Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. In both hindlimbs at the same time suggests something with the spinal cord of pelvis. Get to a vet to get examined. Likely will need x-rays and some blood work. There will probably be pain medicine involved. I wouldn’t wait if it is a spinal disease it needs to be treated quickly.
How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :
Pain Tremors
A dogs` back legs may shake if they are experiencing pain, especially in the hip or knee, from a degenerative joint condition. A torn ligament in the knee, arthritis or hip dysplasia can all cause pain tremors in the back legs when the dog tries to walk.
Pain or Illness
Shivering could be a sign that your dog is in pain or suffering from an illness. Shivering and muscle tremors can be symptoms of serious conditions such as distemper, hypoglycemia, Addison`s disease and inflammatory brain disease, as well as more common ailments like an upset stomach.
This can happen due to mobility-reducing health conditions, surgery recovery, or lack of use in aging. Arthritis in your dog`s back legs may cause the muscle in your dog`s legs to atrophy. Not so coincidentally, arthritis is another condition that could cause your dog`s legs to become shaky and weak.
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.
Some signs of a stroke in dogs include a head tilt, circling, loss of balance, and unusual eye movements. If you think that your dog is having a stroke, don`t delay getting them to the vet for diagnosis and treatment. Treatment is mostly supportive, and it`s important to treat any underlying causes.
Panting helps our dogs regulate their body heat, leading to excessive panting when a dog becomes overheated. When a dog experiences heat exhaustion or heat stroke, you may begin to notice an array of concerning symptoms. These symptoms include excessive panting, drooling, weakness, pacing, and more.
Weakness in back legs of dogs can be caused by a variety of things, including myasthenia gravis, heart problems, anemia, hypothyroidism, and Addison`s disease.
If your dog is staggering, stumbling, or falling over, it could be due to a number of medical issues, such as an injury, stroke, poisoning, or infection.
Addison`s disease in dogs (also called hypoadrenocorticism) occurs when your dog`s adrenal glands aren`t producing adequate levels of corticosteroid hormones. If diagnosed and treated appropriately these dogs can live a long, happy life. The adrenal glands are two small glands next to the kidneys.
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.
In the case of a stroke, your pet`s brain sends incorrect signals to their body. For example, your pet may not be able to respond to your spoken directions. Instead, he may move in a directionless fashion and seem to be walking in circles. He may appear as though he is drunk and be unable to walk in a straight line.
The clinical signs of more advanced kidney failure include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and very bad breath. Occasionally, ulcers will be found in the mouth.
Signs that a dog has liver disease can vary and include loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach ulceration, diarrhea, seizures or other neurologic problems, fever, blood clotting problems, jaundice (a yellow tinge noticeable in the skin, mucous membranes, and eyes), fluid collection in the abdomen, excessive urination and …
Excessive panting is a common symptom of discomfort or pain. In fact, dogs who are uncomfortable often exhibit panting well before more obvious indicators of pain, such as whining or limping, arise. When the heart is doing an inadequate job of pumping blood around the body, the tissues become deprived of oxygen.
Wincing, Whining or Crying
All three of these actions indicate an injury or some kind of pain your dog is experiencing. If you start to pet your dog and they shy away from your hand or whine, you know there is something wrong.
Offer your dog some water.
A panting dog can become dehydrated quickly, so it`s important to offer them water as soon as possible. If they`re not interested in drinking, you can try offering them some ice cubes or frozen dog treats.
The quickest way to put an end to healthy panting is cool water. When dogs pant, the water inside of their lungs and nose evaporates to help them cool off. Giving them water will help them replenish this reserve and get back to normal.
Paralysis in dogs is usually caused by a problem in the spine or brain. Spinal compression, herniated discs, and nerve problems can all disrupt the communication between a dog`s spine and brain. When the nerves are unable to function normally, dogs will lose the ability to walk, stand, and control their legs.
Tremors in dogs can be caused by a variety of things, including white shaker syndrome, compost ingestion, toxin ingestion, episodic head tremors, hypoglycemia, hepatic encephalopathy and hypocalcemia. Treatment for tremors will vary depending on the cause but may include decontamination and supportive care.
Addisonians may be misdiagnosed with gastrointestinal disease, dehydration, kidney disease, pancreatitis, a ruptured bladder, or certain types of poisonings. The only way to definitively diagnose Addison`s disease is through an ACTH stimulation test.
Acute adrenal crisis is a medical emergency caused by a lack of cortisol. Patients may experience lightheadedness or dizziness, weakness, sweating, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, or even loss of consciousness.
Symptoms of Addison`s disease include periodic episodes of unexplained vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, weight loss, lethargy, shaking and illness around times of stress. Inadequate hormone production causes the gastrointestinal distress, and depleted sodium levels lead to muscle weakness and shaking.
Clinical signs result from hypocortisolism and include anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain, weakness, lethargy/dullness, and stress intolerance. Causes of secondary hypoadrenocorticism include destruction of the pituitary gland by neoplasia, inflammation, or head trauma (1,5).
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Q. My dog has Addison’s Disease and is panting alot, is this normal?
ANSWER : A. I don’t typically associate panting with Addison’s disease. I do see panting (it’s a primary symptom) of the disease that’s the opposite of Addison’s disease, which is Cushing’s disease. Cushing’s disease involves having an overactive adrenal gland, as opposed to a non-active or under active adrenal gland. Panting can also happen with steroid administration. If you’ve upped the dose of prednisone that your dog normally takes to combat holiday stress that may be the cause of the panting.
Panting can be a sign of stress, so evaluate the environment and see if there’s something that could have your dog agitated – fireworks, small children visiting, etc. This is especially important with an addisonian dog, as I’m sure you know.
Other causes of panting could include primary respiratory problems or heart disease, since low oxygen states can trigger panting. Definitely mention this to your vet (a phone call isn’t a bad idea) for this reason, just to see if he’ like to examine your dog to make sure everything’s OK>
Read Full Q/A … : DogAware.com Articles: Addison's Disease: The Great Pretender
Q. My dog was born in 2007 so is it old age that his right hind leg is limping or something else. Because he isn’t Wineing like its broken
ANSWER : A. Arthritis can cause lameness, especially in older dogs. With the lameness only being in one hind leg, I worry about a torn ligament. Please have him seen by a veterinarian for an orthopedic exam. They can evaluate his leg to determine the cause of the problem and also prescribe him medication to help make him more comfortable.
Read Full Q/A … : My dog is favoring her right hind leg. No swelling and doesn …
Q. My Chihuahua was jumping and suddenly started whining. Now she won’t put her hind leg down, but doesn’t cry when I mess with it. Will it heal on own?
ANSWER : A. Leg injuries are very common in small dogs, especially if they have jumped from a high place, or even stumbled and landed on the leg wrong. Leg injuries can be caused by anything from minor sprains and strains, to full blown breaks or joint tears and even arthritis or luxating patellas (knee joints that slip in and out). If the leg appears swollen, dislocated or there is visible bone or bleeding, veterinary care should be sought. Providing strict kennel rest and decreased activity for a day or two can help with minor injuries, however if the limping continues for more than a day you should make an appointment with your local veterinarian.
Read Full Q/A … : Causes of Limping in Dogs
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. My 1 year old yorkie woke up this morning with spasms in his hind legs. He is not in any pain, and is running around. Not as much as usual but he
ANSWER : A. Spasms or problems with the hind legs can be caused by a number of things ranging from minor sprains and strains, to injuries of the nerves, back or muscles connected to the hind legs. If the spasm has not occurred before, keeping your dog quiet and resting for a day or two may help him to recover from a minor injury. However if the spasms continue, worsen, or begin to cause him pain or distress then seeking veterinary care is a good idea.
Read Full Q/A … : My dog is acting strangely by running around – Questions …
Q. Suddenly became lame in hind legs, panting and shaking.
ANSWER : A. In both hindlimbs at the same time suggests something with the spinal cord of pelvis. Get to a vet to get examined. Likely will need x-rays and some blood work. There will probably be pain medicine involved. I wouldn’t wait if it is a spinal disease it needs to be treated quickly.
Read Full Q/A … : Heavy Panting in Dogs – WebMD
Q. 6 Mo MinPin rear leg goes lame mostly left leg. No pain no tenderness. Intermittent but occurring more frequently
ANSWER : A. You should take him to your vet for examination and maybe x-ray. He may have problem with patella, hip any other joint in hind leg
Read Full Q/A … : Vetinfo
Q. Able to walk but one back leg looks stiff or weak. Won’t jump or sprint as usual.Not eating, peeing or pooing as often. Is panting and shaking a lot.
ANSWER : A. I strongly recommend you get the source of his pain and discomfort assessed as soon as possible because this is not normal behavior for such a young dog. Panting and shaking is a sure sign of discomfort
Read Full Q/A … : Caring for an Elderly and Aging Dog
