My dog's back legs are suddenly weak. Is this an emergency?

Oh dear! This is a very serious problem - I'm afraid she really has to see a vet right away. She may have a herniated disc in her back causing the paralysis, or some other neurologic problem affecting her spinal cord. She may be in pain, or she may have no feeling at all in her rear legs - it's impossible to say without an exam. She needs immediate treatment to have a reasonable chance of regaining function in her rear legs, I'm afraid there's nothing you can do at home that will help her. If costs are a concern, you can see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area that could help. You could also apply online for Care Credit, which is a payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com

Spinal cord infarct and slipped disc (intervertebral disc extrusion) may be most likely differentials considering the description of the signs you provided. This clinical status require and immediate check up and neurological and physical examination. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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!

Oh no, it's not good that Duke's legs have suddenly given out. He could have been injured, suffering from severe hip dysplasia or degenerative joint disease, or he could have even have a spinal tumor causing disruption to the nerves in his back legs. He does need to see a vet for a lameness exam, possibly a neurological exam, and x-rays first thing in the morning to diagnose the cause of this sudden behavior. Once a cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options. Tonight, rest him as much as possible.

This sounds like a medical emergency and you should have Puddin seen right away. The potential cause for her signs are a slipped disc in her back causing pinching of her nerves going to her back legs (Intervertebral disc disease), trauma, spinal infection, a spinal tumor or a toxin. The veterinarian will want to perform a through exam and localize the pain. They will also check Puddin's neurologic function which will help to determine if her signs are due to a spinal problem. If her signs worsen and she can no longer walk on her back legs, she may need an MRI or surgery. Please have her seen, good luck.

Hello, sorry to hear about Skittles. There are certainly several things that can cause dogs to have problems moving their legs. What you're describing however, seems to be more likely associated with an injury to her back. Most commonly in dogs, they may "slip" a disk which causes compression to their spinal cord. There are other injuries that are not compressive such as an swelling due to autoimmune disease in the spinal cord, a stroke to the spinal cord, or a fibrocartilagenous embolism which is more associated with larger breed dogs. Again their are other possibilities such as if she sprained a muscle or hurt her knees. Due to the concern for a potential back injury, Skittles should be evaluated by a veterinarian promptly to ensure she does/does not have a back injury. There are 2 options if she does have a back injury, you may elect to treat conservatively with strict rest and at home medications for 4-6 weeks or you may elect to have a neurologist evaluate her. The neurologist may then recommend an MRI and surgery based on the MRI. I know this is a lot of information to understand/explain so shortly but I would start off by having her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. In the interim, keep her quiet and rested, (no jumping, running, rough playing), make sure she is urinating and defecating, and keep her low to the ground. Best of luck and hope this helps.

I'm so sorry to hear that is going on with Todd. There are a few things that can cause those clinical signs. One of the most common is a bulging disc that is pressing on his spinal cord. I have included a handout with information on that below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3223 There are other things that could be going on, but dogs with disc disease often improve with appropriate treatment, so it is important to have Todd evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible to start treatment. In the meantime, be sure to keep him quiet and not allow him to walk around. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Todd will make a full recovery. Thanks for using PetCoach.