Does your dog walking slow with head down? It is never a common or normal behaviour for a dog. If your dogs have begun to walk slowly with their head as a new habit, it can be a little confusing for the dog owners. Even wanted to find an answer to the question – why is my dog walking slow with head down? Let us try finding an answer to that question.
Quick Answer –
One of the primary reasons for a dog to walk slowly with head down is because of back pain or neck pain. Any specific issue with the vestibular system of your dog may also be a cause for the new posture. Another common cause can be the ear infection with ticks that can affect the balance for a dog.
Why Is My Dog walking Slow with Head Down – 10 Possible Reasons
Has your dog recently developed the habit of walking slowly with head down? It may be a good idea to check out the following reasons and try resolving them to make your dog feel better.
The major causes for why your dog is walking slow with head down can be back or neck pain, vestibular diseases, and an inner ear infection. Since dogs need the help from ther ear for proper balance, they may walk slow or be disorieted when there is an ear infection. Some other cause can include heat, tiredness, discomfort or fear.
Reason 1 – Neck Pain
Neck pain is the primary reason for a dog to keep its head down. The neck pain can happen due to several reasons. One of them is due to a pinched nerve in the neck. Yet another cause for the neck pain can be due to the injuries in the spinal cord. While neck pain can be due to spinal injury or a neck related issue, the pain makes the dog to walk slowly. It would keep its head down due to pain. If you have found that the dog has recently started walking slowly, it may be apt to look for signs of injury.
Neck pain in dogs can be caused due to several reasons, prominent among them being arthritis, joint pains or even a small muscle strain. When your dog is in pain, it will find it difficult to walk at its normal pace.
Reason 2 – Neurological Disease
Neurological disease affects the central nervous system in the dog. The prime components of the nervous system include brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Any issues with these components can make your dog to lose coordination and balance. A couple of most likely neurological disorders include Distemper and Neosporosis.
If your dog has neurological disease, it will show several additional signs such as nasal discharge, uncontrollable movements, aggressiveness, lethargy, and excessive drinking.
Cognitive dysfunction – This disease can change the behaviour and alertness in your dog. It is akin to alzheimers in humans. A few common symptoms can include disorientation, sleep disturbances, and anxiety.
Epilepsy – If your dog has apilepsy, it may lose consciousness and experience seizures. It may also show muscular convulsions. It can either be a result of head trauma or a liver disease.
Degenerative myelopathy – This issue can be caused when the discs between the vertebrae begin to disintegrate or deteriorate. Commonly called slipped disc, it can cause the symptoms similar to the humans. Some such symptoms include pain, weakness, and paralysis.
Reason 3 – Vestibular disease
The vestibular disease can affect the inner ear of your dog and affect its balance. This is an issue quite commonly observed in older dogs. If your dog has this issue, the dog may show several other signs like walking in circles, losing balance, vomiting and excessive dehydration.
The disease can be caused by an infection and ear damage due to injury. It is also likely to be caused by lack of nutrition and abnormal tissue growth. The dog may also shake or tilt to one side when it has a vestibular issue.
Vestibualr disease is more common in certail dog breeds, while it can affect many older gods irrespective of the breed. Some breeds that may manifest the signs of vestibualr disease may include
- Akita
- Beagle
- Doberman pinscher
- German shepherd
- English cocker spaniel
- Smooth fox terrier and
- Tibetan terrier
However, it should be noticed that the vestibualr disease may also occur genetically and can affects other breeds as well.
Reason 4 – Arthritis
If your dog is aged, and has begun walking slow with head down, it may be an indicator of arthritis. In fact, Arthritis is a common disease in the dogs as they age. In fact, it hs also been observed that the issue of arthritis may also affect the dogs of every age.
If your dog has arthritis, it will acee problem in climbing stairs, walking briskly or in getting up after lying down. A dog with arthritis may also prefer to be less active and decide to sleep more.
Reason 5 – Scared of punishment
This is not a health issue, but a psychological condition. Maybe your dog is feeling guilty of something or being submissive. It is also possible that the dog has identified the owner’s emotions, and since you are upset or angry, the dog too has gone into the similar mood. The slow walking with head down can be a physical manifestation of the mood.
If you have scolded the dog for misbehaving, it can move into the submissive behavior. If your dog is trying to avoid punishment by being submissive, it would also avoid eye contact. Your dog may also begin walking slow with head down if it knows that it has done something that it is not supposed to, and seeks to avoid punishment. They will avoid eye contact and feel guilty.
Reason 6 – Parasitic infection
Parasites can cause several health issues in dogs. Some common issues can include weight loss, diarrhea, and lethargy. There are multiple types of worms that can affect a dog. A few of them can include fleas, ticks, heartworms, and gastrointestinal worms. It is advisable to take your dog to the vet for proper treatment. Your vet may suggest medications or even suggest special diet in the case of gastrointestinal parasites.
Note – According to the Veterinary Health centre of Kansas University, close to 34% of the dogs are infected with the gastrointestinal parasites.
Reason 7 – Scared of Something around
One of the common reasons why your dogis walking slowly with head down can be that it is afraid of the people around. It may also be overwhelmed by what it sees around it. If that is the case with your dog, it should be just a little matter of time until the dog gets used to the surroundings and begins to behave normally.
Dogs are generally social by nature. They love to have an active human interaction. However, they do need to learn a proper social interaction. If the dog has not been socialised properly, you will find it showing the signs of fearfulness and be withdrawn. It will also show a host of behavioural symptoms. One such symptom you may notice would include walking slow with head down.
Reason 9 – An effect of medication
If your dog has started to walk slow with head down after a new medication, that could be the sole reason causing it. The dog may walk slowly when it is adjusting itself to the new medication. Some other side effects of the medication can include reduction in the activity levels and lethargy.
The lethargy and the behaviour of walking slow with head down may begin with the introduction of medicines such as Antibiotics, Painkillers, Anti-inflammatory drugs and heart medications. The effects should go away in a few days. If the symptoms persist, it is a good idea to consult your vet.
Some common medications that cause sensitivity in dogs can include
- Antibiotics
- Painkillers
- Anti-inflammatory medicines
- Medications for heart ailments
Reason 10- Cancer issues
When your dog has cancer, it can spread to multiple organs and your dog will likely to walk slowly with head down. It can also make the dog to become lethargic.
In addition to slow movement, if you find dog is exhibiting following signs, it may be a good idea to take your dog to vet as soon as possible
- An increased thirst
- Depression
- Vomitting
- Blood in the urine
If you find your dog is walking slow along with other signs of a serious illness, see your dog receives an immediate medical attention.
Why Is My Dog Suddenly Moving Slowly?
If your dog begins to move suddenly slowly, it is most probably because it is afraid of something. It may be sick, in pain, or maybe simply tired. There are a few reasons and diseases that can make a dog to walk slowly all of a sudden. One most possible reasons can be ear infection.
If your dog is normally active, and suddenly begins walking slowly with head down, make sure that it does not have any illness or health issues. It may be a good idea to take your dog to the veterinarian immediately to rule out any major health concern.
Why does My Dog Tilt its Head When Walking?
One common cause for the tilted head in dog is the vestibular disease. Since the issue with the vestibular system can affect the balance of your dog, you will find it shaking or tilting its head to one side.
Having said that, minor problems such as er infection, ticks in the ears and head injuries can also be reasons why your dogs might be tilting head to one side, or may even begin keeping their head down. A few diseases in the brain can also cause the dog to walk with a tilted head. Strokes, tumors, infections like meningitis, and trauma can be a few cause that can result in titled head. You dog may also begin shaking head and licking paws incessantly.
How to Stop your Dog from Walking Slow with Head Down?
Well, if the issue is not health elated and just a behavioural problem, you can make the dog feel comfortable. Proviidng comfort can make the dog make sure that the dog avoids the behavioural issus and will begin moving with head raised. If you have a submissive dog and it is the genetic pattern of the dog, maybe you are out of luck solving the issue. In such cases, you may not be able to prevent the dog from walking slowly with head down.
Reducing the stressors can be yet another best way to help monitor your dogs and prevent the habit to walk with their head down. You may also need to check for injuries if any. If you find any injury, make sure that you have visited a vet to fix the bruises, and other signs of injury.
Here are a few checks that you can undertake at your home –
- Have a look at their nose – Avoid any nasal discharge or bleeding
- Check their ears for foul smell, ticks and sticky fluid.
- Check the fur to find any ticks and fleas. You may also check it to find if it has ney sort of lumps.
- Check if their anus has any bruises or redness
- Check their nails and find if the issue has anything to do with nail clipping
- Check eyes to find of their any discharges. Also check if the eyes are watery.
- Have a look at the gums. Check for the lumps in the gums or any sort of foul smell.
The Concluding Thoughts
If you find your dog walking slowly wiht its head down, it can be due to several reasons. A few of the causes can include pain, anxiety or just being submissive. If the behaviour is suddena and if you see it persisitng since long, it is advisable to visit a vet and make your dog go through a thorough check up.
A timely attention and treatment – for physical or psychological issues can help you make your dog comfortable. Follow the right steps and make your canine companion stay in the p ink of its health.
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