My dog suddenly can't walk, dragging rear legs. Could it be hip dysplasia?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is severe hip dysplasia present in both hips, I am afraid. The left hip id also subluxated and I suspect it is causing more discomfort than the right hip. Hip dysplasia is a disease that dogs are born with. Arya must have had it sine a puppy but most likely it was not as severe as now. Spondylosis in the lumbar spine is usually a result of infection of intervertebral disc. Typically, it is an accidental finding in dogs that do not cause mobility problems. However, CT scan of the spine would give more detailed information about the severity of spondylosis.

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!

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Phoebe! If Phoebe suddenly is unable to use her rear limbs this is an emergency. I doubt it is from the mass and could be from a slipped disk in her back. This is painful and can have neurologic signs: walking drunk, dragging legs, paresis or paralysis. If she loses deep pain in her legs the prognosis for return of motor function decreases. I recommend that Phoebe go to an emergency hospital or your Vet if open as soon as possible. I hope this helps and I wish Phoebe the best!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. These symptoms are possibly related to arthritis in the spine or hips. Please, take Roxi to your local vets for an appointment. Full clinical examination should allow making the diagnosis and adequate treatment can be started. It possibly will be a course of anti-inflammatory medications.

This is probably due to hip dysplasia, a chronic knee problem or arthritis in her joints. She also could have a bulging intervertebral disc causing the symptoms. I recommend using a Help em Up harness on her so you can easily assist her to stand up. In addition speak with your veterinarian about giving her pain medication. I also like to give an omega 3 supplement to reduce inflammation. If she’s overweight reducing her weight will reduce the strain, stiffness and pain in her joints. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tiara.

Sorry to hear that Harmony is having some problems. While her hips may certainly be a contributing factor in her sudden inability to rise, there may be other issues at play here that caused such an acute change in condition. Particularly in older dogs that present as you've described, possible conditions that can result in this mostly include spinal conditions that affect the disks, or bony tumors that destroy bone / compress the spinal cord. On the other hand, it might just be advancing hip problems. Ultimately you aren't going to know without some diagnostics, primarily x-rays of the spine and hips. This would be where I would start if I were in your shoes. In fact, I was in almost the identical position with my own 14 year old Pittie. It ended up being a spinal tumor but one that was very treatable. This is where diagnostic testing becomes so important. Depending on the cause of the sudden lameness, the prognosis ranges from extremely poor to good with appropriate optimal treatment. In terms of how you should proceed in the immediate, sudden lameness should be dealt with as soon as possible. Spinal conditions, as they progress, become exceedingly more difficult to treat. Things can go from good to bad very quickly. Hope this all makes sense. Let me know if you need any more consultation regarding this issue and your future decisions.