Why can't my 8-year-old Labrador move his back legs after a bath?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m so sorry to hear Pippy is having issues. I would recommend she be evaluated by her regular veterinarian as soon as possible, as an inability to move her legs can be a sign of a serious underlying issue. There are a variety of causes for what you are seeing, such as an infection (Lyme disease), neurological or orthopedic issue, among others. As some of these may be time sensitive, I would recommend she be evaluated as soon as possible to see what may be going on, and any treatment she may need. Good luck!

Poor Moose! Weakness can be due to bone, muscle or nerve injuries and in puppies a number of parasites such as neospora can also be involved. Blood tests, physical therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic care cold all be considered as long as there is still some sensation and withdrawal reflexes in the limbs. A full neurological assessment should be performed to help localise the origin of the problem

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to a neurologic condition such as a herniated disc. I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for this and treat him accordingly. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There are several things this could be including: degenerative myelopethy (usually a gradual onset), a blood or cartilage clot in the spine, or a spinal disk problem. We cannot rule our cancer either, unfortunately. I’d recommend getting in to your vet (tomorrow ideally) as a good physical exam and further questioning can narrow this list down dramatically in some cases. Best wishes to you and Phoebe!

I'm sorry to hear Lucky is having some issues. I would be concerned about an injury either to the spine or the the legs. Unfortunately there is not much you can do at home except make him REST. No walks, no running, no stairs and no jumping. This can help the body to heal. I would also recommend to take him to see the veterinarian to have an exam and possibly radiographs. Labs are a breed prone to hip dysplasia although he is young for signs to show up just yet. Hope Lucky starts doing better.

This sounds like a neck injury or caused by a bulging intervertebral disc. It also could be from cancer causing these neurological symptoms. I recommend a neurological exam, medication and the use of a harness so you are able to assist him to stand. Once they have a diagnosis you can take him to a rehab veterinarian who can help him get back on his feet. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Oska.

It sounds like what you are describing is weakness. Did your pup have a neurologic exam? What we look for is evidence of pain (although this can sometimes be inconsistent in pets), loss of sensation to the feet (does he fail to flip his foot back over when the top of his foot is placed down?), and presence or absence of reflexes. The results of these tests can help to determine if it's neurologic in origin and what portion of the spinal cord may be affected. Although, it can sometimes be hard to differentiate orthopedic from neurologic disease. Plain xrays of the spine are helpful to rule out any bony abnormalities, and sometimes we can see evidence of narrow disc spaces, but ultimately we cannot see the spinal cord, nerves leaving the spinal cord, or the soft tissues. If a neurologic problem is suspected an MRI is often needed. But, there are also some other conditions that can cause weakness that are metabolic in origin (has your guy had any senior lab work recently?) or related to loss of signaling to the muscles (for example a disease called myasthenia gravis) or related to a degenerative process such as degenerative myelopathy. If there is a component of pain detected on exam then anti-inflammatory pain medication may help. If you feel like things are getting worse it would be a good time to have a re-evaluation with your family vet. Another option as well, if a neurologic process is suspected, would be to have a consult with a veterinary neurologist. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!