Just had Opi to the vet.

She's had a bit of a wobbly episode - I popped out to the post office earlier, it's at the end of my road (100 yards ish) and I always take her with me.  We got maybe 3 yards down the road and I thought she'd slipped off the pavement, but looking at her then trying to walk, she was staggering quite badly with her back left being the worst, it looked totally uncoordinated.  I stopped her for a second, then turned her round and took her back home - absolutely fine.  Back indoors fine and has been fine since.

To be safe of course I took her in, the only hint of anything wrong was a slightly slow/heavy knuckle reflex on that back left foot, otherwise no pain or anything anywhere.

The only other changes I've noticed recently is that she grumped at a dog yesterday - I use her as a stooge dog for behavioural work, have done for a few years as she's just so good at it, and has never, ever retaliated  to another dog - she's even stopped two dogs from attacking her purely through careful body language and posture.  Yet yesterday, I was working her with a client's dog, client's dog panicked a wee bit and grumped, nothing bad, and Opi grumped back.  Very out of character as she just doesn't do that.  The normal response in yesterday's situation would be a very clear, slow head turn away to calm the dog down.

At the moment I'm just to monitor her and hope it's just a one-off blip, in the meantime I'm just wondering if anyone had any thoughts?  Remy had a similar episode a few years back, although much worse, which has never repeated itself so I'm hoping for the same, although he didn't have the slow knuckling response once he'd recovered, or the behavioural changes (no matter how small they may be).

I'm going to get the chiropractor out soon in case something's just pinching somewhere (she does a lot of rollovers and I'm wondering if, with the sheer enthusiasm for doing them and being 9 this year, that's tweaked something although she's never made a peep).

I wonder if she could have had a small vestibular attack (stroke to you & I.) Hopefully it won't happen again.

How is Opi today?

She's still fine, hopefully she'll stay that way!  We all stayed at home yesterday so I could keep an eye on her.

G.Rets - I did wonder about a VA and the vet did ask, but I didn't see any flickering of eyes and she was perfectly 'with it' as it happened - she was worried that her legs weren't doing what she wanted but very aware of it too.

Just had her out for the first walk since the episode and no problems, running, leaping (and rolling, lovely dog) as usual.

Been thinking about the possibility of a very mild VA and I'm leaning towards it - Remy had a similar (but much, much worse) episode a few years back, where Opi staggered a bit, he was staggering all over and walking into things and I was literally holding him up in the waiting room - and he had no eye flickering either (plus, I'm not 100% about Opi's eyes as I was watching her back end more but I'm fairly certain there wasn't any).  He's never had another since, I reckon his was to do with his thyroid - I've heard recently about another dog who had similar and hasn't since going on thyroid treatment.

Still going ahead with the thyroid check though, once I've scraped the money together (and once the dogs stop stopping me doing it - thank you Saffi, for hurting your leg today!!).

Just wanted to update on this.

I've had the results through - she's hypothyroid :-)  Not normally something for a smiley lol BUT it's an answer to at least some of the oddness of late (snapping at dogs, generally being 'off' and the patch of slightly thinned hair on her tail that I noticed last week).

Once the vets are back in on Saturday I'll get her on Soloxine and hopefully sorted out, and get my girl back :-)

At least you have an answer, good luck with the meds etc. Very worrying when they are out of sorts :)

That is hopeful news, hope it all works out.