Why did my dog's back legs suddenly go paralyzed, cold, and painful?

It could be that Tyson is in pain, and it sounds like he is quite painful if he cannot walk up or down stairs, and struggles to stand up and lay down. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic for dogs and can be fatal if given. Because this has come on so suddenly and he sounds like he's not doing well, I think he should see a vet now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

There are a couple of reasons that a rear leg will become paralyzed. The most common are a lack of blood supply or a lack of nerve supply. The lack of blood supply most commonly occurs because of a blood clot and is very painful, so I doubt that is what is going on with Nook. The other possibility is that the nerves that go to the leg are damaged. The most common reason this will occur without any signs of trauma or injury would be a bulging disc (which again is most commonly somewhat painful) or a condition such as a Fibrocartilaginous Embolus (which is like a stroke to the spinal cord). FCE's are non-painful, but there isn't any treatment other than time and physical therapy. Unfortunately, the only way to determine the cause is often an MRI. I'm not sure if you have a veterinary neurologist near you, but they might be able to help you with a diagnosis and treatment. If not, I would consider trying to find a veterinarian who does acupuncture or rehabilitation to help you manage and improve Nook while you are waiting to see how much he recovers. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am very sorry you lost Snoopy today! It could be that he had a tumor causing his symptoms, that could have been located in his brain or along his spine. A tumor pressing on his brain would cause him to lose the ability to use his legs correctly and be unable to control his bowels. A tumor on his spine could cause the same symptoms. He also could have had an illness causing this to happen. You can take Snoopy's body into the vet to do a necropsy (an autopsy) on him to see what caused him to pass away. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.

Oh dear! This is a very serious problem - I'm afraid she really has to see a vet right away. She may have a herniated disc in her back causing the paralysis, or some other neurologic problem affecting her spinal cord. She may be in pain, or she may have no feeling at all in her rear legs - it's impossible to say without an exam. She needs immediate treatment to have a reasonable chance of regaining function in her rear legs, I'm afraid there's nothing you can do at home that will help her. If costs are a concern, you can see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area that could help. You could also apply online for Care Credit, which is a payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com

Oh no, it's not good that Duke's legs have suddenly given out. He could have been injured, suffering from severe hip dysplasia or degenerative joint disease, or he could have even have a spinal tumor causing disruption to the nerves in his back legs. He does need to see a vet for a lameness exam, possibly a neurological exam, and x-rays first thing in the morning to diagnose the cause of this sudden behavior. Once a cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options. Tonight, rest him as much as possible.

Hello, sorry to hear about Skittles. There are certainly several things that can cause dogs to have problems moving their legs. What you're describing however, seems to be more likely associated with an injury to her back. Most commonly in dogs, they may "slip" a disk which causes compression to their spinal cord. There are other injuries that are not compressive such as an swelling due to autoimmune disease in the spinal cord, a stroke to the spinal cord, or a fibrocartilagenous embolism which is more associated with larger breed dogs. Again their are other possibilities such as if she sprained a muscle or hurt her knees. Due to the concern for a potential back injury, Skittles should be evaluated by a veterinarian promptly to ensure she does/does not have a back injury. There are 2 options if she does have a back injury, you may elect to treat conservatively with strict rest and at home medications for 4-6 weeks or you may elect to have a neurologist evaluate her. The neurologist may then recommend an MRI and surgery based on the MRI. I know this is a lot of information to understand/explain so shortly but I would start off by having her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. In the interim, keep her quiet and rested, (no jumping, running, rough playing), make sure she is urinating and defecating, and keep her low to the ground. Best of luck and hope this helps.

I'm sorry you lost Mune so suddenly, please accept my condolences for your loss. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain what happened, but it could be she had a problem with her heart, got into something toxic, or may have had cancer like a splenic hemagiosarcoma that ruptured. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.