Neurological conditions
When the nervous system is affected
Neurological conditions can affect how your pet moves, balances, behaves, and responds to the world around them. Some signs appear suddenly, while others develop gradually over time.
Explore our guides to common neurological conditions in dogs and cats to better understand the signs you may be noticing, what might be causing them, and what to discuss with your veterinarian.
Condition guides
Common neurological conditions
Start with the guide that best matches what you’ve noticed.
Start here
Seizures and epilepsy
What a seizure can look like, what to do during one, what can cause seizures and how epilepsy is managed.
Read the seizure guide
IVDD and spinal conditions
Back or neck pain, wobbliness, weakness and loss of movement.
Vestibular disease and balance
Head tilt, loss of balance, circling and unusual eye movements.
Cognitive dysfunction
Changes in memory, sleep and behavior in older dogs and cats.
More conditions
Other neurological conditions
Tremors, nerve and muscle problems, and more.
See other conditions
Signs to look for
Signs of a neurological problem
Neurological signs depend on which part of the nervous system is affected. These are some of the most common.
Seizures or collapse
Sudden episodes of shaking, stiffening, paddling, staring or unusual behavior.
Weakness or wobbliness
Stumbling, knuckling or dragging the paws, or trouble standing, jumping or using stairs.
Pain
Crying out, not wanting to move, a hunched back or a low head carriage.
Balance problems
A head tilt, circling, falling to one side or unusual eye movements.
Changes in behavior
Confusion, getting stuck in corners, changes in sleep or new house soiling.
Tremors or twitching
Shaking that isn’t explained by cold, fear or excitement.
Not sure what you’re seeing? If it’s safe, record a video and show it to your veterinarian.
Urgent signs
When to get help urgently
Contact your veterinarian or the nearest emergency hospital straight away if your pet:
Has a seizure for the first time, is prolonged, or repeats
Seek urgent veterinary advice if your pet has their first seizure, and seek emergency veterinary care if a seizure continues for several minutes or multiple seizures occur within 24 hours.
Suddenly can’t walk
Sudden weakness, dragging legs or paralysis can mean a spinal cord problem such as a disc extrusion, where early treatment matters.
Also go now if your pet
- is in severe pain or can’t get comfortable
- has trouble breathing or swallowing
- suddenly becomes confused, dull or unresponsive
- may have eaten or been exposed to a toxin
- has a change in bark or meow with wobbly back legs, in an area with paralysis ticks
More conditions
Other neurological conditions
Many other conditions affect the nervous system. These are some your veterinarian may mention.
Tremors
Shaking of the head or the whole body. Some tremor syndromes respond well to treatment; others are linked to toxins or other illness.
Nerve, junction and muscle disease
Conditions such as myasthenia gravis and polyneuropathy can cause weakness, tiring easily, or a change in voice or swallowing.
Inflammation of the brain or spinal cord
Often called meningoencephalitis or meningitis. It can cause seizures, circling, behavior change or neck pain, and is usually diagnosed with MRI and spinal fluid tests.
Brain tumors
More common in older dogs and cats. The signs depend on where the tumor is and can include seizures, behavior change and circling.
Tick paralysis
In parts of Australia, the paralysis tick causes wobbly back legs that can progress to paralysis, a change in bark or meow, and breathing problems. It’s an emergency.
Movement disorders
Episodes of abnormal movement while the pet stays aware, such as paroxysmal dyskinesia. They can look like seizures. Seizures or a movement disorder?