Could my pet's ataxia be from a bad long-term tooth infection?

Hello. Cerebellar ataxia can occur from developmental abnormalities, brain infections, a lesion in the spinal cord, encephalitis, cancer & other degenerative causes. Your veterinarian can refer you to a veterinary neurologist who can help to isolate where the lesion is ( based on history & clinical signs ) & confirm the problem with an MRI. No need to do a DNA test. Since you are located in California, I am sure there are board certified neurologists within driving distance, or if you are close to a college of veterinary medicine, they will definitely be able to help you. You do want to follow up with this as based on the final diagnosis, treatment may be readily available to allow Bobby to live a long, healthy life. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello Haley! Unfortunately I can't see your last question, but I do see Sassy isn't spayed, and I'm wondering if she was having symptoms that made me suspect she was suffering from a pyometra. A loose infected tooth would cause her pain, leading to her not eating and may cause some lethargy, but it would not be similar at all to the symptoms of a pyometra. A pyo is a life threatening infection that is extremely serious, and can cause a dog to be extremely ill. The best thing to do is have Sassy seen by a vet immediately.

Head tilt could be caused by deep inner ear infection (or polyp), stroke, infection such as toxoplasmosis, stroke, or even tumor although that would be rare at her age. If the toxo test comes back normal then I would consider requesting a referral to a neurologist where an MRI of the brain can be done. If that is not possible then I would trial treat with antibiotics and steroids. I am so sorry that she is going through this. I am sure you are very worried. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

This it is an unlikely cause for vomiting and other possibilities should be ideally investigated. Dietary related episodes, gastrointestinal inflammation/infection and (given the age) more sinister causes like tumors must be considered. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Middle ear infection would be the most common cause for these symptoms at this age, but there is a small chance that it could be a brain condition as well. if she is not responding to the antibiotic treatment i believe taking her to a specialist is the right thing to do.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures you provided, the tooth looks as though it was quite infected especially if it fell out on its own. A lot of times, teeth that are this infected that Fall out have also lost some of the root characteristics. By this I mean the roots will sometimes appear as though they are missing or very rounded and short as opposed to their healthier appearance. A lot of times these teeth will have a black discoloration if the tooth is dead or may appear black due to the Tartar and plaque that has grown on the surface of the tooth. Flushing with saline is fine and the hole where the tooth previously was should heal on its own now that the problematic tooth is out of the tooth socket. I would definitely consider keeping him on antibiotics and also do what we call Pulse antibiotic therapy. I did this with my own dog and would Place him on a course of antibiotics every other month at a high dose using clindamycin as my primary choice as it is very good for bone and dental infections. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available by phone or text based consultation if needed.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The loss of balance can be caused by ear infections, tumors, or toxin ingestion. In very rare occasions, antibiotics can cause neurologic damage and this may be an indication of this. These episodes may also be seizures. I recommend having your cat examined by a veterinarian who can perform a neurological exam to see what is causing these episodes. You should try to take photos or a video when this happens to help your vet make a diagnosis. I hope this helps and that all is well!