my dog can barely stand up, and wont stop crying. once she is up she walks sideways with her back arched and head turned to the side. she had an ear infection about a month ago but i thought it was gone.
Optional Information: Type of Animal: sheperd lab mix Pet's Gender: Female Pet's Age: 6 Name of Dog: sasha
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Sometimes an arched back can be due to a pinched nerve, where the disc along the spine is pressing on the spinal cord nerve. This can cause back pain and it can happen in the neck area which might affect the head or the lower spine causing an arched back and trouble with walking .
That is just one possibility. A head tilt and being off balance can be from vestibular disease which usually has something to do with the ear. The inner ear has a problem with infection or with the ear drum. This causes the inner ear and brain not to communicate correctly and the dog loses balance, the head is tilted, the eyes may move rapidly and the dog may become nauseous from this. Vestibular can also be idiopathic meaning there is no known cause. Generally it becomes better within a few weeks but the dog may be left with a head tilt. You do want to get him back to your vet so they can check and make sure there is not a returning ear infection or problem with the ear drum as either is painful.
Vestibular disease http://www.petplace.com/dogs/vestibular-disease-in-dogs/page1.aspx