Does anyone have experience of this problem?  Can anyone tell me about it?

Thanks
Lynn

I have a friend who has just had a young Dane operated on very successfully for Wobblers - she heard all sorts of horror stories beforehand about how cruel she was going ahead with the op, but recovery was excellent and she wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

If this sort of thing is useful to you, PM me and I'll put you in touch with her.

Marina

Hi Lynn

It seems to be most common in Danes and Dobes and one of the early signs is dogs dragging their back feet so that the upper part of the foot touches the ground.

There have been some good successes in treating with gold bead therapy where the beads are injected into acupunture points and the necks wrapped so they are fairly immobile for a while.  Gold is also used for some human patients with various conditions.

If you want a name I will see if I can find one for you

Hi and thanks for the replies.  I have done a bit of research of wobblers on the net and reading about the symptoms I am not sure that is what is wrong.  The dogs gait is like nothing I have ever seen before.  You know how some horses lift their front legs really high (when dancing or dressage?) he does that.  He is a bit wobbly on his back end but he doesnt seem to have any probs with his neck.  When he gallops around he runs as tho he is jumping a high fence.... he sort of bounds and he doesnt trot at all???  I havent seen him scraping his back paws on the ground but I will watch for this.

He is a rescue weim that we have no history on at all, he was found and taken to the police, he was about to be PTS by the "rescue kennels" when I heard about him and took him from them. Only then did I realise his strange gait, although he does have a heart of gold.  The vet who has been treating him for his malnutrition suggested Wobblers but after reading a bit more about it I have my doubts.  He is not strong enough to undergo xrays or indeed an GA.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this?

Lynn

Hi Lynn.
My Dobe had wobblers and what you describe is IDENTICAL to the symptoms he had.  He had a high front action and a wide slower long stepping action, kind of like he was drunk.  He did not have problems specific to his neck untill near the end, first signs of that was his inability to lift it very high.  Many wobblers carry their heads level or lower than normal but not all.  My dog had no meds until the final year, he was never operated on and lived until he was 12yrs old.  The running you describe is exactly the same too, like he bounds from front legs to back legs, he also never was able to trot, and he never scraped his feet.

What breed is he?  If you are close I would be happy to take a look at him, having owned one and watched sooooo many since, you develop an "eye" for a wobbler even in its very early stages.  I could also find a video clip for you of my Dobe, you could then see for yourself if you think they are similar.

Dawn.

Dawn, thanks for the reply, If you are near enough to come and see him that would be wonderful,we are in west yorkshire. if not a video clip would be brill.   Keriok The link is great, but I hope it isnt what he has got, we will have to wait and see.

Mary-Caroline I will PM you for the number, I will try anything to make his life a bit better, just realised I dont know how to PM anyone?? please could you e mail me at kidmal.weimaraners@ntlworld.com

Thank you everyone for the help.

Lynn

Sorry to hear about your dog.  I don't know if acupuncture can do anything for this problem, but I know a fantastic acupuncture vet who treated my cat.  I was very cynical about alternative therapies but willing to try anything, and I'm absolutely converted.  It's probably worth a phone call anyway, if you PM me I can pass the number of the practice on.

Good luck

Mary-Caroline

Hi Lynn

Just came across this article when I was looking for something else - probably one of the best descriptions I have seen

wobblers by Fred Lanting

Hope your dog does not have this

Hi Lynn,

Our 10 month old boy Len (1/2 victorian bulldog, 1/2 ddb) has just recovered from  surgery for Wobblers, and although he still has a wobbly gait, he is fine and the abnormal bone growth and cysts which were compressing his spinal cord have been removed.  Is your Weim likely to be unable to have further investigations indefinitely, or just until he is over his malnutrition (I'm assuming that's why he's not strong enough from your other post?).

Helen

Hi Helen,  I am not sure about further investigations as unfortunately cost comes into the equation and whether he will make a full recovery.  I wanted to know more about the options available before a decision is taken.  I have had an e mail from someone who is willing to come over and have a look at him for me, she has experience of wobblers so may be able to tell me the degree of damage, or if indeed it is wobblers!

I will let you know the outcome, and thanks for the encouragement.

Lynn

Hi.
I am a bit far away but will try to get a clip for you.  Please remember each case can present differently depending on which vertebrae are affected, so what some body sees in one dog will not be the same for another.

I am not good with technology type thingies, but I am going to try to film the TV with my camera if that makes sense!  Are you on broadband?
Dawn.

Hi Dawn,

No I dont have broadband but I know what you mean about the technology thingy.  I will look forward to seeing the clip tho.

Thanks
Lynn

Its just it will take you AGES to recieve it otherwise!  Will do my best.
Dawn.

Hi, just thought Iwould let you know that we had the dog to the vets (he was strong enough) and it isnt wobblers.. thank fully.  It seems that he was born with a defect that means the messages from his legs doesnt quite get to his brain therefore he has learnt to walk strangely and run in a funny way to counteract what his brain is receiving.  Anyway seems he is younger than we had estimated and he shouldnt get any worse. Infact the vet says that he might get better at the movement thing as he gets older.  Good news!!!  he isnt in any pain and is a happy chappy without an agressive bone in his body, which is good news and will make rehoming him easier.

Thanks for all the concern.

Lynn

PS; the weim with the funny tum (allergic to everything) is doing well too, we have found a complete food that he can have and is doing well on. !!! YEAH