Pugs have poor hind legs. Weak hind legs in a dog - what to do? Treating a Dog with Weak Hind Legs

Almost every owner dreams of his puppy and adult four-legged pet being healthy and happy. And noticing that dear barking family member begins to drag hind legs, walks unsteadily or trembles, the owner begins to panic and does not know what to do. Do not try to diagnose your dog on your own, 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 this puppy got sick, then the timely treatment started will help make the baby's future life easier.

Causes of weakness in the hind legs in a dog

• Destruction or damage / displacement of the intervertebral discs. Most often, Pekingese, pugs, bulldogs (both French and English), dachshunds, and poodles suffer from these diseases. Damage/displacement/destruction of the intervertebral disc is dangerous for the life of the animal, as the spinal cord is compressed and injured.
• Diseases of the hip joints are most often recorded in dogs of large breeds (for example, in a Rottweiler, Alabai, Caucasian, German Shepherd and others). Moreover, a puppy often suffers (at the age of four months to a year), less often an adult animal. Moreover, almost always we are talking about acquired diseases, extremely rarely the pathology is congenital.

What can contribute to damage to the hip joints in a dog? This and excess weight(particularly often to blame is unbalanced or excessive feeding, more precisely, obvious overfeeding, lack of physical activity), and slippery floors (when the animal’s paws are constantly moving apart), and heredity, and infectious diseases, and injury.

Yes, and too active dog training (especially if it is a puppy) will not lead to good if its musculoskeletal system has not yet fully developed. Jumping from heights, over barriers, running long distances on poor surfaces - all this will cause irreparable damage to the joints.

• Another reason for the weakness of the hind legs in a dog of any breed (be it a dachshund or a mastiff) can be myositis - inflammation of the muscle tissue. It develops after heavy physical exertion, but not immediately, but the next day. In addition, adult animals most often suffer from myositis.
• Brain damage can also affect the firmness of the animal's gait. These are tumors and vascular pathologies (which, by the way, are recorded much more often than neoplasms). Without additional examinations in a veterinary clinic, even the most experienced doctor will not make an accurate diagnosis.
• Injuries. Spinal bruises (and more serious injuries) can cause puppies and adult dogs to walk wobbly and lose their legs. Therefore, if the puppy has fallen, been hit, hit by a car, contact the clinic immediately, without waiting for the appearance of clinical signs. Sometimes the symptoms do not show up right away because of the shock.

Symptoms of weak hind legs in a dog

• If the reason that the dog (whether an adult pet or a puppy) has weak hind legs is damage to the intervertebral discs (including compression of the spinal cord), then the animal shows “bright” signs of severe pain. Therefore, the dog spends almost all the time in one position (hunched over, but stretching out his neck), because any movement causes acute pain. Trembling, shortness of breath is noticeable (it is noticeable that the pet “uses” to the full only its front paws, cannot jump onto the sofa). With mild compression of the brain, the symptoms are not so pronounced, but it is still noticeable that the four-legged friend is not able to live a full life (even bending over to the bowl is hard).
• If a puppy or an adult dog has weakness of the hind legs in the morning (or immediately after rest), and after some time after walking it disappears, then most likely the pet has problems with the hip joints. And it is not always dysplasia, as the owners think. In addition, both joints are extremely rarely 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 hesitate to visit 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 contact a specialist!

Treating a Dog with Weak Hind Legs

The main rule - never start the treatment of a puppy and 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 a diagnosis" yourself.

Therefore, if you see that your German Shepherd puppy, for example, or an Alabai, or a terrier (yes, no matter what breed) suddenly begins to “own” its hind limbs worse, then the first thing you should do is contact a veterinary clinic.

Not on forums to ask for advice on what to give the dog, not to ask the neighbors what could happen to the pet, but to run to the doctor! He will already prescribe additional examinations (ultrasound, X-ray, blood tests, and others), based on the results of which a diagnosis will already be made. And only after that treatment should be prescribed.

Medication 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, “remove” the symptoms, but the problem will not disappear. The same can be said about the displacement of the intervertebral discs, hernia. Therefore, it is better for the veterinarian to decide what to do in a given situation, but the owner is required to comply with all the recommendations of a specialist.

Some owners decide that if they gave the animal a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, then the dog recovered, because it got better. But this should not be done, because this “relief” is temporary, and very quickly everything will return to normal in a puppy or adult dog. Trust the veterinarian, who will select an effective treatment regimen that will put both the shepherd puppy and the adult Pekingese on their paws.

Many diseases of pugs are caused by a genetic predisposition, as well as the specifics of the structure of the body and muzzle. It is important to detect any ailment at the earliest stage - often this can save a pet's life. Let's learn about common pug diseases, their symptoms and treatment.

If for some reason the dog began to limp, although there were no injuries, aseptic necrosis of the femoral head is possible, that is, a violation of the blood circulation of the femurs. Often the disease affects both hind legs. The pug becomes inactive, painfully reacts to touching the paw, it begins to refuse. Later, the necrotic process affects the entire limb: the muscles on the affected legs dry out.

Treatment is possible only surgical, but soon after the operation, mobility returns. Pugs are genetically predisposed to such limb problems. You should act quickly, until the paws fail. A problem with 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 has seizures similar to epilepsy, paws give way, 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 can also be hereditary. In middle-aged and older bitches, the uterus may become inflamed. This provokes frequent urination, intense thirst, lethargy. Possible purulent discharge from the loop. Urgent treatment is needed, 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 due to 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 illnesses (runny nose, etc.). Pugs often grunt when they are happy or stressed. The tendency to this problem is also hereditary: if parents often suffocate, puppies will also be prone to this problem.

If the dog is coughing as if he is choking, this is a "reverse sneeze" - the dog is trying to clear his airways. Such a cough can be similar to vomiting, and sometimes it really 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, a specialist consultation is necessary. The dog could either just catch a cold or become seriously ill, up to heart problems. It is also worth checking if the choking dog has foreign objects in the nasopharynx.

If a pug snores, it may be genetic (approximately 20% of pugs snore - another manifestation of brachycephalic syndrome). But if this has not happened before, the cause of snoring may be an allergic rhinitis, a cold, excess weight, sleep apnea, when the dog suffocates for a moment, etc. If the pug snores with frequent transition to choking or coughing, you should contact your veterinarian, which will tell you whether it is necessary to eliminate the allergic factor, treat a runny nose or have surgery.

By themselves, a cough and runny nose can 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. Runny nose and sneezing, in which snot appears, may be due to allergies. One of common causes also is rhinitis - in this case, a runny nose, if you do not take up active treatment, sometimes lasts for years. In all these cases, you need to contact your veterinarian.

eye diseases

Pugs have very common eye problems. The prolapse of the eyeball looks especially frightening when it strongly bulges and turns red (this happens due to a blow or an insect bite). What to do in this case? Having attached a damp cloth to the dog's eye, immediately go to the hospital.

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

Also, this disease can be the result of a cold. Symptoms such as hot, inflamed ears, the appearance of sores and crusts on them are often caused by a microscopic ear mite. An accurate diagnosis should be made by a veterinarian. Tick ​​medications can cause side effects and should not be used without prior consultation.

When scratching the ear, you can 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 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 a pug's hair falls out, the cause may be juvenile demodicosis - a tick attack that most often attacks this particular breed of dog. In addition to progressive baldness, demodicosis in a pug leads to the appearance of sores, wounds, and later purulent abscesses and scabs on the body. Treatment is usually complex, including diet and walking regimen to strengthen the immune system. Usually this disease manifests itself in puppies up to a year.

Pimples in pugs 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. serve as catalysts for 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 clean inside the folds, otherwise inflammation is possible. Especially the muzzle needs such care.

If the diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, give your dog plenty of water or syringes to prevent dehydration. If diarrhea becomes chronic, it may be a symptom of colitis or gastritis (which is also evidenced by excessive salivation).

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

Often a pug snores because of the fat folds on the neck.

If your pug is drooling a lot, it may indicate a problem with his teeth. Abundant salivation in transport indicates that the pet is motion sick. 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 licks the genitals. May urinate at home. In this case, it is treatment that is needed, since it is very difficult to wean a sick dog from writing at home. First, diuretics are prescribed, further treatment depends on the size and nature of the stones. Often, surgery is needed.

Video "Diseases of pugs"

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

It happens that the dog's hind legs suddenly fail. 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 the dog feels bad, she refuses food and water, has lost interest in the world around her, there is no point in self-medication. You need to seek help and call the veterinarian at home.

If the dog's hind legs have failed, the reasons may be different. Until the diagnosis is clarified, it is not worth taking the animal to the clinic and in general anywhere. If the animal drags its hind or fore limbs, 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 pass by itself. Most likely, the dog is simply tired after a long walk or active training.

Causes of the disease

The animal may fail paws for the following reasons:

Puppies

It happens that the legs fail in very young puppies. If a dog walks on its hind legs from birth, it is possible that it has congenital 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 have been weaned early or have been bottle-fed since birth (for example, in the case of the death of the mother 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, unsteady 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 belly.

If you organize proper feeding for a 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 crouch on their hind legs. Usually, when the dog grows up, the muscles get stronger, and the gait becomes hard.

pregnant dogs

Pregnant bitches on recent months gestation of puppies can also fall a little on their paws. This happens if the puppies in the womb are very large, and it is difficult for the dog to carry his huge belly. Usually, a bitch pregnant with large puppies moves little, eats and drinks reluctantly, and spends all her free time lying on the rug. Also, the dog can fall on its hind legs just before childbirth, during contractions, in order to alleviate pain in this way.

Treatment

Yesterday the pet was cheerful, cheerful, frolic on a walk and infected all the household members with his seething energy. And today, the paws of a German shepherd, pug or Alabai have failed. 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 food and see how it reacts to the food.

You can also carry out the simplest diagnostics at home. When a 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 is especially common in French Bulldogs: they have weak kidneys and are very susceptible to such infections. Treatment of hind limb paresis can be different, for example:

Prevention measures

In order for the dog to live long and please the owner with its excellent health, the animal must be vaccinated against dangerous infections in a timely manner. During a walk, it is necessary to completely exclude the communication of a pet with stray dogs, because they are most often the main distributors of infections. Also for the prevention of distemper and rabies, dogs should not be allowed to dig in garbage cans while walking. It is necessary to wean from that habit from the most tender age, as soon as an inquisitive animal begins to show interest in the garbage heap.

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 on a fishing trip, in no case should small fishhooks be left on the ground. Stepping on the hook can cause serious injury to the animal. After each walk, it is necessary to inspect the paws of the beast and wipe them with a clean cloth. You also need to inspect the paws while swimming.

To prevent falls, locks should be installed on everything at home. plastic windows. Training with a dog in sports such as jumping or hurdles can only be done on a dog playground, under the guidance of a professional cynologist. 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 up strong and healthy, it is necessary to provide them with proper feeding. If kittens were weaned early from the female, it is necessary to include vitamin and mineral supplements in their diet. This will serve as an excellent prevention of rickets and 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 give up, the reasons can be very different. The most important thing is not to be nervous ahead of time, but to calmly see what will happen next. If the animal is still eating well and showing great activity, it is most likely a banal splinter or scratch. But if the dog does not feel well, 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 now, you can consult by phone in the club of amateur dog breeders.

Attention, only TODAY!

There is no single reason for the occurrence of a situation in which a dog's hind legs fail. If the animal drags its paws, wags the back of the body when walking, 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 (non-steroidal 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.

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Description of the problem

An age predisposition to pathologies of the motor system is noted, and the manifestations also vary depending on the breeds. Certain types of dogs develop the following diseases:

• English and French Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Pekingese, Pugs, and Poodles are more likely to have ruptured or displaced intervertebral discs. This is a serious danger to the pet, which 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 compressed to a lesser extent, this is manifested by weakness of the hind limbs.
• 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 diet, uncomfortable slippery base during daily movement.

Depending on age, the causes of weakness of the hind limbs differ:

• Middle-aged pets suffer from inflammatory processes in the muscles the next day after a long walk or an unusual load. 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.

Causes of the disease

Inattentive attitude to the pet, accompanied by a long asymptomatic period, ignorance of the state of his body leads to the fact that the animal has sharp problems with the work of the hind legs.

Diseases of the renal system cannot cause weakness of the limbs and a hunched back, unless he 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 injury

Stretching, fracture, rupture of the tendon or pinching of the 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 discs of the spinal column can provoke pathology.

Sometimes swelling occurs at the site of displacement of the vertebrae, which compresses the nerve endings. Violation of blood flow leads to cell death and stop impulses, which is why the hind legs fail.



Discopathy

This disease is intervertebral hernia- protrusion of the intervertebral discs beyond the spinal column. Because of this, the nerve of the spinal column is compressed, the movement of the paws is disturbed. Dog breeds with a long spine, such as bassets or dachshunds, are more likely to suffer from such a disease. In other dogs, manifestations of discopathy may not be very pronounced.

As a result of selection in French bulldogs, the spine 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 make sure 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. 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 for checking for dysplasia of the parents. If the pet begins to get tired, his gait becomes wobbling, 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 cartilage tissue, which as a result hardens and causes destruction of the joints. At the same time, ligaments and vertebrae are destroyed.

The main factor in the pathogenesis of the disease is heredity. Blood microcirculation is disturbed, autoimmune processes change, and excess weight also matters. Most often, the disease affects representatives of small breeds, but large dogs also get sick. The disease restricts 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 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 when moving.

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

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 the 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 fuzzy, a lot depends on the cause of the failure of the hind legs:

• The main symptom in all cases is pain, which is pronounced or dull. At the beginning of the disease, the dog does not fall to its feet, only during a walk the coordination of movements of the back of the body is disturbed, a wobbling gait appears. The animal does not walk well, sometimes it simply drags its legs behind it, pulls itself up on its front legs to move.
• Pain occurs in a pet after an active walk, games. An attentive owner will immediately notice such a state, 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 panics. The condition in which the paws hurt can appear temporarily, while the dog is lethargic and does not eat.
• Constant pain drains the dog's strength. Not only does she not move or run, but she cannot stand up and is trembling all over.
• The most terrible manifestation of the disease is the insensitivity of the hind legs. Muscles do not respond 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 should try to limit the movements of the animal as much as possible. To do this, a board or other flat and long object is placed under the body of the pet and the dog is tied or bandaged to it.
• Do not give painkillers, 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, make him rise. At such times, the pet does not need food, so you should not feed it. An animal that has fallen into a panic is calmed down in a flat voice, trying to reduce anxiety.

Animal treatment

Specialized care is provided only by a veterinarian. The doctor may prescribe surgery if there are threatening injuries or if damage to the spine and pelvic bones is suspected. For diagnosis, ultrasound, myelography, urine and blood tests are used, and 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 remedies are used as for humans. It is dangerous to use such drugs for animal therapy on your own. This is especially true for pets of small breeds, since the wrong dose of medication can kill them. Many drugs are prescribed depending 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 help avoid irreversible consequences.

Therapeutic measures in case of failure in the work 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, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, vitamin preparations, chondroprotectors. During the operation, hemostatic, antihistamines, antibiotics are used.

Folk methods

All folk recipes necessarily negotiate with the veterinarian. Unlike a person, an animal cannot talk about how it feels, so you need to be careful about your pet during such treatment. Some folk remedies for dog therapy:

• To reduce pain at home, warming local procedures are done. For dogs, warm bags with sand, cereals, salt are most often used, which are applied to the lumbar or thigh area. You can use woolen things folded several times and heated with an iron. All warm-ups are 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. To do 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 the leaf of cranberries, cranberries, bay leaf, corn stigmas and other ready-made diuretic pharmacy fees. It is advisable to give them to the dog separately, without adding them to the drinking container, since the effectiveness of drugs from this is reduced.

Problem Prevention

To treat paralysis of the limbs, you need to recognize the disease in the early stages. If neurological disorders are inherent 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 put pressure on the nerve endings and disrupt motor activity. They need to be removed to improve the quality of life of the animal. In the open-air cage there should not be a slippery base, it is unacceptable to make a cement or concrete screed leading to hypothermia of the paws. The best option is the ground or board.

The diet should include everything necessary for the dog minerals and vitamins. To do this, they consult with a veterinarian and introduce vitamin complexes for animals into the diet, depending on age and body weight.

The dog is a pug, 5 years old. Weakness of the hind legs - as if "braiding" - cannot climb 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 such a state.

Causes of weakness of the hind legs - discopathy

The obvious answer is spinal problems. Unfortunately, pugs are among the dog breeds that, due to the structure of the body, have a predisposition to discopathy and herniated discs. Poodles, bulldogs, especially dachshunds have a similar predisposition. To check the condition of the spine, you need to urgently contact the veterinarian and take an x-ray. Displacement and herniation of the disc is a serious disease, with the disease the spinal cord is compressed, leading to disability or death of the animal. You can not pull - if it's too late to see a doctor, the consequences are expected to be irreversible! More often than not, surgery is required.

With discopathy, the fibrous ring around the intervertebral disc is destroyed, the spinal cord is compressed, sensitivity is disturbed, and the conduction of nerve impulses. 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.

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

Symptoms of discopathy

In the case 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, the only symptom is weakness of the hind legs. The animal tries to lean more on the forelimbs, cannot jump on objects, climb stairs, it is difficult to bend over to the bowl.

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

Myositis

A disease that occurs in dogs, regardless of breed, is myositis, inflammation of the muscles. It often develops after jumping from a high object or falling, hypothermia. Myositis usually begins in middle-aged dogs after unusually vigorous exercise. Weakness of the paws is noted, the gait changes, the animal walks “like on stilts”, the inflamed muscles are painful. A veterinarian is able to distinguish myositis from spinal lesions.

hip dysplasia

Dysplasia, or dislocation of the hip joints, is more common in large breed dogs, and in pugs too. Some individuals have a genetic predisposition to the disease. The risk factor is obesity and the conditions of keeping the dog in puppyhood - if she predominantly 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, 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. It is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own, especially to treat a pet with human medicines! Before visiting the veterinarian, try to ensure that the pet is calm so as not to worsen the condition. For a correct diagnosis, you need to do an x-ray, ultrasound, blood tests and studies prescribed by a doctor: MRI or myelography. The doctor evaluates how the animal's reflexes are preserved.

1. Given the predisposition of pugs to discopathy, we recommend that you consult 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, painkillers, 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 complete loss of sensitivity, treatment is ineffective.
2. In the case of dysplasia, treatment depends on the stage of the disease. On the initial stages 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.