My senior dog has weak legs after vet anesthesia. What's happening?

This presentation could be due to a neurological lesion affecting nerves innervating the legs (please tell us which leg you think is affected to have more specific answers). I would recommend a neurological examination and eventually further investigations (EMG and MRI/CT might be needed). 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 Taz. Sedatives and anesthesia may take up to 24-32 hours to wear off in some dogs, particularly older patients. Other factors that contribute to this include any concurrent illnesses such as liver disease, kidney disease, or even his ulcer. If Taz continues to be sedate and without an appetite, then he should be rechecked at the latest tomorrow morning. If he seems more lethargic or painful, then he should be evaluated sooner. Please contact your veterinarian to inform them that Taz is still sedate and not wanting to eat as they may want to see him sooner depending on his concurrent medical history and what agents they used for anesthesia. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Your dog may just be feeling worse after having to get out and about at the vet. Trips like these can be very stressful and hard on older dogs. Your vet probably also did an orthopedic exam, flexing and extending his joints, which could make him more sore. It is possible, although less likely, that your dog is dragging his legs because of spinal damage. If you pinch his toes and he can feel it then this is probably not the issue. Let you dog rest comfortably for now and continue giving the medication as prescribed. If he is not improving within about 24 hours you may want to consider going in for a recheck or asking your vet for additional pain medication. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am very sorry that Manny is having a hard time after his birthday celebrations. It sounds to me for what you are describing there could potentially be an osteoarthritis component to his issues. It is possible that he has muscle weakness, thought as you are noting, it is less likely to appear so quickly. Whereas, osteoarthritis flare-ups can appear immediately following a walk. I would advise the following for you and Manny; Shorter walks more frequently to prevent flare-ups and build up lean muscle mass Cool compresses after a walk on his hips for a few minutes every few hours for the first 24 hours After first 24 hours, switch to warm compresses Adding a joint supplement to Manny's diet such as this one; http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=29218 If he does not return to himself within 48 hours, and really start to improve in the first 24 hours, I would advise taking him into his veterinarian to ensure he doesn't need any changes to his medication, or perhaps adding a long term medication for osteoarthritis.

I am sorry to hear that. It sounds like she may be painful. Call your and see about getting her in for a recheck exam. If there is an emergency vet near you, I would recommend that you take her in to be seen. Unfortunately without seeing her and without knowing if she's received any medications at home, I cannot advise you to give her anything at home to help, she just needs to be seen by a vet. You can request a consultation so we can exchange information back and forth and I may be able to further advise you, but ideally a vet needs to examine her in person as soon as possible. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This sign as you described it seems to be compatible with a neurological problem, most likely affecting the spinal cord at the thoracolumbar level. Intervertebral disc extrusion, spinal cord infarct and spinal cord tumor are all possible differentials and immediate check up and neurological examination should be performed as soon as possible to be able to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Further investigations like x rays may be immediately needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but 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.

Hi! Thanks for entrusting us with Chestnut's care today! This could be related to being under anesthesia in one position which can result in pain in patients with arthritis for example. I think other possibilities for lameness should be considered. Lameness can be a sign of a few things that range from a muscle sprain to even a fracture. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian so that this can be further assessed which will likely include radiographs. Treatment will be dependent on findings though at the very least pain control medications can be prescribed. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!