Why is my Chihuahua stumbling, skittering, then suddenly sleeping?

Yes, this certainly sounds suspicious for some type of toxicity. It's common for dogs to act like this with marijuana toxicity, in my experience, but ingestion of certain medications or other drugs could also cause symptoms like this. I would recommend taking your pup to an emergency clinic tonight for an exam, as this could be a serious problem depending on exactly what she might have gotten into, and how much. The vet there can do blood work or urine testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.

I still recommend to have Chico examined today. That abnormal behavior could have been caused by a seizure, a heart condition or a low blood sugar episode (which is HIGHLY abnormal in an adult dog and often indicate liver disease). The doctor will need to check some bloodwork to look for various causes of seizures and liver abnormalities. They will also check the heart and then discuss their findings and your options. Best to play it safe.

This is rather concerning and indicates that he is having some disturbance within the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). This could also be a problem within his inner ear and vestibular system. These disturbances can happen with drug or poison ingestion, infections, or a physical abnormality within the brain or spinal cord due to trauma, or a tumor. Jake is behaving this way because he is either confused, or in a great amount of pain and distress. Given the possibility of a life-threatening complication, I recommend you take Jake to the emergency vet as soon as you can. They can help find the cause of this and provide the necessary treatment. I hope that helps and Jake gets better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Suzy. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. I worry that she is actually quite painful. Small breed dogs are prone to neck and/or back pain which can be quite excruciating for them. Based your description of her sleeping more than normal, not wanting to do stairs and not running as much, this is a possibility. The veterinarian will examine her and determine if she is in fact painful. If so, x-rays may be taken. Based on these results, treatment can be started to help her feel better. In the meantime, keep her quiet and carry her as much as possible. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. They can also interfere with veterinary medications that may be needed for her. I hope this information helps!

Yes, I would be concerned in that marijuana is toxic to dogs and it can lead to further symptoms such as incoordination, wobbliness, dilated pupils, excessive drooling, and seizures, tremors, and comas in extreme cases. It's rare that marijuana toxicity is fatal, but it can happen and not every animal reacts the same to the toxicity. Because of this, it's best that your dog is seen by a vet immediately for decontamination procedures. Please take him into an ER vet clinic if your regular vet is now closed; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Any abrupt behavioral change is a good excuse to get him in to see your vet. He may be starting to develop a medical condition that should be investigated but it's so early that the only symptom he is displaying is this strange behavior. There may be something happening periodically that is making him uncomfortable of the feeling comes and goes, but either way, it should be looked into by your vet. Your vet will do a thorough exam, possibly some x-rays and/or bloodwork, as indicated. Based on these results your vet will have a better idea what is going on and be better able to advise you as to what action should be taken.

This could indicate anxiety or pain. If she has a head tilt or unable to lay down without flipping over, or non-responsive to you when she is like this, then I would be more concerned about a neurological problem and she needs to see a vet ASAP. But if she is willing to stop to eat or drink and responsive to your voice then I would monitor her closely, rest her for the weekend (don't let her run, jump or play) and contact your vet Monday if she is still showing symptoms. I would not recommend to give her any human pun meds as most of these are toxic to dogs. I hope this helps!