My senior dog is walking wobbly, falling, and pooping. Is it serious?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian right away if at all possible. The symptoms you have described can be the result of an intoxication, orthopedic pain such as arthritis or a neurological problem. An examination will be performed and x-rays may be needed to diagnose the problem. From there, appropriate treatment can be prescribed. I hope this information helps!

This could be due to something serious such as heart disease. Exercise intolerance is one of the first signs of heart disease, and it can be common in senior dogs. I'd have Poopsie seen by a vet for this problem. If she does have heart disease, the vet can manage her symptoms with medication. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Peanut. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today. Small breed dogs are prone to neck and/or back pain which can be excruciatingly painful. He will be carefully examined to determine if this is the case or if he has another problem. Based on these results and any diagnostic testing, treatment recommendations can be made. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The falling/lethargy episode you described may have been a seizure. This may be due to toxin ingestion or epilepsy, which does occur occasionally in older dogs. Head shaking may be related or unrelated as an ear infection. I recommend having Sami seen by her vet who can perform bloodwork and x-rays and prescribe anticonvulsant medications if the seizures continue. I recommend bringing a video of the episode if you are able to, as his will be really helpful in determining if the episode was truly a seizure. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Charlie. He could have many things going on due to his age. Possibilities include toxin exposure, infection, heart problems, neurologic problems, endocrine/hormone problems, kidney/liver/gallbladder disease, cancer, etc. I would advise taking Charlie to your veterinarian right away to get him assessed. Your vet can gather a history, perform an exam and then advise a diagnostic/treatment plan based on their findings. Possible tests include fecal/blood/urine tests, x-rays/ultrasound. Once a diagnosis is made a treatment plan can be implemented. Good luck with Charlie

Poor Souza! With her extensive history and multiple medications, I am quite concerned about these symptoms. These could be secondary to being on the wrong dose of phenobarbital, having a problem with her heart disease and not getting enough oxygen, a condition called geriatric vestibular disease that cause instability, a stroke and much more. I would try to get in to see a vet soon. A vet will be able to check phenobarbital levels, blood work and even X-rays if needed. Your vet will be able to adjust her medicine if needed or give her additional medicine if it is something unrelated to her current problems. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better soon !

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Snoop is having an issue keeping his balance. This can be due to an issue with his vestibular system, or the part of the nervous system responsible for compensating for changes in location (for example, in a human, getting dizzy on a merry go round is a result of your vestibular system getting "confused"). This is especially likely if he is falling to one side consistently. Vestibular issues can come from the nervous system itself or from the inner ear. Snoop can also have a generalized weakness causing him to fall over, which can be due to a toxin, dehydration, low blood sugar, and many other causes. Snoop should definitely be seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine the underlying cause of his loss of balance and initiate the appropriate treatment.