2AM Nikki wakes us up by somehow crashing into the 5 gal water jug I throw spare change into, and a lamp. But she has trouble standing up, so we help her get on her feet - She can't stand up! She's acting drunk, confused, uncoordinated, and she has a look of pure terror on her face! She staggers around the bedroom, wobbling and falling down as if her legs don't work. Mary gets her to lay down, we pet her and calm her while she lies still, still looking scared and confused. Mary takes her out, just in case she has to be sick. The dog walks wobbly and favors her right side. Of course the worst case thought hits Mary: Nikki had a stroke, or some kind of spinal injury! Well, we got Nikki settled and calmed down, and determined to call the vet first thing. We, of course, didn't get a wink of sleep from 2AM on, worrying. I could hear the dog snoring softly while we tossed and turned. In the morning, Nikki acted 100% FINE!!! Perfectly normal! The vet checked her out and found nothing wrong for a 12-year-old dog, except a little sensitivity in her tummy. The verdict: She had a bad dream, scared herself silly when she hit the noisy jug full of coins, and pulled a muscle when she tried to jump up from an awkward position. So, today Nikki's perfectly fine, and Mary and I are exhausted wrecks.
It's like having a kid. Odds are she didn't like the food she got and did the whole thing just to mess with you.
One of my dogs gets like that every once in a while. He gets confused, scared, staggers around, has a hard time walking. It turns out that giving him a teaspoon of honey clears him up. His blood sugar drops and it causes him to act that way. If she does that again try giving her some honey or sugar. The honey is easier to give them since all you need to is put it her mouth and she'll lick it.
Hope that's all it is! My aunt had a dachshund that one day started to walk very slowly and stiffly, and his eyes were squinted in pain. When the vet was looking him over, he stuck a thermometer up the dog's butt . . . a moment later the thermometer shot across the counter as the dog let go the most foul fart ever. That's what you get for giving them too much cheese - a $45 fart!
