Some Common Conditions That Can Impair Your Dog’s Mobility
It is disconcerting when you notice your dog having difficulty walking or standing. If you are unsure what to do or if your dog is struggling, do not hesitate to contact your vet.
Some of the more common causes of lameness and difficulty walking in dogs include:
Osteoarthritis is a common health problem in dogs, especially in large, heavy-boned dogs or in senior dogs (though arthritis can develop in even younger dogs). Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, causing pain and discomfort. It most commonly affects dogs in the hip, elbow, shoulder, wrist, stifle (knee joint in the hind legs), hock, and spine. Arthritis in any of these joints can make walking difficult for your dog.
You will notice the dog limping or moving with an abnormal gait. Your dog may be unwilling or even unable to rise from a prone position. These symptoms can be sudden and the result of the dog stiffening after overexertion, in much the same way as you may feel the day after engaging in heavy exercise.
Diagnosing arthritis requires an examination by your vet and probably x-rays of painful joints. You may also need to have the dog’s joint fluid analyzed or other tests done to rule out other disease conditions.
Treatment for arthritis will consist of prescription canine medications designed to relieve the symptoms. Your vet can provide advice on how you can help your dog at home and can recommend other treatments as appropriate for your dog’s condition.
Injury to a Paw, Leg, or Back
If your dog is walking but unwilling to put its weight on one of its legs, you should suspect an injury. Carefully inspect the dog’s paws for splinters, cuts, blisters, damaged toenails, or any sign of injury. Sometimes a dog’s paws have become burned from excessively hot or rough pavement surfaces or injured by frost or ice. In those cases, the dog may simply sit and refuse to move (called “planting”), or the dog may move with a very abnormal gait as it tries to avoid the pain in its paws.
If you have ruled out an injury to the dog’s paws, the injury may be higher up on the leg. If your dog will tolerate it, gently feel around its leg and try to detect unusual swelling or heat to locate the source of the problem. When you touch a painful area, your dog may react by pulling away from you, excessively licking the area, snapping at you, or yelping.
Depending on the injury, your dog may need examination and treatment by your vet. If you suspect a back injury, an examination by your vet is appropriate.
Sometimes exposure to toxic substances will cause a paralyzing effect that impairs the dog’s ability to walk. Diagnosis and treatment require a vet examination.
Examples of these conditions occur if your dog has reacted to the toxin in tick bites. The toxin is discharged into a dog’s bloodstream through the tick’s saliva. This toxin can cause a dog to become unable to control movements or become paralyzed. With proper treatment, the dog can recover in 48 to 72 hours.
Exposure to raccoon saliva can also paralyze a dog. “Coonhound paralysis” may cause temporary or permanent paralysis to all four of the dog’s legs. It attacks the dog’s spinal cord and nervous system. An infected dog may not show symptoms for a week or two after exposure. With proper treatment, a dog can begin to show improvement after three weeks with full recovery taking from two to six months.
Wobblers syndrome is a condition that causes a dog of any age to have an unsteady gait. It is the result of spinal cord compression caused by the narrowing of the vertebral canal, or by a ruptured disc in the neck. Large breed dogs are more prone to developing the disease, and care should be taken to avoid rapid growth in those breeds to minimize the risk of it developing.
With wobblers syndrome, the dog’s vertebrae become malformed during their development or are unable to come together properly. It causes not only gait problems but moderate to severe discomfort.
Symptoms of wobblers syndrome are progressive as the dog ages, although in rare cases, the onset of symptoms is sudden. Your vet can diagnose the condition and prescribe appropriate treatment, though there is no cure for it.
An injury to your dog’s spinal cord is extremely serious. A sign of spinal cord injury is that your dog is unable to get up or walk. It is a life-threatening emergency, and you need to get your dog to a vet as soon as possible.
Why Unable to Stand Occurs in Dogs
Inability or reluctance to stand or perform everyday actions can be serious as it can be caused by a severe disease. Any dog can suddenly become unbalanced or paralysed, although some can be affected more easily than others due to their age or breed. It can be caused by a number of reasons that are all serious and should be dealt with immediately.
Paralysis
Canine paralysis is similar to human paralysis, as it can appear quickly and keep them from doing what comes natural day to day. It can be caused by certain types of ticks that cause a paralysis starting in the back and moving forward. Another cause may be a problem with their spinal cord or vertebral discs, whether from injury or age. Some infections can also cause paralysis if not treated properly, especially infections that appear near the face or ears. If not treated quickly and correctly, infections can cause damage to the muscles, nerves and vital parts of the body, and can in turn cause paralysis. Rabies and distemper can also have the same effect as they can spread viruses into your dog’s brain. These viruses can be fatal.
Intervertebral Disc Disease
Intervertebral disc disease happens when the discs in your dog’s back protrude and press against the spinal cord. This will cause internal swelling which can lead to decreased nerve function and pain, which can keep your dog from performing everyday functions with ease, for example walking and standing. It can even cause paralysis in any part of the body, depending on the location of the damaged disc. Corgis, Dachshunds and Basset Hounds are more susceptible to slipped discs, but no breed is immune. Dogs that are of predisposed breeds that are obese and out of shape can also acquire this injury more easily.
Some possible signs of IVDD include reluctance to move the neck or carrying the head low. A dog with this condition will not want to move their head or neck as it is painful, and will instead resort to shifting their eyes in order to look at you. Other symptoms are stiffness, back pain, crying out suddenly when moving or being touched, tenderness or tenseness in the abdominal area, incomplete or unusual urination, hunched posture or an arched back, dragging their legs, toeing or knuckling over when walking or standing, an unwillingness to jump and a reluctance to stand or sit, as well as dragging legs. It can sometimes cause anxiety, since the dog knows that moving will inflict pain. A drop in appetite and activity level, loss of bladder control, shaking or trembling, collapsing or a loss in general coordination can also occur. This condition requires immediate veterinary care.
Geriatric Vestibular Syndrome
This disease affects the body’s balance and will result in dizziness, a loss of balance and vertigo. It can be more common in older dogs, and it is suspected that a problem with the vestibular system is the cause. In nearly every case there is a partial to full recovery, although some dogs are left with a mild head tilt. This condition can also be caused by infections in the ears, perforated eardrums caused by excessive cleaning of the ears or trauma from a head injury. Stroke, tumors, polyps, hypothyroidism, meningoencephalitis as well as certain drugs and antibiotics can also be causes. This disease can also be a congenital effect that is present from birth. When developed in older dogs the cause is unknown, but brain tumor is a possibility. Central vestibular disease, which is a less common and more serious type, can be caused by inflammatory disease, infection, brain bleeding or trauma, cancer and a loss of blood flow. Signs include excessive drooling, nausea and vomiting, head tilting, loss of coordination, circling and stumbling, falling, rolling and involuntary or nystagmus which is a rhythmic jerking of the eyes going up and down or side to side. If a single ear is infected, the head tilting, circling and nystagmus will only occur to that side. This disease is usually seen between birth and three months old. Some predisposed breeds are the German Shepherd, Doberman Pinscher, Beagle, English Cocker Spaniel, Smooth Fox Terrier and Tibetan Terrier. When taken to the veterinarian, your dog will go through a physical examination in order to determine whether the disease is peripheral or central. Sometimes x-rays will be done, and blood tests, sensitivity and culture as well as cytology may be taken to help eliminate other potential causes for the symptoms.
Degenerative Myelopathy
This occurs when the nerves in the spinal cord begin to degenerate, which interferes with the communication between the brain and limbs. It usually occurs in older animals. It may begin with a loss of coordination in the hind legs, which can cause the dog to wobble when walking and drag their feet. It will sometimes occur in one leg and move to the other. As it gets worse, the limbs will get weaker and the dog will have trouble standing. It tends to continue to get worse until the dog is no longer able to walk or stand. If signs continue, the dog will eventually lose the use of its front limbs as well. Degenerative myelopathy tends to be a non-painful disease, but can be difficult to watch for an owner.
Botulism
This is caused by an infection with a bacteria called clostridium botulinum that releases a toxin. This group of bacteria can stay dormant for a very long time and thrives in low-oxygen conditions. The sources of the toxin are decaying hays, grass and grains, decomposing carcasses or spoiled vegetables. It is a fairly rare but serious disease, and signs should begin to occur 12 to 36 hours after contact with the botulism toxin. Some symptoms include excessive drooling, dilated pupils, a general weakness, paralysis that begins at the hind limbs and moves towards the front, increased effort to breathe, difficulty swallowing and facial nerve paralysis. If unchecked, the disease can lead to fatal respiratory failure. The most common way for a dog to obtain the botulism disease is by eating a dead carcass that has the disease. It is difficult to determine that a dog has obtained the virus, as it mimics the signs of many other illnesses.
What Should I Do If My Dog Can’t Stand Up or Walk?
If your dog has an apparent injury or appears to be in serious pain, you should immediately bring them to a vet for urgent care. Otherwise, you can offer a home remedy for their discomfort and observe their condition for a few days. If it fails to improve, call a vet.
Treatment for mobility issues depends on their cause. Injuries may require surgery or a splint. Vets typically address long-term conditions with a combination of symptom relief and therapeutic exercise routines. There are many treatment options at your disposal.