My dog walks sideways, spine curved, back legs weak, then vomits. Why?

This indicates severe nerve damage to the nerves that control the lower legs and possibly the bladder and bowels. This is an emergency and it's important to take him to the vet as soon as possible to prevent him from having serious complications. Take care when moving him and try to avoid any strain or jerking movements to the spine. The vet will be able to identify the cause of this and can at-least make him feel better. I hope Parker gets better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian right away if at all possible. The symptoms you have described can be the result of an intoxication, orthopedic pain such as arthritis or a neurological problem. An examination will be performed and x-rays may be needed to diagnose the problem. From there, appropriate treatment can be prescribed. I hope this information helps!

Hello, sorry to hear about Vito. These signs could indicate early onset of arthritis in his hips or back. Other areas such as pain in his knees can also be exacerbated by cold weather. I would recommend having Vito evaluated by your veterinarian if he continues to be weak in his hind so that they can further treat his arthritis. In the interim, try walking him during the warmer parts of the day. His intermittent vomiting may be a separate issue not associated with his weak hind end. This should also be evaluated if he is doing it daily, or if he vomits more than 3-4 times in one day. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi, he might be experiencing an herniated disc. You would not necessarily see it on xrays. I would recommend to monitor urination and defecation and consider what’s the best way forward considering age, prognosis and welfare. Your vet should be able to advise you considering these three factors. Sending you positive thoughts.

This sounds like a neurological problem affecting the spinal cord. Intervertebral disc extrusion and spinal cord infarct are most likely at this stage given initial pain and clinical signs. An immediate check up is needed ti confirm this suspicion and investigate and treat appropriately. 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.

Hello, sorry to hear about Paddy. It sounds like Paddy may have a back or neck injury either from a slipped disk or a inflammation. I would recommend restricting his activity and not allow any running, jumping, or rough housing as this can exacerbate any injury until you can see your primary care veterinarian. Monitor for any worsening signs of weakness in his back legs and if you see any of these then have him evaluated sooner. Hope this helps and best of luck.

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!