Dog Nervous Problems Symptoms - Fits, Seizures, Paralysis & Loss of Balance

A dog’s muscles, ligaments and tendons are dependent on the services of the brain and network of nerves for them to achieve best performance. If the nervous system of a dog is damage, a dog would experience a lack of sensation, partial or complete paralysis, loss balance easily, and seizures.

Viruses such as rabies and distemper are commonly known to cause inflammation of the brain and connected to changes in the temperament and coordination of a dog.

There are also other bacterial and viral infections that inflame the protective wrapping that envelops the brain. This usually leads to meningitis, seizures, and loss of balance.

Physical injuries to the brain tissue can cause epilepsy, while damages to the spinal cord interferes with the transmission of nerve message back to the brain. Depending on the section where the injury is, this often lead to a loss of sensation in the skin, paralysis of a certain limb or incontinence.

Seizures – there are many type form of epilepsy, namely Grand mal seizures that cause loss of consciousness and twitching. Petit mal episodes that last only a few seconds where the dog seem to loss concentration. Then there’s Narcolepsy where a dog can temporarily fall asleep on its feet. Lastly, there is Hydrocephalus seizures that can involve loss of consciousness, twitching, urinating and defecating.

Loss of balance can be cause by stroke, where a dog is unsure of itself, avoid food and vomits if it eats. Affecting every part of a dog’s body, it can cause paralysis or a head tilt. Loss of balance can also be the result of inner ear infection and meningitis, where it also induces a head tilt on the affected side.

All the above mention nerves related injury required immediate veterinary attention.

Next article: Dog Reproductive Problems Symptoms - Genital discharges, Swelling Glands/Testicles