Why does my dog walk wide on front legs? Could it be neurological?

I always recommend having abnormal gaits evaluated by a veterinarian. If there is anything neurologic or orthopedic (bones and joints) going on, it is better to catch it early. Eli is still growing at 15 months, so there are a number of things that could be going on. I would recommend taking a couple of videos of him walking, so you can show them to your veterinarian during his examination. Sometimes dogs walk differently at the vet, and the gait can sometimes help us pinpoint where to look on exam. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to a neurological or orthopedic condition. This could even due to weakness from perhaps getting into something he should not have. For this reason, I recommend that you consider taking him to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check what seems to be the issue so that it can be treated accordingly. Good luck and have a great day!

You are right she could be suffering from a neurological issue, especially if her eyes are larger than normal, and having trouble walking on one side the most. I would recommend taking her into a vet right away for an exam, as time is of the essence in potential neurological problems. The vet can do a physical exam, neurological exam, blood tests, and a urinalysis to diagnose what is causing her symptoms and can treat accordingly.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be something transient. However, just in case this is something actually problematic such as being due to neurological disease or something orthopedic like leg pain, if this continues, I would recommend you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. Good luck!

It looks to me like Chelsea might have carpal valgus, or a deviation of her foot to the side below her wrist joint, on the left side. I suppose it's also possible that she has some kind of muscle contracture if she has an unusual way of walking. You may want to look into scheduling an appointment with an orthopedic specialist in your area - they may be able to give a firm diagnosis and talk about medications or supplements like glucosamine that might help.

It sounds like what you are describing is weakness. Did your pup have a neurologic exam? What we look for is evidence of pain (although this can sometimes be inconsistent in pets), loss of sensation to the feet (does he fail to flip his foot back over when the top of his foot is placed down?), and presence or absence of reflexes. The results of these tests can help to determine if it's neurologic in origin and what portion of the spinal cord may be affected. Although, it can sometimes be hard to differentiate orthopedic from neurologic disease. Plain xrays of the spine are helpful to rule out any bony abnormalities, and sometimes we can see evidence of narrow disc spaces, but ultimately we cannot see the spinal cord, nerves leaving the spinal cord, or the soft tissues. If a neurologic problem is suspected an MRI is often needed. But, there are also some other conditions that can cause weakness that are metabolic in origin (has your guy had any senior lab work recently?) or related to loss of signaling to the muscles (for example a disease called myasthenia gravis) or related to a degenerative process such as degenerative myelopathy. If there is a component of pain detected on exam then anti-inflammatory pain medication may help. If you feel like things are getting worse it would be a good time to have a re-evaluation with your family vet. Another option as well, if a neurologic process is suspected, would be to have a consult with a veterinary neurologist. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Shady is having trouble walking, or seems painful, then I recommend you have him seen by a vet as soon as possible. He could have a disease of growing puppies called HOD, or panosteitis, or could have a fracture or dislocation. He could also be weak or neurological causing abnormal walking. Best of luck with Shady!