Why is my senior dog suddenly having trouble walking and collapsing?

I'm sorry Jay is having trouble walking! In a senior lab, common causes of difficulty walking include arthritis, hip dysplasia, and joint problems. My recommendation is to have Jay seen by a vet in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing his difficulty walking, and can discuss treatment with you. He may benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. These symptoms are possibly related to arthritis in the spine or hips. Please, take Roxi to your local vets for an appointment. Full clinical examination should allow making the diagnosis and adequate treatment can be started. It possibly will be a course of anti-inflammatory medications.

It could be pain. It may take a day or two for the Metacam to make him more comfortable. If he is still doing this odd behavior in a few days, it is a good idea to have him re-evaluated by the vet. X-rays of the hips and spine may be indicated, as well as blood work for any signs of anemia, blood glucose changes, kidney disease, etc.

Poor Tyler! If it has nothing to do with his heart or trachea, then it may have something to do with his joints. He may be suffering from arthritic pain which over time has lead to muscle atrophy and weakness of his hind legs. You can try joint supplements (i.e. Dasuquin) and look into water therapy or similar physical therapy services available in your area to help build up his muscle strength. Then you should discuss with your vet about some other medical treatments that are safe for him, considering his medical history. A radiograph if his hind legs will also confirm a suspected arthritis and determine the degree of arthritis there to help tailor his therapy recommendations. I hope your fur baby gets proper care soon so that he can have a better quality of life. Best wishes.

Poor Buddy! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. From your description, I would be concerned about a possible neurologic problem such as a stroke or brain tumor. He may also have severe arthritis issues, or may have a systemic illness of some kind or may have ingested something toxic. This sounds quite serious, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic this evening for an exam. The veterinarian there can do blood work or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to help.

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!

This sounds like a neck injury or caused by a bulging intervertebral disc. It also could be from cancer causing these neurological symptoms. I recommend a neurological exam, medication and the use of a harness so you are able to assist him to stand. Once they have a diagnosis you can take him to a rehab veterinarian who can help him get back on his feet. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Oska.