My husky is paralyzed. What are the causes of dog hind leg paralysis?

There are a couple of reasons that a rear leg will become paralyzed. The most common are a lack of blood supply or a lack of nerve supply. The lack of blood supply most commonly occurs because of a blood clot and is very painful, so I doubt that is what is going on with Nook. The other possibility is that the nerves that go to the leg are damaged. The most common reason this will occur without any signs of trauma or injury would be a bulging disc (which again is most commonly somewhat painful) or a condition such as a Fibrocartilaginous Embolus (which is like a stroke to the spinal cord). FCE's are non-painful, but there isn't any treatment other than time and physical therapy. Unfortunately, the only way to determine the cause is often an MRI. I'm not sure if you have a veterinary neurologist near you, but they might be able to help you with a diagnosis and treatment. If not, I would consider trying to find a veterinarian who does acupuncture or rehabilitation to help you manage and improve Nook while you are waiting to see how much he recovers. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Marsel. Small breed dogs are prone to condition known as intervertebral disc disease which can result in weakness or paralysis. I would discuss this possibility with his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

I am sorry to hear about Major. Without knowing the cause of his paralysis we are not able to determine what may help him walk again. I am not sure what you refer to when you mention a "bone disorder" as there are many different things that could be considered a bone disorder. Unfortunately in most cases of paralysis, if they have been going on for months a return to normal function is not likely. Treatment options will truly depend on the underlying cause. If it is an issue with damage to the spinal cord then a return to normal function after several months of paralysis is not likely.

It's possible Coco could have an issue with the nerves in his hind end, a muscular issue, or even a problem with the back/spine. I would bring him into your vet for an evaluation and see if he should be seen by a specialist for further workup if an obvious cause can't be found.

Yes, I think time, physiotherapy and acupuncture is often what they need. I know it takes patience, but I can confirm I have seen radial nerve paralysis improvements in quite a few cases ! All the best

If she is in pain despite medication, unable to mobilise and also incontinent then yes, euthanasia should definitely be considered to prevent further pain and discomfort (such as infected bed sores etc). The cold limb is also a red flag for reduced circulation such as from a clot and is extremely painful in itself. Recovery is very unlikely and delays would add further suffering and pain

I am afraid this depends very much on the nature of the condition which has caused the loss of use of Chunks legs - spinal injury, disk disease, pelvic injury and broken bones or muscle weakness can all contribute and the treatment can be very different for each. A full physical exam and possible xrays would be required in order to determine what has happened and possible treatment