My cat has sudden back leg weakness and pain. Could it be spondylosis?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These are general signs that can be seen with a lot of conditions. It could be due to a neurologic condition or perhaps an orthopedic condition causing some kind of pain or discomfort. If this continues, I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to start with a good physical examination and possibly diagnostics to get to the bottom of this so that therapy if any can be started. Have a great day!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The signs you describe can be caused by an irregularity in the spine - this may cause the bones to compress the actual spinal cord, damaging the nerves that are responsible for controlling the back legs and tail. A veterinary neurologist would be able to further diagnose the condition and propose a treatment plan, your original vet may be able to recommend one. I would be happy to take a look at x-rays or bloodwork and answer any questions you may have about them!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am very suspicious of arthritis is Sassy based on what you describe. Arthritis is not unexpected - but also not "normal". I do recommend treatment to give her the best quality life she can have. See your vet to help rule out something more nefarious (because cancer and other things also can cause problems in older cats). Then have a discussion about safe medications and supplements for cats. Some of my favorites are adequan, duralactin, and gabapentin. Best of luck to you and Sassy!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you think Tinkerbell is having back leg problems and she appears to be in pain, I am concerned that this could be what we call a Saddle Thrombus. This is a condition in which a clot breaks free and travels through the aorta down to the saddle (where the femoral arteries branch off of the aorta). This causes paralysis and severe pain. This is typically related to heart disease. I would recommend having Tinkerbell examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm very sorry to hear that Alfie's back legs stopped working acutely. This is really concerning, and I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian right away. This could be due to some sort of trauma/injury, like to his back/spine. It could also be a neurologic problem. It is also possible for cats to get something called an aortic thromboembolism (ATE), which means a blood clot gets lodged in their aorta (the body's major artery) right where the vessels to the hind legs branch off. This is also called a saddle thrombus, and results in acute loss of blood supply to the hind legs, which is extremely painful. Regardless of why Alfie has stopped using his hind legs, I recommend having him examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian can try to localize the issue and decide what treatment is best. I hope this is helpful!

Yes, you need to take Katie to the veterinarian. Weakness in the hind limbs can indicate many things ranging from hyperthyroidism to a spinal issue. A physical exam, blood work and potentially x-rays are needed for the correct diagnosis and treatment. Certain conditions, if caught early, are highly treatable. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

First of all, I'm very, very sorry for your loss. Only six days of prednisolone isn't a very long course, as some pets take the medication for months to years - this is when tapering is most important. Discontinuing prednisolone with or without a taper shouldn't lead to hind limb paralysis. Since Parker was so young, one of the most common causes of hind leg paralysis is something called a saddle thrombus (or aortic thromboembolism). This is a blood clot that occurs due to underlying heart disease. While I certainly don't know the cause of Parker's neurologic issues, some acute neurologic problems can arise from blood clots in the brain. Please know that your weaning the prednisolone would not have caused his hind limb paralysis. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.