This is a simplified discussion of a condition commonly called wobbler.

The term was first used in horses with episodes of abnormal, unsteady movement, discomfort, and sometimes falling. The problem involved instability near the base of the skull, around the atlantoaxial joint.

Dogs can have a similar problem. Today it may be described more formally as atlantoaxial subluxation.

A dog can have this instability for years without obvious symptoms. Then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the dog develops severe neck pain. They may cry out, refuse to turn their head, hold their neck at an unusual angle, or even fall down if the spinal cord or nerves are being compressed.

Then the episode may settle down. Later, it can happen again.

That intermittent nature can make the condition difficult to diagnose. When the dog isn’t actively painful, ordinary X-rays may not show anything you can confidently point to and say, “There it is.” More advanced testing can be much more definitive, but it can also become very expensive.

What may be happening during an episode is that looseness in the joint allows the vertebrae to shift and compress the spinal cord or surrounding nerves. That hurts. The body responds by tightening the muscles around the neck in an attempt to stabilize the area.

Unfortunately, that muscle spasm can make the pain even worse.

So treatment may involve two basic goals: reduce inflammation around the irritated tissues and relax the muscle spasm. An anti-inflammatory combined with a muscle relaxer such as methocarbamol can sometimes be very helpful. Pain medication may also be used when needed.

In a middle-aged or older dog with sudden severe neck pain, reluctance to move the head, vocalizing, an unusual head or neck posture, or occasional falling, this condition may be worth considering.

When advanced testing isn’t practical, a veterinarian may sometimes use appropriate anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing medication and watch the response as part of the diagnostic process.

And importantly, not every dog with an episode goes on to have constant trouble. I have seen dogs experience what appeared to be a wobbler episode once and never have another one