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What You Need To Know About Dog Dragging Hind Leg

By Daniel Schmidt


When pets suffer from a weakened condition in their rear legs, symptoms of lameness includes short nails on the ragged leg, improper lifting of the limbs and possible tenderness. Many factors can cause dogs to drag their rear limbs from cruciate ligament trauma to spinal and hip joint problems. Understanding how to provide relief for dog dragging hind leg and action to take, can help improve your pets' quality of life.

When your canine companion appears to be moving normally one day and suffers lameness the next, it could reveal degeneration affecting the health of the spinal nerves. A disease, myelopathy, causes degeneration of the spine, affecting the normal function of the nerves and leaving the affected pet with limited movement or hind limb dragging. The spine is compromised leaving the back legs weak and difficult to move.

Unfortunately, myelopathy is a form of severe degeneration in the lower end of the body causing the hind legs to weaken and cause eventual paralysis. There is no set treatment for this condition and most dogs that present with symptoms will require long term use of supplements and mild muscle strengthening exercises. Consultation with a professional vet can help determine effective healthcare plans in support of the well-being of pets.

A common condition responsible for rear leg restrictions and weakness is hip dysplasia and is a common abnormality of the hips and joints in large breed dogs. It can affect canines at any age and stage causing imbalance and swinging of the hips while walking but also causing pain and lame legs. Hip and muscle strengthening exercises may relieve the severity of symptoms but in advanced cases, surgery is required.

The sudden injury to the knee joints leaving affected canines to limp and strain while walking, is cruciate ligament damage. The ligament connected to the knee joint suffers damage and snaps during rough play, jumping or movement causing dragging and lameness. Surgical correction is the only means of correction and must be performed by a highly specialized vet.

The most common type of trauma that impacts the well-being of your pet is suffering muscle strain and tears. Injuries of the ligaments, tendons and the muscles can occur very suddenly in both older and younger dogs as jumps and runs can cause pets to suffer from physical restrictions. The use of a cold pack aims to relieve areas of swelling that would impact the recovery process.

Pets suffering from a bacterial infection or poisoning may show signs of hind limb dragging and weakness. When pets are extremely ill, they will begin to drag one or both limbs and eventually will not be able to stand at all. If your canine companion is no longer interested in food, appears lethargic, and is soiling in unusual spots, it could be a sign of a system shut down.

Simple irritations such as a thorn or a small sting could be irritating the underside of the foot causing your pooch to drag the hind leg. Careful inspection of affected limbs and monitoring your pets for signs of changes are important steps to managing their long term well-being. The correct practices and procedures will deliver the healthiest disease prevention and management solutions.




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