My beagle has sudden back pain and can barely walk. What's wrong?

I am so sorry to hear about JR. In a beagle with these symptoms, the most common cause would be interveterbral disk disease, or a slipped disk in the back. Unfortunately beagles or prone to this condition which can vary from mild pain to complete paralysis. Your dog needs an exam to see if this is indeed what is affecting him and receive medication to make him more comfortable, including muscle relaxers, pain medicaiton, and anti-inflammatory medication. Until he is seen, keep him as quiet as possible. No jumping/stairs/rough housing, outside only on leash to go potty, and confine to a crate or small area in your home. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3223

Beagles often have pain from intervertebral disc disease. I recommend a veterinary exam and they will probably prescribe pain medication and perhaps a muscle relaxer also. I treat these dogs with laser and acupuncture. It’s important to prevent jumping and let them rest. This may take a few weeks to resolve. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pasky.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Billy. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today. Some dogs, Beagles being one of them, are prone to neck and/or back pain. The muscle that lines the spine can spasm. This can be excruciatingly painful for the dog. Some dogs will move and cry out, bark or whine. They can be reluctant to do stairs or jump on/off furniture. Some are hesitant to walk and may stand with a hunched posture. This could be his problem or he may have a separate issue. The veterinarian will carefully examine him and determine how best to treat him. In the meantime, keep him quiet and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

May sounds quite uncomfortable! A hunched back stance and trembling can often occur with some back conditions, such as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), discospondylitis or fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE). May should be examined by her vet and assessed for the presence of neurological deficits as well as the location of the pain, as this will help to guide her treatment. Until you are able to take May to her vet, keep her confined to a very small room with no furniture or to a crate. She should not be running, jumping, or playing because this could exacerbate any back condition or injury. Do not give her any medication - there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs.

Poor Ace! It sounds like he needs to see the veterinarian today. The shaking may be related to a fever or pain. When pets exhibit back pain, it can be from a compressed disc, a slipped disc, discospondlylitis (an infection), a broken vertebrae, a tumor or an infection within the spinal canal. All of these conditions can result in severe pain and they all require treatment. Your veterinarian will need an x-ray to look at the spine. They can also provide medications to make Ace feel better. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Sadie may be having a bulging or ruptured disc issue in her back. She needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately because the sooner this issue is addressed the better chance she has for a full recovery. Disc disease is very painful and can result in paralysis if not treated. Depending on the severity of the disease Sadie may just need prescription medication and rest or if the condition is more severe she may need surgery for a full recovery. Please remember there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs so you will need to have these prescribed by a veterinarian. Again, the sooner Sadie is treated the better chance for a full recovery so please take her to see a veterinarian right away. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and hope hope Sadie gets the care she needs to make a full recovery!

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