What Causes A Dogs Back Legs To Suddenly Give Out And Is Weak?

Weak, shaking back legs that suddenly give out on a dog can be a symptom of a number of problems. It is a problem that is most common in older large dogs and if your dog is suffering with weak back legs it is likely that his legs may suddenly give way and cause him to collapse and he may have trouble standing up or climbing stairs. There are two causes of these symptoms that are the most common; aging and arthritis.

If your dog is getting old, it becomes weaker and less agile in its age just as humans do. As a dog ages, their joints become less flexible and the strength in their muscles begins to deteriorate, their control of their limbs also becomes less precise. If your dogs legs giving way are a sign of old age, unfortunately there is no treatment. In these cases you will just have to be more aware of your dog and keep an eye on him. If your dog has a fall, give him a quick check over to make sure he has not caused himself any damage. Keep your dog exercising to avoid his joints seizing up but do not push him too far if he is starting to look like he is suffering.

Another common cause of back legs being weak and giving way in dogs is arthritis. This is also more common in older dogs but is something that can be relieved. A vet will be able to prescribe your dog with NSAIDs, these are a powerful treatment for arthritis but not suitable for all dogs. Improving your dogs lifestyle can help reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Managing his weight will take some of the pressure off his joints, this can be done with dieting and exercise. Exercise will also help keep his joints a bit suppler.

If its a really big dog it could have woblers disease it makes the dog have a hard time standing up or walkingg on non carpeted floors, it happens in young dogs, if its a older dog it could have hip and joint problems either way you should bring it 2 the vet asap

You have not indicated age and breed of your dog. Aging can cause muscle weakness, joints become less flexible, and neurological control of limbs is also reduced. Arthritis in old dogs is another factor which can cause weak hind legs. Some breeds of dogs like Labrador retriever are more prone to develop hip dysplasia.

Many other condition can affect back legs like ticks disease, autoimmune disorders, musculoskeletal problems, disc dislocation, disc degeneration, bone tumors, panosteitis, cartilage damage, anterior cruciate rupture, osteomyelitis, spondylosis, and patellar luxation etc.

You have also not mentioned which tests were conducted by your vet before giving final diagnosis. In my opinion, you should get second opinion and go for MRI, myelography etc for differntial diagnosis.

My dog's hind legs are not working anymore and he is a 4 year old dachshund but he can still move his upper body

You are probably going to have to do a couple of x-rays at least to find the cause. Could be severe arthritis, hip dysplasia, sign of a problem with the spine, cushings, does your dog have luxating patella's? You don't mention age or breed. Some of those may be more likely than others. It could be a lot of things but you should have it checked out. It may need help sooner rather than later and also it would be a concern that during one of the falls your pup may tear an ACL or something. At a minimum your pup may benefit from some meds to make life more comfortable. I hope your baby is feeling better soon.

It could be an injury or worse, get her to the vet asap.

My dog's back legs have given out in two big instances over the last two years. The first time I thought she had tripped and I did nothing - two days later, she completely collapsed both front and back legs. After a couple days at the vet and MRI's, XRays, and Blood Work they found nothing, yet she still couldn't walk. After a spinal tap they found that she had a swollen spinal cord just below her neck. They put her on steroids, the swelling went down and we had to teach her to walk again. This happened two years later, again at first, only to her back. I took her to the vet right away and got her on steroids, and she got cleared up. We're not sure what triggers the swelling of the spinal cord, as she doesn't wear a neck leash and is mostly an indoor dog, but the vet said she would most likely experience this for the rest of her life (she's only 3) Being educated on the matter and knowing how to react is how we plan to approach the situation from now on.

You are probably going to have to do a couple of x-rays at least to find the cause. Could be severe arthritis, hip dysplasia, sign of a problem with the spine, cushings, does your dog have luxating patella's? You don't mention age or breed. Some of those may be more likely than others. It could be a lot of things but you should have it checked out. It may need help sooner rather than later and also it would be a concern that during one of the falls your pup may tear an ACL or something. At a minimum your pup may benefit from some meds to make life more comfortable. I hope your baby is feeling better soon.

He could have injured himself without you knowing it, he could have gotten into something toxic, it could be something neurological,  it could be his back, it could be his hips, it could be just about anything. The only way to know for sure it to take the poor guy to the vet as soon as possible. He really should be seen and the sooner the better. This is not normal. Something is wrong, you need to find out what it is and get it taken care of. Only a vet can tell you what's going on. I'm sure your dog is in a lot of pain and very uncomfortable! Emergency Vets are always open! You can also call your regular vets office and after their office is closed, they usually leave the name and phone number of an Emergency Vet on their Answering Service that you can take your dog to.