The pug's hind legs gave way. The dog's hind legs are taken away: reasons

There is no single reason for a dog's hind legs to fail. If the animal drags its paws, wags the back of the body while walking, limps, then a qualified diagnosis is required, so a visit to the veterinarian is mandatory. A common misconception among dog owners is that NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Diclofenac or aspirin will help.

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.

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Description of the problem

An age-related predisposition to pathologies of the motor system is noted, and manifestations also vary depending on the breeds. The following diseases occur in certain types of dogs:

English and French Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Pekingese, Pugs and Poodles are more likely to be prone to destruction or dislocation of intervertebral discs. This is a serious danger to the pet that can lead to death. The displacement of the vertebrae provokes compression of the nerve processes of the spinal cord and causes severe pain attacks. If the nerve endings of the puppies are less compressed, this is manifested by the weakness of the hind limbs.
Large breeds - Rottweilers, St. Bernards, Great Danes, German Shepherds, Staffs and others - suffer from diseases of the hip joints. This is caused by heredity, monotonous diet, uncomfortable slippery ground during daily movement.

The reasons for the weakness of the hind limbs differ depending on the age:

Middle-aged pets, the next day after a long walk or an unusual load, suffer from inflammatory processes in the muscles. The dog's gait resembles walking on stilts. Only a veterinarian can distinguish temporary inflammation from lesions of the spine.
In older dogs, poor hind limb function is more often associated with dysfunction of the central nervous system or vascular problems. Tumors are relatively rare.

Causes of the disease

An inattentive attitude towards the pet, accompanied by a long asymptomatic period, ignorance of the state of its body leads to the fact that the animal has problems with the work of its hind legs.

Diseases of the renal system cannot cause weakness in the limbs and hunched spine, unless it is emaciated to the last degree. In this case, lethargy extends not only to the hind legs, but also to all other muscle groups.

Animal injury

Sprains, fractures, tendon ruptures, or pinched nerves when jumping from high fences, parapets, or simply awkward movements are the main causes of paresis and paralysis. Even small displacements of the spinal column discs can provoke pathology.

Sometimes edema occurs at the site of the displacement of the vertebrae, which compresses the nerve endings. Impaired blood flow leads to cell death and impulse arrest, causing the hind legs to fail.

Discopathy

This disease is an intervertebral hernia - a protrusion of the intervertebral discs outside the spinal column. Because of this, the nerve of the spinal column is compressed, the movement of the paws is disrupted. Breeds of dogs with a long backbone, such as bassets 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 in French Bulldogs, the spine has become longer, therefore, representatives of the breed often suffer from this ailment. These dogs must be protected from heavy loads and must be monitored so that they do not make sudden jumps from a height.

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 articular node cease to function normally. Dysplasia is caused by 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 the pedigree, but also tests for checking the parents' dysplasia. If the pet begins to get tired, his gait becomes wobbly, then an X-ray will help to identify the disease.

Osteocondritis of the spine

This disease often occurs after discopathy, it is characterized by excessive mineralization of the cartilage tissue, which as a result hardens and causes joint destruction. Ligaments and vertebrae are destroyed at the same time.

The main factor in the pathogenesis of the disease is heredity. Blood microcirculation is impaired, autoimmune processes change, and excess weight matters. Most often, the disease affects representatives of small breeds, but large dogs also get sick. The disease constrains the movement of the hind legs, although other symptoms are not 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 the joint with arthrosis, the cartilage tissue becomes thinner, the heads of the joints rub against each other and gradually collapse, which leads to severe pain during movement.

Arthritis involves inflammation, while arthrosis destroys bones without inflammation.Arthritis is more common in older pets, with inflammation of the joint capsule, which is caused by a lack of vitamins in the diet, excess movement or lack of exercise, and obesity of the animal.

Sometimes the dog cannot move its limbs for a short time, then the ability to walk is restored. Such cases require a mandatory visit to a doctor.

General symptoms of pathology

Diseases can appear suddenly and develop rapidly, or the build-up of symptoms is gradual and takes a long time. Sometimes the signs are indistinct, much depends on the reason for the failure of the hind legs:

The main symptom in all cases is pain that is pronounced or dull. At the onset of the disease, the dog does not fall to its feet, only during walking the coordination of movements of the back of the body is disturbed, a wobbly gait appears. The animal does not walk well, sometimes it just drags its legs, for movement it pulls itself up on its front paws.
The pain occurs in the pet after an active walk, games. An attentive owner will notice such a condition right away, usually the dog's legs give way.
Vivid pain syndrome leads to the fact that the animal cannot walk, falls and tries to get up again. Often the pet goes into a panic. A condition in which paws hurt can appear temporarily, while the dog is lethargic and does not eat.
Constant pain drains the strength of the dog. She not only does not move and does not run, but also cannot get up and trembles all over.
The worst manifestation of the disease is the numbness of the hind legs. 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 care.

First aid

First aid for limb failure is to call the veterinarian at home. There are cases when the mobility of the legs was restored in completely hopeless animals, so the owner should not panic. First aid measures:

If the dog is injured and the owner knows about it, then you need to try to limit the movement of the animal as much as possible. To do this, a board or other flat and long object is placed under the pet's body and the dog is tied or bandaged to it.
Do not give pain medications, as this will blur the picture of the disease. Also, the pet, without feeling pain, tears off the bandage or tries to run, aggravating the disease of the joints or spine.
You can not massage the paws, back of the animal, force it to rise. At such moments, the pet does not need food, so you should not feed it. The panicked animal is calmed down in an even voice, trying to reduce anxiety.

Treatment of the animal

Only a veterinarian provides specialized assistance. A doctor may order surgery if there is impending injury or if damage to the spine and pelvic bones is suspected. For diagnostics, ultrasound, myelography is used, urine and blood tests are taken, other studies are carried out on the recommendation of a veterinarian.

For the treatment of dogs with lesions of the hip joints, spine and spinal cord, the same means are used as for humans. It is dangerous to use such drugs alone for the treatment of animals. This is especially true for pets of small breeds, since an incorrectly chosen dose of medicine can kill them. Many drugs are prescribed based on body weight.

The effect of treatment most often occurs if the appeal to a specialist was timely. Usually this is the time when pain symptoms appeared, but paresis and paralysis have not yet developed. During such a period, drug treatment will help avoid irreversible consequences.

Therapeutic measures in case of failure of the hind limbs include several procedures in a complex, 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, chondroprotectors. During the operation, hemostatic, antihistamines, antibiotics are used.

Traditional methods

All folk recipes must be negotiated with a veterinarian. Unlike humans, an animal cannot tell about its state of health, so you need to be attentive to the pet during such treatment. Some folk remedies for treating dogs:

To reduce pain at home, local warming procedures are done. For dogs, warm bags of sand, cereals, and salt are most often used, which are applied to the area of \u200b\u200bthe lower back or thighs. You can use woolen items, folded several times and heated by an iron. All warming up is done after evening walks so as not to cool problem areas after the procedure.
They practice rubbing the back or thigh with compositions based on honey, alcohol, propolis. For this, you can take irritating substances, for example, hot red pepper, mustard, turpentine.
To reduce the swelling of problem areas, herbal infusions and decoctions are used, which have a diuretic effect. These include funds from lingonberry leaf, cranberry, bay leaf, corn stigmas and other ready-made diuretic pharmaceutical preparations. It is advisable to give them to the dog separately, without adding them to the drinking container, since the effectiveness of drugs is reduced from this.

Problem prevention

To treat paralysis of the limbs, it is necessary to recognize the disease in its early stages. If neurological disorders are embedded in the 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 press on nerve endings and disrupt motor activity. They need to be removed to improve the quality of life of the animal. The walking cage should not have a slippery base; it is unacceptable to make a cement or concrete screed that leads to hypothermia of the paws. The best option is ground or planks.

The diet should include all the minerals and vitamins the dog needs. For this, a veterinarian is consulted and vitamin complexes for animals are introduced into the diet, depending on age and body weight.

Many diseases of pugs are caused by a genetic predisposition, as well as the specific structure of the body and muzzle. It is important to detect any ailment at the earliest stage - often this can save the pet's life. Let's find out 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, that is, impaired blood circulation of the femurs. The disease often affects both hind legs. The pug becomes inactive, reacts painfully to touching the paw, it begins to refuse. Later, the necrotic process affects the entire limb: the muscles on the affected paws dry out.

Treatment is possible only surgically, but soon after the operation, mobility returns. Pugs are genetically predisposed to such problems with limbs. You should act promptly until the paws give up. A problem in small dogs is necrotizing meningoencephalitis: an inflammation of the central nervous system. It manifests itself with convulsions, involuntary movements of the pupils, paralysis. Aggressive immunosuppressive treatment is required.

The animal has seizures similar to epilepsy, paws give way, head twitches, tremors and convulsions occur. Encephalitis can develop from a tick bite, but often the cause cannot be found.

It is believed that this disease can also be hereditary. In middle-aged and older bitches, the uterus may become inflamed. This provokes frequent urination, intense thirst, lethargy. Purulent discharge from the loop is possible. Urgent treatment is necessary, sometimes it is necessary to resort to the removal of the uterus and ovaries.

Often pugs 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, it is difficult to breathe, grunting, the dog may be due to heat and fatigue (pugs often begin to choke at the end of a long walk), as well as in case of illness (runny nose, etc.). It is not uncommon for a pug to grunt when it is feeling happy or stressed. The tendency to this problem is also hereditary: if the parents often suffocate, the puppies will also be prone to this.

If the dog coughs as if choking, this is a "reverse sneeze" - the dog is trying to clear the airways. Such a cough can be similar to vomiting, and sometimes it actually turns into vomiting. From time to time, this cough occurs in many dogs with a short muzzle and goes away on its own, but if the attacks become more frequent, a specialist consultation is necessary. The dog could just catch a cold or become seriously ill, up to heart problems. It is also worth checking whether the choking dog has foreign objects in the nasopharynx.

If a pug snores, it could be a genetic trait (snoring is inherent in about 20% of pugs - 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 chokes for a moment, etc. If the pug snores with frequent choking or coughing, you should contact your veterinarian. which will tell you whether it is necessary to eliminate the allergic factor, treat a cold or surgery.

By themselves, a cough and a runny nose can mean that the dog has a slight cold, or be symptoms of infection. For example, "kennel cough" occurs after contact with other dogs: exhibitions, training on the site, etc. A runny nose and sneezing, in which snot appears, may 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 drags on for years. In all these cases, you must contact your veterinarian.

Eye diseases

Eye diseases are very common among pugs. The prolapse of the eyeball looks especially frightening when it bulges out and turns red (this happens due to a blow or an insect bite). What to do in this case? Having applied a damp cloth to the dog's eye, immediately go to the hospital.

If the folds of the skin touch the cornea, keratitis develops: the eye turns red, sores appear on it. Sometimes in this case, pigmentation of the cornea occurs, i.e., pigmentary keratitis. It is treated with both surgical methods and drops. Keratitis pigmentosa sometimes occurs due to allergies. Cataracts often develop (the dog bumps into objects due to deteriorating vision) and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the area around the eye). All sore eyes in pugs require an immediate visit to the veterinarian, as they can lead to blindness.

Also, this disease can be a consequence of a cold. Symptoms such as hot, inflamed ears, sores and crusts are often caused by microscopic ear mites. An accurate diagnosis must be made by a veterinarian. Medicines for ticks can cause side effects and cannot be used without prior consultation.

If the ear is scratched, iodine should not be used - it will burn the tissue. 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 with, put the animal on its side and drip vegetable oil into the ear. If the insect has surfaced, remove it with a cotton swab, if not, contact your veterinarian, but do not try to remove it yourself, otherwise you can push it deeper.

Skin diseases

If the 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 later purulent abscesses and scabs on the body. Treatment is usually complex, including dietary and walking adjustments to strengthen the immune system. Usually this disease manifests itself in puppies under one year old.

Pug pimples are often caused by allergies. If they are red with a dot in the center, fleas are the most likely cause. A logical question: how to remove fleas? To do this, use special shampoos, collars or sprays. You should also disinfect the apartment.

Atopic dermatitis manifests itself as itchy, inflamed areas on the face, in the armpits, between the fingers and around the anus. Many breeds are genetically predisposed to it, but food allergens, pollen, house dust, etc. are the catalysts of the disease. This disease should be treated by subcutaneous injection of the allergen in a gradually increasing concentration. All procedures are carried out exclusively in the veterinary clinic. It is important to keep the skin inside the folds clean, otherwise inflammation is possible. Especially the muzzle needs such care.

If diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, the dog should be given plenty of water or syringe to prevent dehydration. If diarrhea becomes chronic, it may be a symptom of colitis or gastritis (as evidenced by severe salivation).

Constipation is often caused by an inappropriate diet, lack of water, or a sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes an overdose of astringents for diarrhea can lead to constipation. More dangerous causes of constipation are prostatitis and bowel obstruction. In severe cases, treating constipation requires surgery. Pugs are prone to obesity. In addition to frequent constipation, excess weight aggravates breathing problems: obese pugs suffocate almost all the time.

It is not uncommon for a pug to snore due to folds of fat in the neck.

If the pug is drooling a lot, it may indicate dental problems. Abundant 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 often urinates, the urine becomes cloudy, sometimes with pus. The animal becomes lethargic and apathetic, often licks the genitals. May urinate at home. In this case, it is the treatment that is needed, since it is very difficult to wean a sick dog to write at home. First, diuretics are prescribed, further treatment depends on the size and nature of the stones. Surgery is often required.

Video "Pug Diseases"

From this video you will learn from what diseases pugs can suffer.

One of the common complaints of owners of dogs with neurological problems is that both hind legs are failing. In this case, the dog:

Begins to move abnormally.
The hind legs seem to stop obeying, they become weak.
Paresis develops, or complete paralysis of the pelvic limbs.

Most often, this problem occurs in small and medium-sized dogs with a genetic predisposition to lesions of the intervertebral discs. These dogs include mainly dachshunds, in addition to all brachycephalic breeds - Pekingese, French Bulldog, Brabancon and others. Typically, the hind legs in these dogs begin to work abnormally at the age of 3-8 years.

The first symptom of neurological disorders in the thoracolumbar spine, which causes the dog to begin to withdraw its hind legs, is pain. Later, weakness appears, the inability to move the limbs, and in the last turn, pain sensitivity disappears.

These symptoms usually come on abruptly while walking or playing with other dogs, or for no apparent external reason in a state of relative rest. Abrupt movements can trigger these symptoms, but are not the main cause. Many dachshund owners believe that the considerable length of the spinal column plays a role in the development of the disease, but this is not true. Sometimes the manifestations of the disease occur all at once, but it also happens that in the morning the dog feels only pain, and by the evening paralysis of the extremities develops with loss of pain sensitivity.

There can be many reasons why hind legs fail in dogs. And, of course, those owners who are suddenly faced with this problem are lost and do not know what to do. Yesterday their pet briskly galloped on the sofas and played catch-up with the neighboring dogs, and today it lies indifferently, unable to get up.

Cases of damage to the limbs directly include injuries (fractures, sprains and ruptures of tendons, damage to peripheral nerves), as well as arthritis and arthrosis of the joints of the limbs, tumors.

If the above diagnoses are excluded, then we are talking, most likely, of spinal pathology, that is, a violation of the innervation of the extremities due to any pathological effects on the spinal cord. Paresis and paralysis of the hind limbs develop when the spinal cord is affected at the level of the thoracic and (or) lumbar spine.

Trauma

The failure of the hind legs in a dog can occur due to trauma - with fractures, sprains and ruptures of ligaments and tendons, with damage to peripheral nerves, as well as due to diseases such as arthrosis, arthritis of the joints of the extremities, tumors, discopathy and herniated discs. In addition to these diseases, spinal pathology is possible, in which the innervation of the limbs is disturbed, due to the impact on the spinal cord of unfavorable factors. Paresis and paralysis are frequent companions of spinal cord lesions in the lumbar and thoracic regions.

A common reason why dogs' hind legs fail is traumatic in nature: car injuries, falls, blows, strong bites during fights. In some cases, an unsuccessful sharp turn, jump and slip on the ice crust can lead to such consequences.

In the place of direct injury to the spine, the integrity of the spinal column (its structure) is disrupted, edema occurs, which leads to compression of the spinal cord and radicular nerves. Accordingly, the flow of blood with oxygen stops, and with prolonged compression, the nerve cells die, which makes it impossible for nerve impulses to pass through the peripheral nerves. Severe traumatic injury leads to disruption of the integrity of the spinal tissue, and a rupture of the spinal cord occurs.

Degenerative diseases of the spine

Refusal of the normal functioning of the hind limbs in dogs can provoke degenerative diseases of the spine, which are characterized by a violation of important metabolic processes in its tissues. Thus, this leads to pathological changes in the structure of the links of the spinal column.

Spondylosis

A dog's hind legs may fail in spondylosis, the “local aging” of some vertebral segments. This disease proceeds very slowly, and is practically not detected at the earliest stage. First of all, the outer fibers of the annulus fibrosus are affected (the consistency of the nucleus pulposus is preserved), and then the calcification of the anterior longitudinal ligament begins. Osteophytes develop, which visually resemble beak-shaped growths.

Tumors in the spine

Tumor processes that gradually develop in the immediate vicinity (or itself) of the spinal cord lead to pathological changes and fractures of the spinal column. With a sharp exacerbation of the process, swelling and compression of the roots and spinal cord occurs, and the following symptoms can be observed in the dog: weakening or failure of the hind limbs, arched back, gait disturbance, when the position of the body changes, the dog squeals, concomitant disorders occur (violation of the acts of urination and defecation) , in some cases, refusal of feed.

Spondyloarthrosis

The consequence of static loads in osteochondrosis of the spine may be spondyloarthrosis (deforming arthrosis of the joints of the spine). Uneven loads on the spinal column can also lead to protrusion of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc through the pathologically altered annulus fibrosus. This is called a spinal hernia. Bulging towards the spinal cord, the hernia causes compression of the radicular nerves and / or the spinal cord.

Discopathy

Disorders of the intervertebral discs (discopathy) are the most common underlying neurological lesions of the pelvic limbs. In this case, the changed substance of the disc penetrates into the spinal canal and clamps the spinal cord or the roots of the spinal nerves, which manifests itself in the form of a neurological deficit. Often in a large dog, hind legs fail, and this problem has its own characteristics. Similar lesions are observed in older animals of large and giant breeds: German Shepherds, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Great Danes and others. Typically, in this group of dogs, the development of clinical symptoms progresses slowly over several months or even years. In this case, it is possible to assume lesions of the intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine or at the level of the lumbosacral junction, as well as lumbo-sacral stenosis.

Discopathy is very common in dogs - French Bulldogs. This is due to the anatomical structure of the animal, when, in the course of artificial selection, the spine became elongated, and now undergoes more severe stress than the spine in "normal" dogs. The distance between the vertebrae has become much greater than normal. This is due to genetics and is inherited. Disc prolapse can occur not only during active movements and jumping, but even at rest, when the dog is sleeping or lying quietly.

Dysplasia

Very often, owners of dogs of heavy breeds (St. Bernard, Shepherd Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, Great Danes, etc.) are faced with diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In puppies, the most common disease is hip dysplasia. This disease is hereditary and manifests itself most often between the ages of 4 and 10 months during intensive growth. At first there is a problem getting up, especially after sleeping. The dog limps, then diverges and walks normally. Further without treatment, the symptoms may worsen, up to the complete refusal of the dog from walking. If you notice such signs, you need to show the dog to the veterinarian and take an x-ray.

Osteocondritis of the spine

Osteochondrosis of the spine is considered the most severe form of lesion; this disease is based on degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs (discopathy), often involving the surrounding vertebral bodies, as well as changes in the ligamentous apparatus and intervertebral joints.

The reasons for the development of osteochondrosis can be:

Genetically determined developmental defects that cause instability of the vertebrae.
Rheumatoid lesions.
Spine injury.
Disruption of microcirculation, leading to disruption of disk power supply.
Autoimmune processes.

Spinal pathology is also possible, which arises from the influence of adverse factors on the spinal cord. Frequent companions of spinal cord lesions in the thoracic and lumbar spine are paresis and paralysis. Most often, the paws of dogs suffer from falls (especially in small breeds), car injuries, blows and strong bites during fights.

Even an unsuccessful jump, a sharp turn or slipping of the dog on the ice crust can lead to the failure of the paws. At this moment, at the site of injury to the spine, the integrity of the structure of the spinal column is violated, edema occurs, which compresses the radicular nerves and the spinal cord.

Of course, the answer will be to contact a veterinarian, preferably specializing in neurology. If you notice in your dog a painful reaction when changing body position, a tense gait, unwillingness to walk, especially on stairs, do not wait until its hind legs fail - show the animal to the doctor right away, then the treatment will be more effective. If the trouble with the hind legs has already happened, the more you should not wait any longer.

If the animal has a spinal injury, try to get it to the doctor as soon as possible and in an immobilized state (fix the animal on the board with bandages or belts). Do not use pain relievers until you see a doctor. The pain limits the activity of the animal, which avoids further displacement of the vertebrae in the event of a fracture.

It is possible to notice the onset of the disease and urgently consult a specialist, but most inexperienced owners do not attach importance to such important symptoms as:

Anxiety.
The dog hides and squeals when they begin to touch it behind the back.
The dog is passive when the other dogs are frolicking.

However, in most cases, the alarm begins to sound when the dog's hind legs begin to fail partially, or paralysis develops. And here it is necessary to differentiate such a disease as radiculitis. An incorrectly prescribed treatment (for example, instead of maximizing the immobilization of the animal - massage), will waste precious time and aggravate the situation.

The sooner assistance is provided to the dog, the better the prognosis of its recovery will be. In any case, you should not despair, because there are cases when completely immobilized dogs were put on their paws and returned to active life. Depending on the diagnosis, medication is prescribed in the form of injections. A more radical case in the case of diseases of the spine is an operation, after which treatment is also continued.

In parallel, a massage is prescribed to the dog, swimming is recommended during the recovery period, classes with the dog to return its physical activity. All dog owners should remember that a paralyzed dog cannot be helped at home. It is imperative to consult a doctor, undergo all prescribed examinations to make an accurate diagnosis and start timely treatment.

First, the doctor will conduct an examination, assess the general condition, provide emergency assistance and make an initial diagnosis. When it comes to spinal pathology, the doctor:

Check the safety of the sensitivity (tactile and pain) of the limbs.
Check the integrity of the reflexes.
Check for pain in the spine.
He will prescribe an X-ray examination.
Perhaps myelography will be performed, that is, an X-ray will be taken after a special X-ray contrast substance is injected into the spinal canal. This is done to identify the slightest irregularities that are not noticeable in a regular image, as well as to determine the exact localization of the process. If necessary, he will prescribe blood and urine tests to identify concomitant pathologies (pyelonephritis, renal, hepatic, heart failure, etc.).

The studies carried out will help the doctor assess the degree of damage, give a prognosis of the disease and make a decision about treatment. Perhaps the doctor will put you before a choice between surgical and therapeutic methods of treatment, perhaps he will insist on one of them.

Dog - pug, 5 years old. Weakness of the hind legs - as if "braided" - cannot climb the stairs.

Answer

Hello! It's hard to tell what happened to the dog without seeing the dog. Let us assume a number of reasons for this condition.

Causes of weakness of the hind legs - discopathy

The obvious answer is spinal problems. Unfortunately, pugs are dog breeds that, due to their body structure, have a predisposition to discopathy and herniated intervertebral discs. Poodles, bulldogs, especially dachshunds have a similar predisposition. To check the condition of the spine, you need to urgently contact your veterinarian and take an x-ray. Displacement and hernia of the disc is a serious illness, when the disease is compressed the spinal cord, leading to disability or death of the animal. Do not delay - if it is too late to see a doctor, the consequences are foreseen irreversible! Most often, surgery is required.

With discopathy, the fibrous ring around the intervertebral disc is destroyed, the spinal cord is compressed, sensitivity is disturbed, and nerve impulses are transmitted. Edema begins, blood circulation is disturbed, nerve cells do not receive enough oxygen and die. It is required to start treatment at the first symptoms.

Injuries to the spine and joints are likely if the dog is overweight, to which pugs are predisposed, nutrition is unbalanced, physical activity is insufficient or, conversely, excessive. Increases the risk of heredity and structural features of a particular breed.

Discopathy symptoms

In the event of a strong displacement or hernia, the dog suffers from bouts of severe pain, it freezes in one position, tremors, shortness of breath appear. In mild cases, weakness of the hind legs is the only symptom. The animal tries to lean more on the front limbs, cannot jump on objects, climb stairs, it is difficult to bend over to the bowl.

Discopathy symptoms develop gradually. There is a shuffling gait, impaired reflexes, sensitivity. If discopathy is not treated, paralysis of the hind legs, urinary and defecation disorders develop.

Myositis

A disease that occurs in dogs, regardless of breed - myositis, muscle inflammation. It often develops after jumping from a tall object or falling, hypothermia. Typically, myositis begins in middle-aged dogs after unusually intense physical exertion. Weakness of the paws is noted, the gait changes, the animal walks "as if on stilts", the inflamed muscles are painful. A veterinarian is able to distinguish myositis from a lesion of the spine.

Dysplasia of the hip joint

Dysplasia, or dislocation of the hip joints, is more common in large breed dogs, as well as in pugs. In some individuals, a genetic predisposition was found to the disease. The risk factor is obesity and the conditions of keeping the dog at a puppy age - if it mainly walked on slippery surfaces, the risk increases.

With dysplasia, the animal begins to limp, especially after physical exertion, sometimes it is difficult for the dog to get up after waking up. The gait becomes unstable, activity decreases, prefers to sit or lie rather than run, and it is difficult to climb stairs.

Treatment

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and especially the spine are serious conditions that require the help of a veterinarian, sometimes urgent. You cannot diagnose yourself, especially treat a pet with human medicines! Try to keep your pet calm before seeing the veterinarian so that the condition does not worsen. To make a correct diagnosis, you need to do an x-ray, ultrasound, blood tests and studies prescribed by a doctor: MRI or myelography. The doctor assesses how reflexes are maintained in the animal.

Given the predisposition of pugs to discopathy, we recommend that you see a doctor as soon as possible. In mild cases, conservative treatment is used. If you start on time, in 90% of cases, the functions of the paws are completely restored. For this, complete rest is provided, anti-inflammatory, analgesic drugs, corticosteroids, B vitamins for the nervous system, and physiotherapy are prescribed. If the measures are not enough, an operation is needed - removal of the damaged disk. If the paws have lost sensitivity, surgery is urgently needed! If more than 48 hours have passed since the moment of complete loss of sensitivity, the treatment is ineffective.
In the case of dysplasia, treatment depends on the stage of the disease. In the initial stages, it is conservative, includes moderate physical activity, swimming is especially useful - while the supporting functions of the paws are not used. With severe dysplasia, surgery is indicated.

It happens that a dog's hind legs suddenly fail. What to do in such cases? First of all, you do not need to panic - observe the animal and evaluate its general well-being. If the dog feels bad, it refuses food and water, has lost interest in the world around it, there is no point in self-medication. You need to seek help and call a veterinarian at home.

If a dog's hind legs fail, the reasons may vary. Until the diagnosis is clarified, it is not worth taking the animal to the clinic and generally not anywhere. If the 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 vigorous training.

Causes of the disease

The animal may have paws fail for the following reasons:

Puppies

It happens that the legs give up in very young puppies. If your dog walks on its hind legs since birth, it may have birth defects such as cerebral palsy. Therefore, when choosing a puppy in the kennel, you must definitely pay attention to how they walk and run.

Also, the puppy may fall on its paws due to rickets. Rickets is a disease that quite often occurs in dogs that were weaned from the bitch early or were artificially fed from birth (for example, in the case of the death of the mother during childbirth). Rickets is a condition caused by a lack of vital vitamins and minerals in the puppy's body. ... The disease manifests itself as follows:

Uncertain, wobbly gait;
Restless sleep in 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 belly.

Providing proper feeding for your puppy, the problem with rickets will disappear by itself. Gradually, the puppy will get stronger and catch up with peers in development.

Also, those animals that have weak muscles from birth can fall on their hind legs. Usually, as the dog gets older, the muscles get stronger and the gait becomes firm.

Pregnant dogs

Pregnant bitches in the last months of gestation may also fall a little on their paws. This happens when 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, does not move much, is reluctant to eat and drink, and spends all her free time lying on the rug. Also, the dog can crouch on its hind legs just before childbirth, during labor, in order to relieve pain in this way.

Treatment

Yesterday the pet was funny, cheerful, frolicked on a walk and infected all the household with his ebullient energy. And today the paws of a German shepherd, pug or alabai have given up. What to do? If the animal lies for several hours in a row and does not get up (but does not sleep at the same time), you need to invite the dog to eat and see how it reacts to the food.

You can also carry out the simplest diagnostics at home. When the dog is so exhausted that it walks under itself and does not ask for a walk, you need to pay attention to the color of its urine. Paw failure is common 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:

Preventive measures

In order for the dog to live a long time and delight the owner with its excellent health, the animal must be timely vaccinated against dangerous infections. During a walk, you must completely exclude communication between a pet and stray dogs, because they are most often the main distributors of infections. Also for the prevention of plague and rabies dogs should not be allowed to delve into trash bins while walking. It is necessary to wean from that habit from the very tender age, as soon as an inquisitive animal begins to show interest in the garbage.

To prevent mechanical injuries of the paws, it is necessary to walk with the animal only in specially designated places, that is, on dog grounds or in parks with paths for walking animals. You should not take your pet to the forest or to the river, especially where people often have picnics. In dense grass, a dog can easily cut its paw on a bottle shard or other sharp object left by unlucky tourists.

If the owner takes the pet with him for fishing, in no case should small fishing hooks be left on the ground. Stepping on the hook can cause serious injury to the animal. After each walk, it is necessary to examine the paws of the animal and wipe them with a clean cloth. You also need to inspect the paws while swimming.

To prevent falls at home, locks must be installed on all plastic windows. You can only train your dog in sports such as jumping or steeplechase on the dog playground, under the guidance of a professional dog handler. If the animal shows interest in jumping, you should not leave the 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 up strong and healthy, it is necessary to provide them with proper feeding. If the kittens were weaned from the bitch early, it is imperative 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 the dog's hind legs suddenly fail, the reasons can be very different. The most important thing is not to get nervous ahead of time, but calmly see what will happen next. If the animal still eats well and is very active, most likely the matter is in a banal splinter or scratch. But if the dog does not feel well, has become lethargic or, conversely, aggressive, do not self-medicate. A qualified doctor will help you easily solve the problem. If it is not possible to call a doctor this minute, you can consult by phone at the club of amateur dog breeders.

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