6 Common Causes of Hind Leg Weakness in Dogs
Hind leg weakness in dogs can be a natural part of the aging process. However, it can also be the first sign that your dog is experiencing mobility loss. The cause of your dog’s back leg weakness can be caused by an Inherited health issue like hip dysplasia or degenerative myelopathy, injury, arthritis, or a neural condition.
Here are some of the more common mobility conditions that cause weakness in a dog’s legs:
What Causes Sudden Hind Leg Weakness in Dogs?
A variety of factors can weaken your pet’s hind legs. Let’s look at some of these causes.
Like humans, dogs can suffer from arthritis. Osteoarthritis can affect your pet’s hind legs. This form of arthritis occurs when your pet’s joints fail to lubricate properly. In turn, your dog can feel pain when they move their joints.
We recommend taking your pet to the vet if they:
If your pet’s hip joints are looser than usual, they could have hip dysplasia. Unsteady hips can make your dog go off-balance and could lead to more serious complications such as osteoarthritis.
Hip dysplasia is common among bigger dogs, including the following breeds:
Genetics mostly causes hip dysplasia, but size, weight, and overuse can also lead to the condition.
Degenerative myelopathy occurs when your pet’s nerve sheath degenerates. When this sheath breaks down, your dog’s nerves will fail to work properly. Your pet could have degenerative myelopathy if they’re experiencing any of the following:
This spinal condition can occur in most breeds but is most common among the following:
Diabetes affects your dog’s leg joints, which could result in weak hind legs. When this happens, your pet can’t produce enough insulin and this could result in extremely high blood sugar.
Canine diabetes can make your dog thirstier and hungrier. Moreover, your pet could become incontinent and lose weight. Your vet can perform a blood test on your dog to diagnose whether your pet has diabetes.
When a small piece of cartilage ends up going into your dog’s bloodstream and clogging it, fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) occurs. The cartilage keeps your pet’s blood from flowing into their spine, leading to swelling. As a result, your dog can only move one of his back legs. FCE could trigger temporary pain, as well.
This form of embolism affects large and giant dogs. German Shepherds and Irish wolfhounds are two breeds often diagnosed with FCE.
Hind leg surgeries, like tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery, could help your pet’s legs move normally again. However, your surgeon will recommend limiting your pet’s activity after surgery for a full recovery. In this case, temporary disability could occur.
Dog Wheelchairs for Weak Back Legs
Contrary to popular belief, dog wheelchairs aren’t only for paralyzed dogs. Dog wheelchairs support the back legs to provide stability and make it easier for dogs to walk, run, and play, while still using all four legs. As a dog’s back legs weaken, simple activities like enjoying a daily walk or going outside to pee and poop can become tiring. As dogs lose strength in their back legs, they may sway, stumble, struggle to walk, and tire quickly. A dog wheelchair can give your dog the support they need to maintain their independence, walk confidently, and eliminate the fear that they may suddenly lose their balance or fall.
Mobility carts for dogs can even be used for short-term rehabilitation in pets, rebuilding their strength while recovering from surgery or healing from an injury. For example, dog wheelchairs relieve and reduce the pressure placed on aching leg joints to allow a dog to slowly build up their leg strength while staying active.
5 Home Exercises to Build a Dog’s Hind Leg Muscles | Hip Dysplasia
There are many reasons why a dog experiences hind leg weakness. Whether due to old age or a mobility condition, life becomes more complicated when a dog loses strength in its back legs. Many dogs with weak back legs struggle when getting up, have difficulty jumping, and some even struggle to walk.
As a pet parent, you need to pay attention to signs of change in your dog’s mobility and understanding why your dog’s legs are losing strength can help you determine this best way to help your dog.