My puppy struggles to walk. How can I help her build back leg muscles?

Swimming is a great exercise for dogs. It's low impact, and awesome for building muscles. It would be great for a dog like Oscar whose breed is prone to back problems. I would see if there is a place around you where you can take him swimming. Walking is good as well. I hope this helps!

It sounds like she may have some pain in her hips if she tends to shake her legs when the hips are extended. Consider a glucosamine joint supplement, and keep her at a healthy weight-- short to medium walks are great if she tolerates them well. An underwater treadmill is also a great way to get in some good exercise and keep the leg muscles strong. You can also train her to do "sit to stand" exercises, which are essentially squats. When done regularly, these exercises can be very helpful in building and maintaining muscles of the hips that help keep them comfortable and mobile. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i2DofIWDxI Thank you for asking PetCoach!

The rear leg braces are not useful. If she needs assistance getting up I recommend a Help em Up harness by Blue Dog designs. Taking Lucy to a Rehab veterinarian would be good if there is one near you. They can give you exercises to do at home and they may offer hydrotherapy and other treatments that can improve her comfort and mobility. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lucy.

At this age dogs usually suffer from painful arthritis of the hips. The pain makes them use their hind legs less and therefore the muscles atrophy. You should take Ryder to your vet for an exam, and mention the weakness in the hind legs. Your vet can prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication which will help with pain and should make Ryder more happy to get up and exercise. This will train his leg muscles and it will be much easier for him to get up and walk.

Hello. This is most likely just due to how the puppy developed in utero. Hopefully, with time, the legs will strengthen. You can very gently manipulate the legs, doing range of motion exercises, but it would be best to have your veterinarian examine the puppy & show you the best way to help this little one. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor guy. He is a bit young to have muscle weakness, so this is a bit concerning. I would highly recommend taking him to your vet to have his legs examined first. He may have an underlying disorder that is causing this, such as myasthenia gravis, a muscle injury, or something else entirely. Once the vet is able to diagnose the problem (using testing such as bloodwork +/- radiographs), then we will know what Lucky needs for treatment of his conditon. Also make sure you aren’t giving any kind of supplements to him, such as calcium, which can potentially cause musculoskeletal disorders in pets. Also feeding him a high quality puppy food such as Royal Canin, Hill’s science diet, Evo, Eukanuba or Merrick is also ideal for proper bone and muscle growth. I hope are able to find the issue soon and get Lucky feeling better. Best wishes and take care.

He could be smaller from lack of muscle. He may also be painful from his back which could cause him not to eat well so he isn’t growing normally. I recommend an exam with a Rehabilitation veterinarian or a veterinary acupuncturist. They are trained to treat dogs with pain and paralysis. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for GT.