Almost every owner dreams of his puppy and adult four-legged pet being healthy and happy. And noticing that the dear barking family member begins to drag his hind legs, walks unsteadily or trembles, the owner begins to panic and does not know what to do. You should not try to diagnose your dog yourself; it is best to seek help from a veterinarian.
Of course, it is best to find out in advance what can lead to impaired motor function in a dog. Yes, this knowledge cannot protect the animal, but it can help the owner notice in time that something is wrong with the pet. And if the puppy is sick, then timely treatment will help make the future life easier for the baby.
Causes of weak hind legs in dogs
- Destruction or damage/displacement of intervertebral discs. Pekingese, pugs, bulldogs (both French and English), dachshunds, and poodles most often suffer from these diseases. Damage/displacement/destruction of the intervertebral disc is dangerous for the life of the animal, since the spinal cord is compressed and injured.
- Diseases of the hip joints are most often recorded in large breed dogs (for example, Rottweiler, Alabai, Caucasian, German Shepherd and others). Moreover, a puppy (aged from four months to a year) often suffers, less often an adult animal. In addition, almost always we are talking about acquired diseases, extremely rarely congenital pathology.
What can cause damage to the hip joints in a dog? This and excess weight(unbalanced or excessive feeding is especially often to blame, or more precisely, obvious overfeeding, lack of physical activity), and slippery floors (when the animal’s paws constantly move apart), and heredity, and infectious diseases, and injuries.
Yes, and too active training of a dog (especially if it is a puppy) will not lead to good if it musculoskeletal system has not yet fully developed. Jumping from heights, over hurdles, running long distance on a bad surface - all this will cause irreparable harm to the joints.
- Another reason for weakness hind legs A dog of any breed (be it a dachshund or a mastiff) can have myositis - inflammation of muscle tissue. It develops after heavy physical activity, but not immediately, but the next day. In addition, adult animals most often suffer from myositis.
- Brain damage can also affect the firmness of an animal's gait. These include tumors and vascular pathologies (which, by the way, are recorded much more often than neoplasms). Without additional examinations at a veterinary clinic, even the most experienced doctor will not make an accurate diagnosis.
- Injuries. Spinal bruises (and more serious injuries) can lead to puppy and adult dogs having an unsteady gait and losing their legs. Therefore, if the puppy fell, was hit, or was hit by a car, immediately contact the clinic without waiting for clinical signs to appear. Sometimes, due to shock, symptoms do not appear immediately.
Symptoms of weak hind legs in a dog
- If the reason that a dog (whether an adult pet or a puppy) has weak hind legs is due to damage to the intervertebral discs (including compression of the spinal cord), then the animal will show “bright” signs of severe pain. Therefore, the dog spends almost all the time in one position (hunched over, but with his neck stretched out), because any movement causes acute pain. Trembling and shortness of breath are noticeable (it is noticeable that the pet “uses” fully only its front paws and cannot jump onto the sofa). With mild compression of the brain, the symptoms are not as pronounced, but it is still noticeable that four-legged friend unable to live a full life (even bending over to a bowl is difficult).
- If a puppy or adult dog has weakness in the hind legs in the morning (or immediately after resting), and it disappears some time after walking, then most likely the pet has problems with the hip joints. And it is not always dysplasia, as the owners think. In addition, it is extremely rare that both joints are affected at the same time, so the puppy limps on only one leg. As soon as you notice something like this in your pet, do not delay a visit to the veterinarian.
- With myositis, the animal develops not just weakness of the hind legs, the dog moves as if on stilts. If you notice that your pet's gait has changed, be sure to consult a specialist!
Treating a Dog with Hind Leg Weakness
The main rule is never start treating a puppy or an adult dog on your own, without consulting a veterinarian! Such self-medication can kill the animal. Especially if you decide to use “human” medicines, and even make the diagnosis yourself.
Therefore, if you see that your German Shepherd puppy, say, or an Alabai, or a terrier (no matter what breed), suddenly begins to “control” its hind limbs worse, then the first thing you should do is contact a veterinary clinic.
Don’t ask advice on forums on what to give your dog, don’t ask your neighbors what could be wrong with your pet, but run to the doctor! He will prescribe additional examinations (ultrasound, x-rays, blood tests, etc.), based on the results of which a diagnosis will be made. And only after this should treatment be prescribed.
Drug therapy alone is not always effective. Agree, if a puppy has a congenital pathology of the joints, then the use of drugs will only make the animal feel better and “remove” the symptoms, but the problem will not disappear. The same can be said about displacement of intervertebral discs, hernia. Therefore, what to do in a given situation is best decided by the veterinarian, but the owner is required to follow all the specialist’s recommendations.
Some owners decide that if they gave the animal a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, then the dog recovered, because it felt better. But you shouldn’t do this, because this “relief” is temporary, and very quickly for a puppy or an adult dog everything will return to normal. Trust your veterinarian, who will select an effective treatment regimen that will bring relief to both a shepherd puppy and an adult Pekingese.
Many diseases of pugs are caused by genetic predisposition, as well as the specific structure of the body and face. It is important to detect any illness at the earliest stage - this can often save the pet’s life. Let's learn about common pug diseases, their symptoms and treatment.
If the dog for some reason began to limp, although there were no injuries, aseptic necrosis of the femoral head is possible, i.e., poor circulation of the femurs. Often the disease affects both hind legs. The pug becomes inactive, reacts painfully to touches on its paw, and it begins to fail. Later, the necrotic process affects the entire limb: the muscles on the affected paws dry out.
Treatment is only possible with surgery, but mobility returns soon after surgery. Pugs are genetically predisposed to such limb problems. You should act quickly before your paws give out. The problem of small dogs is necrotizing meningoencephalitis: inflammation of the central nervous system. Manifested by convulsions, involuntary movements of the pupils, paralysis. Aggressive immunosuppressive treatment is required.
The animal experiences seizures similar to epilepsy, its legs give way, its head twitches, tremors and convulsions occur. Encephalitis can develop due to a tick bite, but often the cause cannot be found.
It is believed that this disease may also be hereditary. In middle-aged and elderly bitches, the uterus may become inflamed. This provokes frequent urination, extreme thirst, lethargy. Purulent discharge from the loop is possible. Urgent treatment is necessary, sometimes it is necessary to resort to removal of the uterus and ovaries.
Pugs often grunt and cough: the reason is the so-called. brachycephalic syndrome in pugs, caused by a long palate with a short muzzle. In this case, the dog may have difficulty breathing, grunting, due to heat and fatigue (pugs often begin to choke at the end of a long walk), as well as illness (runny nose, etc.). A pug often grunts when it feels happy or stressed. The tendency to this problem is also hereditary: if the parents often suffocated, the puppies will also be prone to this.
If a dog coughs as if choking, this is a “reverse sneeze” - the dog is trying to clear Airways. This cough can be similar to gagging, and sometimes actually turns into vomiting. Periodically, this cough occurs in many dogs with a short muzzle and goes away on its own, but if the attacks become more frequent, consultation with a specialist is necessary. The dog could either simply catch a cold or become seriously ill, including heart problems. It is also worth checking whether a choking dog has foreign objects in the nasopharynx.
If a pug snores, it may be a genetic trait (about 20% of pugs snore, another manifestation of brachycephalic syndrome). But if this has not happened before, the cause of snoring may be an allergic runny nose, a cold, excess weight, sleep apnea, when the dog suffocates for a moment, etc. If your pug snores with frequent choking or coughing, you should consult a veterinarian. which will tell you whether it is necessary to eliminate the allergic factor, treat a runny nose or undergo surgery.
A cough and runny nose themselves can either mean that the dog has a slight cold or be symptoms of an infection. For example, “kennel cough” occurs after contact with other dogs: exhibitions, training on the site, etc. A runny nose and sneezing, which causes snot, can occur due to allergies. One of the common causes is also rhinitis - in this case, a runny nose, if you do not take active treatment, sometimes lasts for years. In all these cases, it is necessary to contact a veterinarian.
Eye diseases
Eye diseases are very common in pugs. Eyeball prolapse looks especially scary when it bulges greatly and turns red (this happens due to a blow or an insect bite). What to do in this case? Apply a damp cloth to the dog’s eye and immediately go to the hospital.
If folds of skin touch the cornea, keratitis develops: the eye turns red and ulcers appear on it. Sometimes this causes pigmentation of the cornea, i.e. pigmentary keratitis. He is treated as surgical methods, and with the help of drops. Pigmentary keratitis sometimes occurs due to allergies. Cataracts (the dog bumps into objects due to deteriorating vision) and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the area around the eye) often develop. All eye sores in pugs require an immediate visit to the veterinarian, as they can lead to blindness.
This disease can also be a consequence of a cold. Symptoms such as hot, inflamed ears, the appearance of ulcers and crusts on them are often caused by microscopic ear mites. An accurate diagnosis must be made by a veterinarian. Anti-tick medications can cause side effects and should not be used without prior consultation.
When scratching the ear, do not use iodine - it will burn the tissue. It is better to wipe the wound with brilliant green or hydrogen peroxide. An insect can get into the ears - in this case, the dog often shakes its head. To begin, lay the animal on its side and drop vegetable oil into the ear. If the insect floats up, remove it with a cotton swab; if not, contact your veterinarian, but do not try to remove it yourself, otherwise you may push it deeper.
Skin diseases
If a pug's hair falls out, the cause may be juvenile demodicosis - a tick infection that most often attacks this particular breed of dog. In addition to progressive baldness, demodicosis in a pug leads to the appearance of ulcers, wounds, and subsequently purulent abscesses and scabs on the body. Treatment is usually comprehensive, including adjustments to diet and walking patterns to strengthen the immune system. This disease usually appears in puppies up to one year old.
Pimples in pugs are often caused by allergies. If they are red, with a dot in the center, the most probable cause are fleas. A logical question: how to remove fleas? To do this, use special shampoos, collars or sprays. The apartment should also be disinfected.
Atopic dermatitis manifests itself as itchy, inflamed areas on the face, armpits, between the toes and around the anus. Many breeds are genetically predisposed to it, but the catalysts for the disease are food allergens, pollen, house dust, etc. This disease should be treated by subcutaneous injection of the allergen in gradually increasing concentrations. All procedures are carried out exclusively in the veterinary hospital. It is important to keep the skin inside the folds clean, otherwise inflammation may occur. The muzzle especially needs such care.
If diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, your dog should be given plenty of water or syringed to prevent dehydration. If diarrhea becomes chronic, it may be a symptom of colitis or gastritis (as evidenced by severe drooling).
Constipation often occurs due to poor diet, lack of water or a sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes constipation can be caused by an overdose of astringents during diarrhea. More dangerous causes of constipation are prostatitis and intestinal obstruction. In severe cases, treatment of constipation requires surgery. Pugs are prone to obesity. In addition to frequent constipation, excess weight aggravates breathing problems: obese pugs choke almost all the time.
Often, a pug snores due to fatty folds on the neck.
If your pug is drooling a lot, it could be a sign of dental problems. Excessive salivation in transport indicates that the pet is seasick. The puppy needs to be accustomed to the car, gradually increasing the duration of the trips.
Urolithiasis disease
Signs of urolithiasis are as follows: the dog urinates frequently, the urine becomes cloudy, sometimes with pus. The animal becomes lethargic and apathetic, often licking its genitals. May urinate at home. In this case, treatment is necessary, since it is very difficult to wean a sick dog from peeing at home. First, diuretics are prescribed; further treatment depends on the size and nature of the stones. Surgery is often necessary.
Video “Diseases of pugs”
From this video you will learn what diseases pugs can suffer from.
It happens that a dog's hind legs suddenly give out. What to do in such cases? First of all, there is no need to panic - watch the animal and evaluate its general well-being. If a dog feels bad, it refuses food and water, has lost interest in the world around it, and there is no point in self-medicating. You need to seek help and call a veterinarian to your home.
If a dog's hind legs fail, there may be various reasons. Until the diagnosis is clarified, it is not worth taking the animal to the clinic or anywhere else. If an animal drags its hind or forelimbs, it may have a spinal injury, in which transportation is strictly contraindicated. If the animal walks, eats and drinks normally, the temporary physiological disorder will go away on its own. Most likely, the dog is simply tired after a long walk or active training.
Causes of the disease
An animal's paws may fail for the following reasons:
Puppies
It happens that the legs give out in very young puppies. If a dog has been walking on its hind legs since birth, it may have birth defects, such as cerebral palsy. Therefore, when choosing a puppy from a kennel, you must pay attention to how they walk and run.
The puppy may also fall on its paws due to rickets. Rickets is a disease that occurs quite often in dogs that were weaned from a bitch early or were bottle-fed from birth (for example, if the mother died during childbirth). Rickets is a disease that is caused by a lack of vital vitamins and minerals in the puppy’s body. . The disease manifests itself as follows:
- Uncertain, shaky gait;
- Restless sleep of puppies;
- Restless behavior (the puppy constantly squeals, whines, refuses to eat, or, conversely, eats a lot, but still loses weight);
- The baby has a sunken chest and a protruding stomach.
If you organize proper feeding for your puppy, the problem with rickets will disappear by itself. Gradually, the puppy will get stronger and catch up with its peers in development.
Animals that are born with weak muscles can also fall on their hind legs. Usually, as the dog grows up, the muscles become stronger and the gait becomes firmer.
Pregnant dogs
Pregnant bitches in the last months of bearing puppies may also fall a little on their paws. This happens in cases where the puppies in the mother's womb are very large, and it is difficult for the dog to carry its huge belly. Usually a bitch pregnant with large puppies moves little, is reluctant to eat and drink, and spends all her free time lying on the mat. The dog can also fall on its hind legs immediately before giving birth, during contractions, in order to relieve pain.
Treatment
Just yesterday the pet was cheerful, cheerful, frolicked on a walk and infected everyone in the household with his ebullient energy. And today the paws of a German shepherd, pug or alabai gave out. What to do? If the animal lies for several hours in a row and does not get up (but does not sleep), you need to offer the dog something to eat and see how it reacts to the food.
You can also carry out simple diagnostics at home. When a dog is so exhausted that he walks on his own and does not ask to go for a walk, you need to pay attention to the color of his urine. Paw failure often occurs in animals suffering from urolithiasis. This happens especially often in French bulldogs: they have weak kidneys and are very susceptible to such infections. Treatment for paresis of the hind limbs can be different, for example:
Prevention measures
In order for a dog to live a long time and please its owner with its excellent health, the animal must be vaccinated against dangerous infections in a timely manner. During a walk, you need to completely exclude your pet from interacting with stray dogs, because they are most often the main spreaders of infections. Also for the prevention of plague and rabies, dogs should not be allowed to dig through garbage bins while walking. This habit must be weaned from a very tender age, as soon as an inquisitive animal begins to show interest in the trash heap.
To prevent mechanical injuries to paws, walks with animals should only be carried out in specially designated places, that is, on dog parks or in parks with walking paths for animals. You should not take your pet to the forest or to the river, especially to places where people often have picnics. In thick grass, a dog can easily cut its paw on a broken bottle or other sharp object left behind by unlucky “tourists.”
If the owner takes the pet with him fishing, under no circumstances should small fishing hooks be left on the ground. Stepping on the hook can cause serious injury to the animal. After each walk, you need to inspect the animal’s paws and wipe them with a clean cloth. You should also inspect your paws while bathing.
To prevent falls at home, locks should be installed on everything. plastic windows. You can train with your dog in sports such as jumping or steeplechase only at a dog park, under the guidance of a professional dog handler. If the animal shows interest in jumping, you should not leave your pet unattended for a minute while walking. Even a fall from a small garden bench can cause paresis of the hind limbs.
In order for puppies to grow strong and healthy, it is necessary to provide them with proper feeding. If the kittens were weaned from the bitch early, it is necessary to include vitamin and mineral supplements in their diet. This will serve as an excellent prevention of rickets and will help strengthen the weak muscles of babies. It is also necessary to regularly give vitamins to older dogs and pregnant bitches.
If your dog's back legs suddenly give up, the reasons can be very different. The most important thing is not to get nervous ahead of time, but calmly see what happens next. If the animal is still eating well and is very active, most likely it is a simple splinter or scratch. But if the dog feels unwell, has become lethargic or, conversely, aggressive, you should not self-medicate. A qualified doctor will help you easily solve the problem. If it is not possible to call a doctor right away, you can consult by telephone at the amateur dog breeders club.
Attention, TODAY only!
There is no single reason for the situation in which a dog’s hind legs fail. If an animal drags its paws, wags its hindquarters when walking, or limps, then a qualified diagnosis is required, so a visit to the veterinarian is mandatory. There is a common misconception among dog owners that NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as Diclofenac or aspirin, will help in this case.
Such improvements in the condition are temporary and distract from the search for the true cause of the disease. Therefore, only a doctor should prescribe treatment, and the owner can provide first aid to the pet.
- English and French bulldogs, dachshunds, Pekingese, pugs and poodles are more likely to suffer from ruptured or slipped discs. This is a serious danger to your pet and can lead to death. Displacement of the vertebrae provokes compression of the nerve processes of the spinal cord and causes severe pain attacks. If the puppy's nerve endings are less compressed, this results in weakness in the hind legs.
- Large breeds - Rottweilers, St. Bernards, Great Danes, German Shepherds, Staffies and others - suffer from diseases of the hip joints. This is caused by heredity, monotonous nutrition, and uncomfortable slippery ground during daily movement.
- Middle-aged pets suffer from inflammatory processes in the muscles the next day after a long walk or unusual exercise. The dog's gait resembles walking on stilts. Only a veterinarian can distinguish temporary inflammation from spinal lesions.
- In older dogs, poor hind limb function is more often associated with central nervous system dysfunction or vascular problems. Tumors are relatively rare.
- The main symptom in all cases is pain, which is pronounced or dull. At the beginning of the disease, the dog does not fall on his feet, only during a walk the coordination of movements of the rear part of the body is disrupted, and a wobbling gait appears. The animal walks poorly, sometimes it simply drags its legs behind it, and to move it pulls itself up on its front legs.
- Pain occurs in a pet after an active walk or play. An attentive owner will notice this condition immediately; usually the dog’s legs give way.
- Severe pain syndrome leads to the fact that the animal cannot walk, falls and tries to get up again. Often the pet panics. The condition, in which the paws hurt, can appear temporarily, while the dog is lethargic and does not eat.
- Constant pain depletes the dog's strength. Not only does she not move or run, but she also cannot stand up and trembles all over.
- The worst manifestation of the disease is numbness in the hind legs. The muscles do not react to injections with a sharp object, the pet does not move its limbs. In this case, we are talking about paralysis or paresis, which requires immediate veterinary attention.
- If the dog is injured and the owner knows about it, then you should try to limit the animal’s movements as much as possible. To do this, place a board or other flat and long object under the pet’s body and tie or bandage the dog to it.
- You should not give painkillers, as this will blur the picture of the disease. Also, the pet, without feeling pain, rips off the bandage or tries to run, aggravating the disease of the joints or spine.
- You cannot massage the animal’s paws, back, or force it to rise. At such moments, the pet does not need food, so you should not feed it. An animal that has fallen into a panic is reassured in an even voice, trying to reduce anxiety.
- for dog therapy:
- To reduce pain at home, warming local procedures are performed. For dogs, warm bags with sand, cereals, and salt are most often used, which are applied to the lumbar or hip area. You can use woolen items folded several times and heated with an iron. All warming is done after evening walks, so as not to cool the problem areas after the procedure.
- They practice rubbing the back or thigh with compositions based on honey, alcohol, and propolis. To do this, you can take irritating substances, for example, hot red pepper, mustard, turpentine.
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Description of the problem
There is an age-related predisposition to pathologies of the motor system, and manifestations also vary depending on breeds. The following diseases occur in certain types of dogs:
Depending on age, the causes of hind limb weakness vary:
Causes of the disease
Inattention to the pet, accompanied by a long asymptomatic period, and lack of awareness about the state of its body leads to the fact that the animal suddenly has problems with the functioning of its hind legs.
Diseases of the renal system cannot cause weakness of the limbs and a hunched spine, unless it is exhausted to the last degree. In this case, lethargy extends not only to the hind legs, but also to all other muscle groups.
Animal injuries
A sprain, fracture, rupture of a tendon or pinched nerve when jumping from high fences, parapets or simply from awkward movements become the main causes of paresis and paralysis.
Even small shifts of the spinal discs can provoke pathology.
Sometimes swelling occurs at the site of displacement of the vertebrae, which compresses the nerve endings. Impaired blood flow causes cells to die and impulses to stop, causing the hind legs to fail.
This disease is an intervertebral hernia - protrusion of intervertebral discs outside the spinal column.
Because of this, the nerve of the spinal column is compressed and the movement of the paws is impaired. Dog breeds with long spines, such as basset hounds or dachshunds, are more likely to suffer from this disease. In other dogs, the manifestations of discopathy may not be very pronounced.
As a result of selection, the spine of French bulldogs has become longer, so representatives of the breed are more likely to suffer from this disease. These dogs need to be protected from heavy loads and ensure that they do not make sudden jumps from heights.
Dysplasia This disease is difficult to treat. In pets, dysplasia occurs due to abnormal development of the hip joints as a result of heredity or dislocation at birth. Because of this, all systems of the joint unit cease to function normally.
The cause of dysplasia is the rapid growth of the puppy.
When buying a shepherd, Labrador, Great Dane or St. Bernard (we are talking about large breeds), you need to require not only a pedigree, but also tests to check for dysplasia of the parents. If the pet begins to get tired, its gait becomes wobbling, then an x-ray will help identify the disease.
Osteocondritis of the spine
This disease often occurs after discopathy and is characterized by excessive mineralization of cartilage tissue, which as a result hardens and causes joint destruction.
At the same time, ligaments and vertebrae are destroyed.
The main factor in the pathogenesis of the disease is heredity. Blood microcirculation is disrupted, autoimmune processes change, and excess weight also matters. The disease most often affects small breeds, but large dogs are also affected. The disease hampers the movement of the hind legs, although no other symptoms are observed, this leads to the fact that over time the dog’s limbs fail.
Arthrosis and arthritis These diseases cause poor functioning of the dog's limbs. They are typical for animals of heavy, massive and large breeds. In a joint with arthrosis, the cartilage tissue becomes thinner, the heads of the joints rub against each other and are gradually destroyed, which leads to severe pain when moving. Arthritis suggests inflammatory process
Sometimes the dog cannot move its limbs for a short time, then the ability to walk is restored. Such cases require mandatory consultation with a doctor.
General symptoms of pathology
Diseases can appear suddenly and develop rapidly, or the build-up of symptoms occurs gradually and takes a long time. Sometimes the signs are unclear, much depends on the reason for the failure of the hind legs:
First aid
First aid for limb failure is to call a veterinarian at home. There are cases where the mobility of legs in completely hopeless animals was restored, so the owner should not panic. First aid measures:
Animal treatment
Only a veterinarian provides specialized care. The doctor may prescribe surgery, if there are threatening injuries or damage to the spine and pelvic bones is suspected. For diagnosis, ultrasound, myelography are used, urine and blood tests are taken, and other studies are carried out on the recommendation of a veterinarian.
To treat dogs with lesions of the hip joints, spine and spinal cord, the same drugs are used as for humans. It is dangerous to use such drugs independently to treat animals. This is especially true for pets of small breeds, since the wrong dose of medication can kill them. Many medications are prescribed based on body weight.
The effect of treatment most often occurs if contact with a specialist was timely. This is usually the time when pain symptoms have appeared, but paresis and paralysis have not yet developed. During such a period drug treatment will help avoid irreversible consequences.
Therapeutic measures for failure of the hind limbs include several procedures in combination; their purpose depends on the age of the animal, the severity of the lesion and the causes of the disease. The doctor prescribes painkillers, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, vitamin preparations, and chondroprotectors.
During the operation, hemostatics, antihistamines, and antibiotics are used.
Traditional methods All folk recipes must be discussed with a veterinarian. Unlike a person, an animal cannot tell about its health, so you need to pay close attention to your pet during such treatment. Some folk remedies
To reduce swelling of problem areas, use herbal infusions and decoctions that have a diuretic effect. These include products made from lingonberry leaves, cranberries, bay leaves, corn silks and other ready-made diuretic pharmaceutical preparations. It is advisable to give them to the dog separately, without adding them to the drinking container, as this reduces the effectiveness of the medications.
To treat limb paralysis, you need to recognize the disease by early stages. If neurological disorders are inherent in genes, then it is not always possible to correct the situation, but you can try to reduce the consequences of the disease.
Timely examination helps to identify tumors that put pressure on nerve endings and impair motor activity. They need to be removed to improve the animal's quality of life. There should be no slippery base in the walking enclosure; it is unacceptable to make a cement or concrete screed, which leads to hypothermia of the paws. The best option is the ground or boards.
The diet should include all the minerals and vitamins the dog needs. To do this, consult a veterinarian and introduce vitamin complexes for animals into the diet, depending on age and body weight.
Owners often come to the veterinary clinic complaining that their dog’s hind legs are being lost. Each of them describes the symptoms in their own way: the pet is limping, has a hunched back, drags its paws, and has paralysis.
Introduction
There is no single reason that can cause such symptoms. Dog veterinary evidence suggests that the first step in treatment should be qualified diagnosis. To know how to treat, you need to know what to treat. And you can’t do this without a trip to the veterinarian.
Individual pathologies when a dog loses its hind legs include age and breed predisposition. Thus, pugs, poodles, English and dachshunds and Pekingese have a predisposition to the destruction or displacement of intervertebral
Discopathy
This pathology is quite serious and can pose a threat to the life of a pet. As the disc moves, it compresses. Outwardly, this will manifest itself as periodic attacks of severe pain: the pet freezes in one position (usually with a hunched back and an elongated neck), shortness of breath appears, severe trembling, the hind legs weaken and give way.
Scientists have not yet fully identified the reasons why the strength of the intervertebral disc decreases in dachshunds. A genetic predisposition has been established in some dog breeding lines. Due to the mutual pressure of the vertebrae on each other, the nucleus pulposus moves into the thickness of the fibrous ring and subsequently leaves its limits, entering the paravertebral space. The fibrous ring on the side of the passing spinal canal has the least strength, and therefore parts of the destroyed disc are usually displaced in this direction. This causes compression of the spinal cord overlying it, as well as its nerves.
If the compression of the spinal cord is not so clearly expressed, then clinically it will only manifest itself in this way - the dog’s hind legs have failed. The pet drags them along, trying to transfer the weight of the body to the forelimbs. He tries to jump onto a chair (sofa, armchair), but he can’t. Can't bend over to the floor or bowl. If there is a suspicion of discopathy, it is necessary to go for a qualified diagnosis and prepare for treatment, including surgery. Compression of the spinal cord can cause irreversible changes in the body, when therapeutic measures are simply ineffective.
Dysplasia
Pets of giant and large breeds (Labrador, Newfoundland, Rottweiler, Great Dane, St. Bernard, German shepherds 4-12 months old) also have their own predispositions to the disease when the dog’s hind legs fail. This lesion The occurrence of this pathology can be influenced by many things: heredity, overweight of the puppy, unbalanced diet, etc.
Causes of dysplasia
There have been many scientific debates regarding the causation of this disease. And so far, two theories have been formed about the heredity of this pathology and the mechanism of inheritance.
Many geneticists advocate the theory of additive inheritance. That is, the disease develops due to the action of genes that are involved in the final formation of the hip joint.
The second theory is based on the assumption that these same genes influence each other, and their interaction is combined in various ways. This means that the defect has a much more complex hereditary nature than is shown by the first theory.
There is a third theory in the world of geneticists. It combines the first two. According to it, the action of the genes responsible for the creation of joints can be summed up, and individual genetic pairs influence each other in different ways.
The general conclusion of experts: disease is a classic example of a quantitative trait, which is influenced by many genes (polygeny), and in this case there are many factors environment have their impact on the final formation and manifestation of symptoms. The clinical manifestation of dysplasia, when a dog loses its hind legs, does not occur in all animals. But this does not mean that a pet at risk is not susceptible to this pathology if there are no pronounced symptoms. When choosing a partner for mating, you should study the pedigree for the presence of ancestors with dysplasia. It should be noted that the disease can be transmitted to descendants through fourteen generations.
Swedish dog veterinary medicine has clearly proven that dysplasia is associated with heredity and is inherent in certain breeds. And if the breed is characterized by a powerful physique and large mass, then the likelihood of disease is very high. The dog carries a huge load. It gives the body a pushing force from the hind limbs when moving. And during this push, the joint extends and moves the head of the femur along the entire acetabulum. Particularly high friction occurs in the joint when the animal, standing on its hind legs, jumps or walks.
If the hip joints are affected, then weakness of the hind legs will appear immediately after a period of rest (during the morning rise) and will decrease with physical activity. Also, this lesion is rarely symmetrical; the dog will begin to “fall” on only one paw.
Myositis
In middle-aged dogs after too large physical activity the next day, muscle inflammation may develop - myositis. Due to overexertion, tearing, rupture, disintegration of muscle fibers and hemorrhage into the thickness of the muscles can occur. Due to the damage, traumatic swelling develops, and with significant rupture of muscle fibers, a scar forms and the muscle shortens. This leads to myogenic contracture of the corresponding joint. If pathogenic microflora enters the affected muscle, purulent myositis will develop.
One of the symptoms of this disease will be a “stilted gait” or weakness of the hind limbs; the dog will limp on its hind leg. Treatment of dogs with such a disease will not cause great difficulties, but only
Osteochondrosis
Another disease that can cause your pet to have problems with its hind legs. The main reason is a violation of cartilage mineralization. Typical for large breed puppies. Osteochondrosis is a multifactorial disease. Nutrition and genetics play key roles. Cartilage separation in this pathology is most often observed in the joints subject to the greatest load (hip). The result will be lameness, the dog will be limping on its hind leg.
Fractures
This pathology is often found among large breed puppies. And many owners consider injury to be the cause. The dog clenches his back paw and cannot lean on it. Reacts painfully to touch. In most cases, a fracture occurs with minimal outside influence. This type of injury is called a pathological fracture and indicates low mineralization of the skeleton. Causes: low intake of calcium or vitamin D, high intake of phosphorus.
For recovery in this case, it is not enough to fix the fracture. The main thing is to appoint proper diet. The best option- use ready-made feed, balanced in the content of phosphorus, calcium, vitamins D and A. An excess of these substances will delay bone healing.
Old age
Older dog falling on his hind legs? This may be due to a malfunction of the brain. According to the observations of veterinarians, this most often happens due to various vascular problems, less often - the reason is the presence of brain tumors. Proper treatment in this case can significantly improve the pet’s well-being and prolong its life for years.
What should be distinguished from
Kidney problems cannot be the reason why a dog loses its hind legs and has a hunched body unless the pet is extremely malnourished with autointoxication. But in this case, the weakness will spread to the entire muscular system.
What not to do
The most common mistake owners make when identifying hind limb weakness is self-treating dogs with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, indomethacin, aspirin, etc.). Clinical improvements observed by owners following the use of these medicines They are only temporary in nature, but they hide the underlying disease well, which significantly complicates the correct diagnosis of the disease, due to which the dog’s hind legs are lost. Also, medical anti-inflammatory drugs carry a number of serious side effects for pets, including ulcers on the walls of the stomach and bleeding in it.
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