Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. If this has only just happened give her a couple of hours to see if there is any improvement, if not then see your vet. If there are any other symptoms such as muscle tremors or vomiting then you need to see you vet straight away.
How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?
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If he is having a hard time walking, or he is staggering and wobbling on his feet, this back leg weakness may be a result of muscle atrophy, pain, or nerve damage. Other signs that can alert you to this condition are a reluctance or inability to stand, lameness, or paralysis in the legs.
Sudden onset of collapse can be secondary to a variety of disorders including spinal cord injury, orthopedic disease, or systemic illness. This sudden hind-leg weakness may be a sign of a disease that requires prompt attention from your regular veterinarian. Or even a trip to the emergency room.
Paralysis of a hind leg is usually associated with injury to the nerve roots in the lower back or tailbone, the network of nerves located between the spinal cord and the hind leg (lumbosacral plexus), or the femoral, sciatic, peroneal, or tibial nerve in the leg.
Potential causes include inner/middle ear infections, intoxication, strokes, tumors, infectious or inflammatory diseases (meningitis), idiopathic vestibular disease (also called “old dog” vestibular syndrome), or other less likely causes.
Strokes can affect how your pet controls their eyes. Look out for abnormal eye movements such as your dog`s eyes constantly rotating or darting from side to side. Furthermore, one eye may stay still while the other moves, or both your pet`s eyes may look as though they are focusing on two different spots.
Or perhaps your dog is having trouble walking all of a sudden. This can happen as a dog gets older, or it could result from an injury or illness. Instead of brushing it off when your dog has trouble standing or walking to see if it gets better with time, call your vet and schedule an appointment immediately.
Sudden lameness in dogs is often attributed to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). IVDD occurs when an intervertebral disc`s gel-like center becomes dry and brittle enough to rupture through the outer fibrous ring, compressing your dog`s spinal cord.
A Spinal Stroke or Fibrocartilaginous embolism occurs when a piece of the vertebral disc breaks off and impedes blood flow to neurons in the spinal cord. When the blood flow to neurons in the spinal cord get cut off, the neurons die resulting in leg paralysis.
Degenerative myelopathy initially affects the back legs and causes muscle weakness and loss, and lack of coordination. These cause a staggering effect that may appear to be arthritis. The dog may drag one or both rear paws when it walks. This dragging can cause the nails of one foot to be worn down.
If your dog is staggering, stumbling, or falling over, it could be the result of a number of medical issues, including injury, stroke, poisoning, or an infection.
If your dog is staggering, stumbling, or falling over, it may be the result of a variety of medical issues, including injury, stroke, poisoning, or an infection.
Seizures, circling, falling, difficulty walking and behavioral changes can all indicate that your pup had a stroke. Your furry friend can have a stroke without you noticing it, as some signs are mild and unrecognizable to a pet parent. “The only way to diagnose a stroke is with an MRI of the brain,” Dr.
Cushing`s disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is a serious health condition in dogs that occurs when the adrenal glands overproduce cortisol (cortisone) in the animal`s body. Excess cortisol can put a dog at risk of several serious conditions and illnesses, from kidney damage to diabetes, and can be life-threatening.
Inflammation of the brain and its lining is called `meningoencephalitis`. MUA is a term for a group of inflammatory brain conditions that can affect dogs of any age, sex and breed; although small breed, female, young to middle-aged dogs are more typically affected.
Addisonians may be misdiagnosed with gastrointestinal disease, dehydration, kidney disease, pancreatitis, a ruptured bladder, or certain types of poisonings.
As kidney disease progresses in your dog, they can become very lethargic and prefer to sleep much of the day. When they are awake, their back legs may appear weak and cause them to shake while they walk or even stumble and fall.
Commonly referred to as a slipped, herniated, bulging, or ruptured disc, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) can cause sudden paralysis in dogs and is one of the conditions most often seen in veterinary neurology.
If your dog suddenly loses their sense of balance they could be suffering from a serious health problem that requires immediate veterinary attention. Ataxia in dogs is the name given to the condition relating to a sensory dysfunction that results in a loss of coordination in the dog`s head, limbs, or rear end.
Like humans, dogs can sprain or strain their muscles. They could have also overexerted themselves and are now feeling weak. Your dog may have been involved in an accident that caused fractures or trauma, which can make their back legs shake. Your pup could have injured their spine, which is painful for them.
Although there is no specific treatment for strokes in dogs and cats, most pets tend to recover within a few weeks. However, recovery may not be possible if the stroke has affected a vital part of the brain.
Severely affected animals may continually roll over and be unable to walk. Some animals may be so off-balance and disoriented that they become nauseated and vomit. As you can imagine, the signs of idiopathic vestibular disease are quite alarming and very similar to the signs of a canine stroke.
Sudden behavior changes in dogs can be another symptom of a stroke. For example, your dog`s personality has abruptly changed, and it may seem lost, withdrawn, irritable, or just not itself.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Q. My dog has a hard time walking on his front legs. I was told he has nerve damage and he was walking on three legs now it seems to be both front legs
ANSWER : A. Problems with walking in the front legs can be caused by a large number of things. Arthritis in older dogs can cause joint pain and stiffness which may make walking hard. Nerve or muscular damage may also cause problems.
With nerve or muscle damage there is often a loss of muscle tone in the affected limbs. Limbs may look skinnier than unaffected ones, and may lose overall muscle mass. In some cases, treatment for pain or soreness may help improve symptoms some. Depending on the severity of the damage, some dogs may recover while others have permanent damage.
It may also be that if your dog was putting all his weight on one front leg to help the other, that the good front leg is now stiff and sore. Restricting exercise, giving a supplement to help joints and bones and following your veterinarian’s recommendations for care can all help your dog to feel a little better.
Read Full Q/A … : Front Leg Injury in Dogs – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis …
Q. Have a dachshund who is over weight but this past couple of days she refuses to go up steps and her left back leg is not being used, and she is guntin
ANSWER : A. This particular breed is very susceptible to back problems. Your dog is showing some classic symptoms of back pain- reluctance to climb stairs, weakness or inability to use a rear leg and grunting. Your dog should be examined and have radiographs of her back as soon as possible. Hopefully, she can be treated medically, but sometimes back problems progress quickly to something surgical. The quicker you get an accurate assessment of the extent of her problem, the quicker you dan get her some pain relief.
Read Full Q/A … : Theories of gravitation
Q. My dog had surgey yesterday to remove a fatty tumor on her back end. Today she still isn’t able to walk on her back legs. Is that normal?
ANSWER : A. If she is totally off her back legs (has no strength in them at all) she needs to be seen by a vet ASAP – this is a clinical emergency. If she is quite weak but able to stand, it could be a result of the anaesthetic drugs (especially if she is older or has other illnesses). Depending on the wound site as well she may be feeling a little “tight” or sensitive around that area, which is making her reluctant to walk. Give her another 24 hours, keep her warm and quiet and see your vet if there’s no improvement.
Read Full Q/A … : Cancer and Tumors in Dogs – Vetinfo.com
Q. My pomeranians back leg is bothering her I believe it is sprained she cant walk on it.she can stand on it and is not in any pain should she see vet
ANSWER : A. If you believe the leg may be sprained or you are seeing signs of injury such as pain, swelling, limp or loss of use of the leg, then scheduling a veterinary appointment is best. Your vet can examine the leg, and may also recommend an X-ray to check for breaks, sprains and dislocations that can all cause these issues. Until you can get into your vet it is best to limit all activity to strict kennel rest and leashed walks outside ONLY to go potty to help reduce the pain and decrease further injury to the limb.
Read Full Q/A … : Pomeranian Health – Problems, Medical Concerns, Issues
Q. What is the disease that affects vertebra on Boxer dogs?
ANSWER : A. There are lots of problems with the back that can go wrong , however one common one is Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVD). This involves a gradual degeneration of the pads between vertebrae that are used to help pad impact and protect the nerves inside the spinal cord. This can cause pain, trouble walking, paralysis and more. Many other back problems can include Wobbler’s Syndrome- a problem where the neck and back meet, or even just plain injury to the back itself. Boxers that have docked tails may also have nerve issues in the cauda equina- a group of nerves that meet at the base of the back and tail and are important in proper function of the lower organs, tail and legs.
Read Full Q/A … : Lumbosacral Stenosis in Dogs – Vetstreet
Q. Hello.. My jack russel has started to get a bowed front leg at the ankle and is causing him to limp quiet a lot.. Is there anything that can be done.?
ANSWER : A. It is possible an injury or deformity of the leg is causing the limp and physical changes you are seeing. Sprains, breaks, strains and even nutritional deficiencies may cause the leg to bow and pain/limping to occur. Having a vet take an X-ray and examine the leg is best to determine the cause of the changes and limp as well as the treatment needed. Casting, bed rest, and medications to treat pain may all be needed to help the leg heal. Until you can get to the vet, a regime of strict kennel rest with leashed walks only to go potty outside will help reduce any further injury to the leg and decrease pain.
Read Full Q/A … : Jack Russell FAQs Page!
Q. What can I do to help our Lab stop pulling on the leash when we go for a walk? I have tried different techniques but after 2 1/2 years she still pulls
ANSWER : A. POST TWO:
In the mean-time, while you’re working on building up that attention indoors, you should be using a front hooking harness outdoors on your walks. This will eliminate your girls pulling power. The Sensible http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ible-harness and the Sensation http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ation-harness harness are the best front hooking harnesses on the market because they do not have the martingale loop on the front of the harness (which can cause the dog to yo-yo during walks).
In the mean-time, while you’re working on building up that attention indoors, you should be using a front hooking harness outdoors on your walks. This will eliminate your girls pulling power. The Sensible http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ible-harness and the Sensation http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ation-harness harness are the best front hooking harnesses on the market because they do not have the martingale loop on the front of the harness (which can cause the dog to yo-yo during walks).
Lastly, I’d just like to add that dogs sniff the ground during walks for added mental stimulation. If your dog isn’t allowed to sniff the ground, the walk isn’t nearly as fun or tiring. When you are practicing attention on your walks, make sure it’s in short, small bursts. Attention for a few steps, back to sniffing for several steps, attention for a few steps, sniffing for a few minutes.. etc.
Read Full Q/A … : How to Stop Your Dog from Pulling – Shiba Shake
Q. I was walking my dog with my wifeand he was acting normal when my wife bent over pick up a paper he tucked his tale ran about 20 feet and locked up
ANSWER : A. So he was startled. Next time, carry high value treats with you on your walks and feed them periodically for good behavior. Encourage him to walk alongside, you encourage him to allow you to bend over here and there throughout your walk. Do not make any sudden movements, and makes sure your dog is comfortable throughout the entire walk. Using treats will help him make positive associations with being walked by your wife and you.
Read Full Q/A … : Dog is lethargic with arched back – Questions & Answers …
