Dog cross front legs walking?

[Leaddog]

I've seen alot of strange things over the years but never this one. An older dog late last week was so unstable walking that it literally criss-crossed his front legs walking up to the house. He was walking straight at me and the left would cross over in front of the right then the right would crossover in front of the left and so on.

A week before he difficulty moving and tail was down. I assumes Lymes or one of the related diseases. The vet sent him home with antiboitics for that and and anti-inflamatory. Started him on the antibiotic and as expected the next day he seemes fine, tail curled and wagging.

Last Thursday he showed the walking issue and I started him on the anti-inflamatory and he did improve. So, the thought is maybe a pinched nerve.

Has anyone seen that crossing step before? Wondering if its indicative of anything in particular. Like a ratty tail is a sure thyroid sign.

Thanks

[jwmiller33]

thats strange. what kind of dog is it?

[Leaddog]

He's mostly Norwegian Elkhound pushing 12 yrs. He's big boy but his weight has been sliding down. Had the blood work done, showed some liver stress which is common when on anti-inflamatories. Right now he's happy and tail up. But I had never seen over compensating to that extent before.

[hartner62]

Maybe he thinks he is a super model.

[Leaddog]

He's doing well right now. Really doubt my vet missed an obvious sign, she's been outstanding for me for many years. It just looked so strange.

To Hartner's point maybe his heels were to high ...hmm Scratch that!

[BRULEDRIFTER]

I have a 10 year old lab that started walking similar. We thought Lyme's and then symptoms looked like a stomach issue as she would arch her back and felt bloated.

Vet looks at her for about an hour and says her guess is something in her neck.....X-ray shows a degenerated disk (as much as an x-ray can but I don't even know if they MRI dogs and am not going to find out).

Long and short, give her her anti inflamatories and she's fine for awhile. Whenever the limp comes back we drug her for a week and she's good to go for about a month.

[Leaddog]

At that time he seemed to have some stiffness in his neck. Doing fine now, enough that he spent the night chewing on a beaver rug. Might be back outside for him.

Think I'll take that same approach, hold anti-inflams for when he shows he needs them.

Thanks