Dog staring at wall then falling. Is it a serious health problem?

Yes, you are correct that facing walls and corners are a sign of a health issue. It can have several very serious causes, such as liver disease, tumors in the brain, trauma to the brain, or a stroke among other causes. If Marlon is displaying this behavior, he needs to see a vet immediately as it is a medical emergency.

Hello. While possible, it is unlikely. I'd be more concerned that Brucie got into something, such as garbage, something toxic, or found some medication of drugs that had been dropped. We also see something called vestibular syndrome which causes an imbalance in the inner ear. If you can have Brucie examined tonight, that would be best just in case this turns into a more serious situation. I hope he is doing better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Hunter. I recommend seeking emergency veterinary care for him. Strokes are actually very rare in dogs, but can happen. More commonly, dogs will experience vestibular disease. This is a problem with balance that will result in nystagmus (eyes twitching back and forth), a head tilt, walking in circles, stumbling and falling down. This can be caused by an inner ear infection, hormonal disease or a brain tumor, but is usually idiopathic meaning there is not identifiable cause. This is referred to as Old Dog Vestibular disease. This is usually a condition that can be treated and the dog will do well. If this is not the case, he could be experiencing a toxin exposure, trauma or an infection. It is important to have him evaluated so that treatment can be started. I hope this information helps!

Little Baby Boy needs to see the veterinarian quickly. Weakness/neurological signs are never normal and can indicate many things including toxin ingestion, drug exposure, an infection in the brain, low blood sugar, a middle ear infection or liver dysfunction. Vestibular disease affects older dog but an infection in the middle ear is similar. A stroke would be very unlikley unless he got into certain medication or had a congenital abnormality. Also, yes, there are classic presentations to these diseases but not all pets read the book about how they should look so other presentations are possible. A physical exam and bloodwork is needed to begin figuring out the cause and the best treatment. Other diagnostics may also be indicated. I hope it's nothing too serious and that he gets back to normal quickly.

There is something called Old Dog Vestibular Disease, that causes dogs to suddenly appear to be totally unable to balance, be nauseous, spine in circles, or even be unable to stand. This happens for no particular reason, and usually improves over a few weeks with patience and supportive care (anti-nausea medication and fluid/nutritional support as needed). It is important to check for middle ear infections (which requires the otoscope at the vet clinic), general blood work and thyroid levels, and do an exam to make sure she doesn't have signs of other neurologic issues that would suggest a brain tumor. So, I'd advise keeping her safe tonight by blocking stairs, removing water boils, etc and taking her to the vet tomorrow to be checked out.

I don't see how looking out the window and the drunk walking are related to each other. If he has never seen a vet I would be worried he could have one of the dog viruses that causes neurological signs. The other option is that he ingested a toxin of some sort. He really needs to see a vet. Neurological signs are never good.

Thanks for using PetCoach! It sounds like Bruno could have "old dog idiopathic vestibular syndrome". There is more information below but we don't know why it happens and in general it usually gets better within a few days. Of course, we can never rule out a middle ear infection, brain tumor, or other problem so I always recommend seeing a vet. Even if it is the just the old dog vestibular syndrome, your vet can give Bruno some anti nausea medication for his vertigo. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/vestibular-disease-in-dogs Best of luck to you and Bruno!