7 Causes of Back Leg Weakness in Dogs
There are many conditions that can impact a dog’s leg strength, here are seven of the more common causes of back leg weakness in dogs:
Sudden paralysis in dogs can often be attributed to IVDD. Most dogs are diagnosed with sudden mobility loss from IVDD following a period of exercise. It’s quite common for a dog’s hind legs to collapse and even become paralyzed after a disc herniation from IVDD. Intervertebral Disc Disease is a spinal cord condition that causes severe back pain and paralysis in dogs, often with little or no warning signs. This condition needs urgent veterinary treatment and surgery to correct the issue. IVDD is seen most commonly in Dachshunds, but other breeds affected include Beagles, Shih Tzu, and Bichon Frise.
An FCE is a spinal stroke that occurs when a small piece of cartilage blocks an artery. Dogs experiencing an FCE will have a sudden loss of hind leg function with little sign of pain. Dogs with FCE can become paralyzed on one hind leg and not the other. This is most commonly seen in larger breed dogs such as Labradors and German Shepherds.
Arthritis is a painful joint condition most often impacting dogs as they get older. Arthritis inflammation causes severe joint pain which can limit a dog’s movement, making each step they take painful.
Lumbosacral stenosis is a condition that slowly impacts a dog’s leg function due to spinal pressure caused by a narrowing of the spinal cord, often from pressures by tissues such as ruptured intervertebral disks, tumors, fractures, and severe osteoarthritis. Dogs with spinal stenosis struggle to stand and wobble when they walk. Some dogs may experience severe nerve pain in their hind legs as well. This condition is very painful and can result in urinary and fecal incontinence, and paralysis of the tail.
Also known as DM, degenerative myelopathy is a progressive spinal condition that results in hind leg weakness and paralysis in dogs. Degenerative myelopathy is most common in large dogs such as German Shepherds but can also impact many other dog breeds.
A knee condition that involves a dog’s knee slipping in and out of place. Clinical signs of patellar luxation include holding the limb up in the air and doing a bunny hop.
Neoplasia or cancer can form in the long bones in the hindlimbs, pelvis, or soft tissue structures such as nerves and cartilage. Cancerous growths can be slow-growing and gradually press against nerves or very rapid in onsets such as Osteosarcoma (seen most commonly in the tibia and fibula bone in larger dogs such as Rottweilers. Osteosarcoma can cause limping, reluctance to bear weight on the limb, and even cause spontaneous fractures of the leg if cancer becomes too advanced.
What To Do If Your Dog Can’t Get Up
Dogs with hind leg weakness can struggle to stand up and push themselves up off the ground. Dog boots can be worn to provide your dog with additional traction. Dog boots and traction socks help your dog to better grip the floor as they stand. Pets needing additional assistance to stand up can use a simple rear support leash. A rear support leash easily slips up your dog’s legs so that you can gently guide your dog to stand.
If your dog is unable to stand, it’s recommended to turn your dog over to the opposite side every 4 hours to prevent muscle damage from too much pressure. Massage and grooming can be helpful to stimulate the muscles and promote blood supply and movement through the hindlimbs. A dog that is unable to get up unaided that has not already had a diagnosis by a veterinarian is a medical emergency and veterinary assistance should be sought immediately.
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.