What Are The Causes Of Ataxia In Dogs?
There is a huge variety of symptoms in the canine universe. Some may not be too obvious, causing us not to pay attention to them, such as, for example, changes in the color of urine or pale mucous membranes. Other symptoms, however, are evident to any observer, such as ataxia or vomiting.
Perhaps the most obvious symptom groups are those associated with gait and musculoskeletal system, since it is very easy for the brace to recognize any disorder that alters the dog’s movements. Today we will talk about one of these symptoms: ataxia. Do you know what causes this disease in dogs? To find out, read on.
Definition of ataxia
Ataxia can be defined clinically as a sign of sensory dysfunction that causes instability or lack of coordination in the animal’s limbs, head or trunk.
All this, translated into a language understandable to all, means that the dog suffering from this disorder walks as if he had drunk a couple of glasses too much or, at least, this is the comment that guardians usually express when describing this behavior in their pets.
As we anticipated, ataxia itself is not a disease, but a symptom of another underlying disease. In addition, several diseases tend to share the same symptom and, in the case of ataxia, it could not be otherwise. That’s why, in the following lines, we explain what are all the possible causes of this worrying symptom.
Neurological causes of ataxia
Ataxia is a fundamentally neurological symptom. For this reason, it is the diseases and pathological processes that affect the nervous system that are the most frequent cause of this alteration.
The regulation and control of movements, as well as the position of the body, are controlled by different structures. Consequently, a disorder that affects any of them can lead to the appearance of this symptom. Below we list some of these diseases.
Cerebellar disorders
The cerebellum is an organ that has the task of regulating and modulating nerve impulses, as well as controlling proprioception and body position. Diseases that directly affect the cerebellum can cause ataxia. Among the most frequent we can find the following:
- Cerebellar hypoplasia or, in other words, an underdevelopment of the cerebellum.
- Canine distemper virus.
- Neoplasms (formations of tumors) affecting this organ.
- Granulomatous meningoencephalitis, an inflammatory disease of unknown origin.
Diseases of the vestibular system
The vestibular system is another essential part of the nervous system and has the task of receiving, processing and transmitting information associated with the position and balance of the animal. Diseases affecting this system can cause ataxia. Among the most frequent we can identify the following:
- Internal otitis or ear infection.
- Geriatric or idiopathic vestibular syndrome.
- Trauma and injuries affecting the inner ear.
Spinal cord disorders
The spinal cord has the task of transmitting and modulating nerve impulses. Consequently, an alteration at this level can trigger a gait-related disorder, such as ataxia. In this sense, the diseases of the spinal cord that cause ataxia are the following:
- Disc hernias.
- Disc protrusions.
- Neoplastic processes.
- Discospondylitis, an infection of the spine.
- Injuries.
- Congenital malformations of the vertebrae.
- Myelopathies, compressions of the spinal cord.
Other causes of ataxia
There are some types of ataxia that are much rarer, but which nevertheless exist and which must be taken into account when trying to perform a proper clinical examination or, as in this case, when it is intended to disseminate quality information.
For example, some electrolyte disturbances, such as hypokalaemia (or hypokalaemia, the lack of potassium in the blood), involve a series of neuromuscular disorders which, under certain circumstances, can lead to the onset of a clinical picture of ataxia. At the neurological level there is no problem, because ataxia is due exclusively to the deficiency of potassium or other salts.
In addition, ataxia can be a secondary effect resulting from the administration of some drugs. For this reason, it is very important for the owner to report to the veterinarian the complete history of all medicines the pet has recently used.
In this sense, although they are infrequent phenomena, cases of ataxia have been reported in dogs that have arisen following the administration of the following medicines:
- Antihistamines.
- Acetylpromazine.
- Antiepileptics.
As we have seen, ataxia is a sign that, in most cases, leads to the formation of a pathological process that, in one way or another, involves the nervous system. Nevertheless, there are other circumstances in which, in the absence of a neurological pathology, the dog can manifest the presence of this symptom.
