My dog isn't walking, has feeling, weak back legs, and pain. Why?

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!

Shasta is experiencing two very different issues that may not have anything to do with one another unfortunately. In terms of hind end lameness, the most common causes of this are traumatic injuries, inflammatory conditions (arthritis / tendinitis), infectious diseases, tick borne diseases, nutritional deficiencies, clotting disorders, and certain cancers. As for diarrhea, the common causes of this include dietary indiscretion, inflammatory conditions of the GI tract, pancreatitis, parasites, infectious diseases, immune-mediated conditions, and certain types of cancers. To address either of these issues if they have been occurring for a significant period of time, both blood work and imaging modalities would be needed. This doesn't sound like an emergency or anything, but if either of these problems has been persistent I would consider making an appointment to have Shasta seen sometime soon for a work-up. Hope this helps and that Shasta gets well soon!

Sorry to here that Kemo is having some troubles. There are many things that can cause pain in dogs. Some of them include trauma, degenerative diseases, inflammatory conditions, spinal issues, cancers, clotting disorders, and some others that are less common. In a small breed dog of about six years, my top two differentials would be some sort of traumatic event (that could have happened when you were not around) or an issue with the back. Many times when dogs are lifted and they yelp, it is a spinal problem causing some pretty severe discomfort. If you have ever had back pain yourself, you know just how uncomfortable this can be. Based on the severity and progression of the problems, I would say that Kemo definitely needs a visit to the vet sometime soon. They will be able to perform a thorough physical, and based on the findings, determine if x-rays are warranted. They will be able to target what part of the body requires x-rays. There are many medications available to treat inflammatory conditions and trauma, as well as pain associated with the back and spine. I hope you are able to work through things with your vet to resolve Kemo's pain.

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

This is most likely from a bulging intervertebral disc pressing on the nerves to his legs. I recommend a veterinary exam and spinal X-ray to be sure. Then as long as he’s walking I recommend pain medication, muscle relaxers and I treat these dogs with laser and acupuncture. He needs to rest, no running or jumping and short slow leash walks for three weeks. Usually this will improve with treatment in three to four weeks. He also could rupture the intervertebral disc and become paralyzed. That is a medical emergency and he may need surgery by a specialist so he could walk again. Please take him in soon and get treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Armor.

Poor Abby! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. Rear leg issues in an older dog could be caused by an orthopedic problem like arthritis or hip/knee abnormalities, or a neurologic problem such as intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) or degenerative myelopathy. Treatment recommendations will depend on what the underlying problem is, and none of these things can really be treated at home without prescription medications, so I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam. He/she can take x-rays of her hips and spine if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to treat it.

The symptom you report could have a few origins; the nervous system, bone, muscle, blood vessels, or the soft tissues. If he is limping (toe touching or hopping) this could be a knee related issue (cruciate injury) which is a common problem. If he is dragging the limb and not placing his foot over correctly (dragging the top of his foot and not flipping it to put the pads down) this may be a neurologic issue. There are a few disease processes that can cause neurologic impairment so a neurologic exam by your vet would help to localize if this is the issue. If there is no trauma a vascular event (clot) is also possible as well. Is the foot warm? It is good that Lakota does not seem painful although sometimes not using the leg is their symptom of pain, any swelling anywhere on the leg? I think what is best is an exam with a veterinarian to localize which organ system is causing the issue, orthopedic (bone, soft tissues) vs neurologic, and help ease your mind about what is causing this. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!