Sunday, January 14, 2018

What To Do With Dog Dragging Hind Leg

By Patrick Cole


Witnessing your canine companion in distress is not a pleasant experience and requires your immediate attention to support the best healthcare decisions. A dog dragging hind leg may be caused by a spinal issue, neurological imbalance or injury, but paying close attention to these symptoms can help you seek the appropriate relief for your pet. Learning of the symptoms and possible causes are necessary and includes a look at the following conditions.

The most common cause of paralysis in the hind leg is owed to spinal trauma as the nerves within the spinal cord are severely damaged. When the nerve is no longer operating the way it should and fails to send or receive signals from the brain, the affected pooch is unable to register or feel its leg leaving it lame. A multitude of factors are responsible for spine nerve dysfunction from sudden injuries to abnormalities and infections.

When your dog is experiencing hind leg paralysis, there will be hesitance to bear any weight on the leg, dragging the limb and foot, painful symptoms and a lack of joint responsiveness. It is important to assess the level of pain in your pets as many larger dogs will not cry or react when the leg is uncomfortable. Constant monitoring is needed to determine whether the symptoms result from spine, nerve or muscle damage.

Intervention for such injures or abnormalities will aim to provide dogs with protection against the worsening of symptoms. Ongoing rehabilitation aims to strengthen the legs and improve muscle support, but without an improvement within 24 hours with rest, it is best to consult with a professional vet. If the source for the symptoms is neurological, the vet will have to advise on the proper procedure.

Should your pet be fine one day and down the next, it could be a sign of muscular trauma. When a muscle or ligament in the hind leg is torn or affected by severe damage, your canine will not put any weight on the limb and may refuse to eat owing to pain. While minor leg strains heal and the pooch will try to place some weight on the leg, cases where your dog refuses to use the leg at all may reveal a serious injury and requires vet attention.

A pooch with leg paralysis requires immediate care to prevent the healthy nerves and surrounding tissue from becoming deteriorated. Most pets will rest when kept confined to facilitate muscle healing, but in combination with vet exercises and physical support. Canines are encouraged to partake in physical therapy when severe muscle damage and degradation are present.

Managing such limitations in your pet requires a thorough assessment of nerves, joints and muscles. Soft tissue damages best respond to rehabilitation therapy. Spinal misalignment, injured vertebrae and nerve pressure may require surgery to improve mobility and provide dogs with much needed relief.

The paralysis of a back leg in older dogs may be a sign of a brain tumor or growth on the spinal cord. Many pets with cancer lose sensation in their back legs requiring hospice care to ensure their comfort. If your pet displays sudden or gradual compromised limb movement, it is important to have your vet complete an assessment to ensure their well-being is effectively managed.




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