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Why Is My Dog Twisting His Body When Walking?

October 26, 2020 by Mary Telesz

dog twisting while walkingIt is a good idea to become familiar with your dog’s normal way of moving. Get in the habit of observing your dog when it stands, sits, lies down, walks, and runs. If you notice a change in your dog’s usual movements, like your dog twisting when walking, it might be a signal that something is hurting.

Common Reasons Why A Dog Might Be Twisting Their Body

In a normal trotting gait for most dogs (and other four-legged animals), the dog will move forward with its back straight, supported by the in-tandem movement of the diagonal pairs of its legs. That is, the dog’s front left leg and rear right leg move at the same time to take a step forward. The next step will be the dog’s front right leg and rear left leg moving forward at the same time. The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine created a website to help dog owners understand the limb patterns of their dog’s major gaits and know what they should look like.

You may have noticed that your dog does not move with its back in a perfectly straight line. Your dog may move forward at a slight angle or slight C-shape in its back with the left or the right shoulder slightly in the lead. That is very normal and is due to the way the dog developed its most dominant pair of legs. It is similar to being right-handed or left-handed in humans.

However if you notice that your dog is no longer moving in his normal way, take notice. If your dog has begun twisting his body when he walks or runs, his gait is uneven, or if his movement resembles a crab-like walk, your dog may be contorting to protect itself from pain.

couple walking when their dog twistingTwisting its body or moving with a different rhythm during a walk can be a sign that your dogs has developed one of the following conditions:

Possible Spinal Discomfort or Injury

One sign of spinal pain is a pacing gait, which can look as if your dog is shuffling, twisting, or rocking from side to side.

When pacing, the dog’s diagonal pair of legs do not move in tandem. Instead, the front and rear leg on the same side of the dog’s body go forward with each step. In other words, both right legs move forward to take a step, and then both left legs move forward. Pacing can be a sign of extreme fatigue, illness, or weakness especially in the dog’s rear end. Note also that obese dogs may choose to pace rather than trot.

Pacing is not always a sign of a problem. Some breeds, like the Old English Sheepdog, move with a pacing gait which is in fact a desirable trait. The Sheepdog and other large-breed dogs are more prone to pacing as a way to conserve energy especially when covering longer distances. Also, some dogs with short-body conformation will move in a comfortable, natural pacing gait.

If you have never noticed your dog pacing before and it has suddenly begun pacing when it walks, it is a reason to have your vet examine your dog for an injury or problem developing in the dog’s rear end or spine.

Wobbler Syndrome

Cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM), or wobbler syndrome, is a disease of the cervical spine (at the neck) that is commonly seen in large and giant-breed dogs. With CSM, the dog’s spinal cord and/or nerve roots are compressed in a narrowed vertebral canal which results in neurological signs and/or neck pain. Dogs with wobbler syndrome have a wobbly gait when they walk.

You should suspect your dog has wobbler syndrome if it also has any of the following symptoms along with a wobbly or twisted gait:

  • Neck pain, stiffness
  • Weakness
  • Possible short-stride walking, spastic with a floating appearance or weakness in the front limbs
  • Partial or complete paralysis
  • Muscle loss near the shoulders
  • Worn toenails indicating uneven walking
  • Difficulty getting up from lying position

two dogs walking and twistingYour dog will need to be examined by a vet for a diagnosis and recommended treatment. In many cases, surgery is necessary to correct the condition.

Arthritis Pain

An aging dog, or a dog that has recovered from a serious injury, is likely to develop arthritis. Arthritis pain will cause a dog to modify the way it moves to alleviate pain. Your dog may bob its head when it moves to reduce the weight on an arthritic limb, move stiffly to avoid pain in its joints, or contort its body in a way that minimizes pain in its movements. For these dogs, your vet may prescribe a pain reliever designed to make arthritic dogs more comfortable.

Consider Consulting With Dog Walking Professionals For Help

The dog walking professionals at Paw Pals are experienced in working with dogs with mobility issues. Whether they need to refrain from certain activity during their walk or need to go more frequently but at a slower pace for shorter distances, the experts at Paw Pals are available to help you. In many cases, the owner needs help making sure their dog gets the care it needs. Contact the pros at Paw Pals for more information about how they can help you and your dog.

Filed Under: Pet Care

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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