Weak Hindquarters In Dogs: Causes And Treatments
Sometimes older dogs lose their hindquarters strength . However, it can also occur in younger animals. The reasons for this are different. However, it is important to identify them and also know about how to prevent these problems. Today we tell you about the reasons for weak hindquarters in dogs.
Causes of weak hindquarters in dogs
If a dog feels weakness or paralysis in the hindquarters, it can happen for a number of reasons: there are neurological, orthopedic or symptomatic causes. If the reasons are neurological in nature, this leads to so-called paraparesis or acute paraplegia.
The most common cause of this type of paralysis, which begins with weakness in the hindquarters, is degenerative disc disease. Oddly enough, this happens very often in dogs, but almost never in cats.
This disease is called herniated disc Hansen type 1. There is also Hansen type 2, but they have a rather chronic process, which is why they are not so aggressive.
Is an operation advisable for a Hansen type 1 disc herniation?
We can’t answer this question for you, but we provide some information to help you come to a decision. First of all, it must be emphasized that not all operations are successful. However, they have a high success rate as long as the herniated disc is detected in a timely manner.
It all depends on what the neurologist says. Surgery may also be unnecessary if the animal can walk despite the herniated disc. Or maybe it is just a dislocation of the intervertebral disc.
If you decide to have an operation, you must know that the animal will need absolute rest for several weeks afterwards. However, the likelihood that the weakness in the hindquarters will recede is great.
What other causes of hindquarters weakness are there in dogs?
Bone marrow injuries are one of the leading causes of acute paraplegia. In this case, one has to examine the animals to rule out other possible damage. Surgery afterward may be the best option to repair the damage.
While there are treatments that do not involve aggressive surgery, they often do not produce good results. This is because hairline cracks in the intervertebral disc can occur, which make the situation even worse. A vascular problem or an infection affecting the bone marrow can also cause the weakness in the hind quarters and paraplegia.
Many dog owners do not realize that something as common as distemper can be the cause of weakness in the hind quarters. Distemper is difficult to diagnose quickly because it causes so many different symptoms. One of them is a weak hindquarters. The virus attacks the central nervous system of the animals and thus triggers the loss of mobility in the hindquarters.
Typically, this virus affects puppies between three and six months of age, but it should never be ruled out if one of the typical symptoms is noticed. Therefore, don’t forget to have your dog vaccinated and avoid any contact with other dogs who may suffer from distemper. Remember, paraplegia is just one of the milder symptoms here. He might even die.
