— By Dr. Suranjan Sarkar
As pet parents, you must know about hind limb weakness in pets and what the early signs are. This way, you can keep an eye out and take preventive measures to keep your pet healthy!
It’s heartbreaking to see a furry friend limping or walking by dragging his hind legs. Sometimes, the affected dog is just an innocent little puppy, struggling to move because of a weakened or disabled hind limb. Watching these animals drag themselves along roads or struggle with everyday movements is devastating.
While this condition is commonly seen in stray dogs, who often lack timely medical care, beloved pet dogs are not immune to it either. Medically known as paraparesis, this condition can affect any dog, regardless of how well-loved or carefully cared for they are. Even the healthiest and most pampered pets can develop paraparesis, making early recognition and appropriate veterinary care all the more important.
A lot of times, it is seen that the early signs of hind leg weakness in dogs go unnoticed due to a lack of knowledge among pet parents, and then when it is noticed, the disease has gotten to an advanced stage, and the pet may have suffered irreversible damage.
Recognizing the Cause Behind Your Pet’s Struggle
Hind limb weakness in dogs can develop for several reasons, including injuries caused by falls, rough play with other animals, or underlying neurological conditions such as degenerative myelopathy. In some cases, the weakness may be temporary and require little to no medical intervention, such as muscle strain or minor injuries resulting from excessive play or strenuous exercise. However, certain conditions can be far more serious and demand immediate veterinary attention. For example, tick paralysis is a medical emergency that can rapidly worsen if left untreated, making early diagnosis and prompt treatment essential.
Some of the most common hind leg diseases in pets include the following.
1. Degenerative Myelopathy
This is a progressive disease developing slowly over the years, affecting mostly older pets of large breeds such as German shepherds. It happens due to degeneration of the fatty myelin sheath that surrounds most nerves and acts as an insulator. This is a type of autoimmune disease. The first sign that is observed in the case of DM is dragging of the top side of the nails on the hind legs. This dragging produces an abnormal sound every time the dog walks. This dragging of the feet causes the nails on the top side of the hind legs to wear abnormally. So, pet parents are advised to regularly check the top side of the hind leg for abnormal wear. In later stages, the hind legs may cross with one another, and the pet may look drunk while walking from the rear end. If left untreated, the hind limb becomes so weak and uncoordinated that the pet will be unable to get up, and even on lifting, the pet may fall after taking just a few steps. In the final stages, the furry friend loses his ability to control stool and defecates just lying in one place, which is really helpless to see.
Treatment – Degenerative Myelopathy has no specific cure. Once a furry friend gets DM, the aim should be to provide him maximum relief from consequences. This way, your pet can have a good quality of life and life happily and healthily. Regular exercise and other forms of physiotherapy are highly recommended. You can get in touch with your vet to know the best treatment.
Prevention – This disease can be prevented if the pet is not bred, so that the disease is not passed on to the next generation. So, pet parents should ask about the history of the parents of the puppy they are going to bring home.
2. Cushing’s Disease
Overproduction of cortisol in the adrenal gland causes Cushing’s disease. This disease, in turn, may cause hind limb weakness. Dogs older than 6 years of age are generally more prone to this disease but younger dogs may also sometimes be affected. Some of the most common symptoms of Cushing’s disease are –
• Pot-bellied appearance
• Excessive hair loss
• Increased appetite and thirst
Treatment – This is a hormonal problem and is very difficult to treat. Your pet has to be kept under the constant guidance of a vet.
3. Arthritis
Just as in the case of humans, older pets also suffer from this disease. It’s the simple wear and tear of joints that causes this disease, as the joints wear out. But sometimes a particular joint may be damaged at a young age due to some injury, and there may be misalignment of bones; this will cause abnormal wear and tear of the joint, and arthritis may set in at an early age.
Larger breeds are more prone to developing this disease, and they are called dysplastic dogs. The most common dysplastic dogs are –
• Rottweiler
• German shepherds
• Golden Retrievers
• Saint Bernard
Sometimes the pet may be born with a joint deformity, which in turn shall cause arthritis because of abnormal wear and tear of joints. When this deformity is in the hip joint, it is called hip dysplasia. Arthritis can run in the family, and even early-age neutering can cause arthritis.
Some of the signs that are first seen in older pets include inability to play for a long duration, not being able to climb stairs, and cold lameness (limping in the morning).
Treatment – Since this happens due to abnormal wear and tear of joints, there is no permanent treatment for this disease. Pain management may be prescribed by your vet. Some steroidal or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are given; joint massage can be done to relieve pain.
Prevention – This disease can be prevented from occurring in older age by taking some preventive measures such as feeding a low-calorie diet in his older years and a moderate amount of daily exercise. Make sure to check your pet’s toenails frequently and cut them when necessary.
4. Wobbler’s Syndrome
As the name suggests, the affected pet wobbles to one side from the hind legs while walking. This is a painful condition because there is spinal cord compression in the neck. The most common breeds prone to this disease are Doberman and Great Danes. Other large breeds may also be susceptible.
Treatment – Mild cases are treated with steroidal or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Since the neck is affected in this disease, use of a collar should be avoided. A body belt may be used to restrain your pet.
5. Botulism
This is a rare kind of intoxication that is produced when dogs suffer from food poisoning or when there is alteration of intestinal flora. Botulism may also sometimes cause hind leg weakness. The most common symptoms are excessive salivation and weakness. If left untreated, this disease causes respiratory paralysis and death.
Treatment – Laxatives and enema are given to remove the toxin from the body.
6. Cranial Cruciate ligament rupture (CCLD)
This is the most common joint injury of the hind leg. The joint affected is called the stifle joint, involving the thigh bone or femur and the tibia and fibula. It is so common that whenever a pet arrives at a veterinary clinic with hind limb lameness, the doctor first suspects cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Signs depend upon the severity of the condition; generally, the pet is unable to stay standing for a long time due to its inability to bear weight. Sometimes the joint swells up due to the collection of fluid.
This condition has a breed predisposition too; Rottweiler, Mastiff, Saint Bernard, and Labrador retriever are more affected than Dachshund or Greyhound.
Treatment – Mostly by surgery called stabilization surgery.
Prevention – Keeping your pet’s weight in the normal range will put less pressure on the stifle joint, and there will be less chance of ligament rupture.
7. Fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE)
Imagine you have taken your pet for a walk and after running a while he suddenly sat down and is unable to walk. Most likely, your pet would have suffered FCE. This condition occurs when a small quantity of intervertebral disk material migrates into the blood vessels of the spinal cord. This is a painful condition, but the good thing is that the severe pain lasts for a few hours, and after that the pain gradually subsides.
Treatment – Includes a range of motion exercise, massage, as well as drugs such as Vitamin B injection.
8. Tick Paralysis
Tick paralysis is caused by a species of tick called Ixodes holocyclus. This tick is found in bushes. This tick can get attached to your pet’s body and injects a toxin called neurotoxin that acts on the nervous system. The neurotoxin may show no effect till a week or two, but when it does start to show its deleterious effect, your pet may die within 48 hours due to respiratory failure. The signs that can occur are paralysis or weakness of the hind limb, vomiting as if something is stuck in the throat of your pet, and a change in breathing pattern.
Treatment – Removal of the tick usually reverses the symptoms, but about 5% of pets die despite all treatment efforts.
Prevention – Prevention can be done by regular topical application of some insecticide such as Fipronil and also by use of a tick collar. Tick paralysis can also be prevented by keeping your pet’s coat well-groomed and short. Also search for ticks at regular intervals.
9. Nutritional Hind Quarter Weakness
Certain nutritional deficiencies, especially chronic Riboflavin or Vitamin B 2 deficiency, have been associated with muscular weakness of the hind limb.
Treatment – By feeding various multi-vitamin preparations that are available in the market.
Prevention – By feeding a diet containing yoghurt, cheese, meat, egg, or by feeding various commercially available balanced pet food.
Taking care of your pet’s health is a top priority, and when you keep an eye on the signs, you can detect the problem early and get timely treatment.
(Dr. Suranjan Sarkar – Pluto Pet Clinic, Ranchi)
