My senior dog can't stand, whines, and has stroke-like symptoms. Help!

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.

Hi. Poor Tia. I am.concerned thag she had a seizure and still has neurolgic signs. I would recommend the ER and a referral to a neurology specialist for an MRI. Unfortunately, since she is older, it is possible there is a primary brain lesion, tumor, and is very unlikely just epilepsy. If a neurologist isnt an option, symptomatic treatment with your regular veterinarian is the only option. If quality of life is poor, definitely speak to your veterinarian about that as well.

It is very likely that Abby is suffering from osteoarthritis in her hips and joints and jumping and moving in general is painful. Take her to your vet for an exam of her hips and joints. Your vet will want to prescribe NSAIDs or other pain medicine. He will have to do a small blood test to verify that the liver and kidneys are working properly before prescribing the medication. Her life will be so much better without pain. The medication will not heal the arthritis, but will hopefully slow down the progress by taking inflammation away.

I am so sorry to hear that your pet has so many major issues that are debilitating and causing her to have a poor quality of life. I do think that if her condition cannot be improved with medications then it is someting you should discuss with your veterinarian. Humane euthansia, although it is probably not something you want to consider, should be considered if Sophie is not able to helped with medical management. However, there are pain medications that can be tried to see if they make a difference. You can discuss with your vet about trying Tramadol and/or Gabapentin to help with pain management. Probiotics can also be tried to help with her diarrhea, as well as a high fiber diet such as Royal Canin Gasrointestinal High Fiber (Rx). It sounds like she may have cancer involving her nervous system, which is why she can't maintain her mobitliy well. Poor girl. I hope that you can come to terms with her condition and maybe there is more you can try with her. Best wishes with Sophie. We are also available for a private consultation if you need to discuss more about Sophie's condition and futher care recommendations. Take care.

Hello. I am sorry that Buddy isn't feeling well and having these issues. It sounds like he has a very loving family. Recovery time from stroke can vary significantly, so if you are seeing improvements then you can keep going. I would recommend having him rechecked by a vet to make sure that his legs not working aren't due to a problem in his spine instead of his brain. Also, if he can't use his legs it is very important to make sure he can urinate and defecate, as sometimes the nerves are affected as well for these functions. In terms of when to euthanize, this is a question of Quality of Life (QOL). If you feel his 'good' days are outweighing his 'bad' days then keep going. If the 'bad' days are more common then the 'good' days then it's time to consider euthanasia. It helps to keep track in a journal so you can see the progress. Also, it is helpful to write a list of all of the things and behaviours that make Buddy, Buddy. Does he love to go for walks, does he love to eat. Is he still doing these things that he loves, or has he stopped. If he isn't doing the things that make him, him, then maybe it's time to euthanize. I would also always recommend as well having a consultation with a neurological specialist, as there may be other medications and options for Buddy. Good luck with him!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Trixie it’s hard to be sure what’s going on. It sounds like vestibular disease. This is an inflammation of a nerve that runs near the ear. When this happens the pet has a head tilt, can’t stand or walk well and is dizzy. I would recommend keeping her calm and away from anything dangerous, like stairs, until you can get her to the vet. You don’t need to give her any medications and it’s ok if she doesn’t eat for a couple of days. Keep water close by. Good luck and kisses to Trixie!

This presentation could commonly be caused either by a neurological damage of the nerves of the back legs (usually from spinal cord), caused by a stroke or a intervertebral disc extrusion/protrusion,or potentially by severe arthritis and osteo-arthrosis. A check up and appropriate medications (anti-inflammatories) would be ideal and essential to understand the underlying cause. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.