My dog drags paw, good reflexes. Is it DM, Lyme, or other causes?

I'm sorry Tessa isn't doing well! I'm not sure what tests you have had done, but if you haven't had any x-rays done, that may be the next step. It could be that she has a problem with spine that is affecting the nerves traveling to her front legs. There could be a problem the spine in her neck (cervical region) or the thoracic region (chest area). An MRI would be a further step, as it would better visualize the spine. I would take her back to the vet to discuss seeing if x-rays and/or an MRI might be a viable diagnostic tool. I hope this helps!

I am not sure what other systems you are seeing, but soreness of the paws doesn't indicate Lyme disease, if that is the only symptom seen. Soreness is a pretty broad symptom and can mean a number of things including: trauma caused by excessive walking, Lupus (if a particular presentation is seen on the paws- crusting), or even allergies. If you suspect your pet has Lyme disease then the first step is testing through your vet so that he can get started on medication right away to avoid further complications from this disease. Please feel free to repost your question with more information on the other symptoms seen, and also a picture of the paws may help us here to provide you with a more specific answer. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and take care!

Hello, sorry to hear about Maicah. It sounds like she may be dealing less likely with an infectious disease and more likely with an inflammatory disease. On her bloodwork her white blood cells, which are the first responders to an infection are in the normal range, hence why I would be less suspicious of something infectious. Her red blood cells are decreased, which could occur from a chronic inflammation, loss of red blood cells, and potentially destruction of red blood cells. On the other hand, if she has erlichia this could cause joint pain and anemia. However, you tend to see other changes in the bloodwork which are not shown in the pictures you posted. Doxycycline for 3 weeks should treat an erlichia that could be present. A snap test or a PCR for erlichia could confirm this diagnosis. The weakness in her hind end could be associated with a primary orthopedic disease or neurologic disease. Some neurologic diseases in poodles can arise from degenerative inflammatory diseases. An orthopedic and neurologic examination could test for these. X-rays could also outline a primary orthopedic issue or be suggestive of a neurologic issue as well. In summary, Maicah should be thoroughly evaluated for a primary orthopedic or neurologic issue. I am a little less concerned about the erlichia at this moment due to the lack of changes in her blood, however she should have a snap test or PCR performed to confirm this. Her albumin is elevated which could be an error from the machine or she could be dehydrated. If this is an inflammatory disease, the prednisone she was prescribed may help. I hope this helps and best of luck!

I'm sorry Bailey isn't doing well at the moment! Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a diagnosis of elimination, meaning that other causes for the weakness are looked for using an MRI and myelography. The only way to confirm it for sure is during a necropsy (autopsy for dogs) when the spinal cord is cut and examined for characteristic degenerative changes. A feature of DM is that is isn't painful, and given all of Bailey's symptoms, I would speak to your vet about having an MRI and myelography to rule out other potential causes of her symptoms.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would be looking into the possibility of this being something affecting the joints per se such as immune mediated polyarthritis or perhaps something like hypertrophic osteodystrophy given his young age. These are possible things your veterinarian can look into. Treatment of course would depend on findings. At the very least they can try pain control medications and anti-inflammatory drugs. Best of luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Max! Most dogs with Lyme improve on doxycycline with in 3 days and STAY better. They don't relapse on meds. The most common reason for initially doing well on the doxycycline and then getting worse again is immune mediated polyarthopathy. That is treated with immunosuppressants like prednisone. I would get a second opinion. I wish Max a speedy recovery!

I am not sure of your location, but also make sure to check Dexter thoroughly for the presence of ticks. Tick paralysis can present in a similar fashion and is typically non-painful. Removal of the tick and supportive care results in a full recovery majority of the time. Another potential is coondog paralysis if Dexter has had any contact with a raccoon recently. As everyone else has stated, there is always the potential for an infectious or inflammatory CNS disease, trauma, or a congenital abnormality. He may need more advanced diagnostic imaging (CT scan, MRI) and CSF tap to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Most of these diagnostics are performed by board-certified veterinary neurologists.