. It could mean your dog has a medical condition or a proportional and structural discrepancy. If you have an older dog, for example, and they suddenly start to walk sideways, we recommend you contact your vet immediately to get your dog examined.
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