My dog's dragging his back legs and has ear discharge. Is it serious?

Hi. Poor Bo Luke. Sounds like he most likely has an ear infection. Sometimes these can be in the middle or inner ear, or be bad enough to spread there from outter ear. This can then cause pain, lethargy, swelling, head tilting, and walking as if drunk/ to one side. He will need an exam, ear exam, ear cytology to see if yeast or bacterial, then put on the correct medications, and pain medications! With these signs, I would take him to ER tonight. He is pprobably pretty uncomfortable. Good luck

Yes, these sound like two different problems that are unrelated. I suggest you get him to your vet for an exam. They need to check the ears for infection. Usually with black discharge you are dealing with a yeast infection. The limp is a different issue all together. It sounds like he is a lot of pain so I suggest you try to get him in to your vet for an exam as soon as you can. I don't think is an emergency so you don't have to rush him to an ER clinic. Just try to get him in to your regular vet for an exam tomorrow.

You will need to take Belly back to your vets today. Dragging a leg is a very concerning signs, it could be due to leg fracture, pelvic fracture or hip dislocation. It also could be a sign of spinal cord compression (from diseased intervertebral disc) or a small clot that is causing spinal cord problems. Please, do not give any anti-inflammatory medications before you see your vets as they may want to give him a stronger anti-inflammatory drug today.

Ouch! Looks like your boys may be dealing with ear infections or ear mites. Ear infections can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, or a combination of these, and can be associated with dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Please make an appointment to have your dogs seen by a vet to have an ear swab done. Your vet can look at the sample under the microscope and treat appropriately based on what is found. Your vet will also need to examine the ears with a scope to see if the ear drums are intact, as some medications cannot be used safely if the eardrum is ruptured. Ear infections can be very painful, and can sometimes progress to include the middle or inner ear, where they can cause neurologic signs or permanent hearing loss. Please do not apply anything into the ears without checking with your vet, as some substances can cause ear damage. Please book an appointment to have both your pups seen as soon as possible to help get them feeling better. Good luck!

If Jasper is truly dragging his hind end my concern would be that he did something to his back. He could have a ruptured disk which is a big concern. If he is dragging his hind limbs I recommend bringing Jasper to a veterinarian as soon as possible. It is hard to say definitively what is going on without actually seeing Jasper. A veterinarian will be able to see exactly what is going on and dispense pain medication to help. If he is dragging his hind legs I recommend an emergency veterinarian if yours is not open. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and have a happy New Years.

Your dog may just be feeling worse after having to get out and about at the vet. Trips like these can be very stressful and hard on older dogs. Your vet probably also did an orthopedic exam, flexing and extending his joints, which could make him more sore. It is possible, although less likely, that your dog is dragging his legs because of spinal damage. If you pinch his toes and he can feel it then this is probably not the issue. Let you dog rest comfortably for now and continue giving the medication as prescribed. If he is not improving within about 24 hours you may want to consider going in for a recheck or asking your vet for additional pain medication. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This indicates severe nerve damage to the nerves that control the lower legs and possibly the bladder and bowels. This is an emergency and it's important to take him to the vet as soon as possible to prevent him from having serious complications. Take care when moving him and try to avoid any strain or jerking movements to the spine. The vet will be able to identify the cause of this and can at-least make him feel better. I hope Parker gets better soon.