Dog lift harnesses can prove ideal for pets who struggle with arthritis, dysplasia, or another painful condition without having lost all of their weight-bearing ability or mobility. Surgical correction is usually successful if performed early. Why is my dog suddenly having trouble walking? A dog can often adapt surprisingly quickly and easily to the loss of a hind limb, learning how to walk and balance himself with his other three limbs. One of the best things you can do for your Pom is to have her spayed (neutered for males). Well listen for heart murmurs and abnormal heart rhythms when we examine your pet. Much of what you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy is common sense, just like it is for people. This is called patellar luxation. Spinal treatments may help some kinds of neurological dysfunction. Distichiasis is a condition caused by extra hairs that grow inside of the eyelid and rub on the surface of the eye. You might notice that your pet, while running, suddenly picks up a back leg or skips and hops for a few strides. Slings are another effective way to walk your dog and are regularly used in the treatment of hospitalized veterinary patients during their recovery. These are common signs of patellar luxation. Well keep this risk in mind during your pets visits, recommend early testing for the condition, and discuss effective treatment options if symptoms develop. Clean her ears weekly, even as a puppy. Simply put the comfortable foam harness around your dogs hips and then use the attached cable to lift upward slightly as your dog stands and walks. on Hind Leg Weakness: Are Your Dogs Back Legs Giving Out? When symptoms are severe. If your pal has this condition, yourRau Animal Hospital team may recommend surgery to close the problematic vessel. When outside on the grass or when walking on the sidewalk, tiny rocks can become stuck in between the paw pads, causing quite a bit of pain and a limping problem. Cataracts are a common cause of blindness in older Poms. In the event of an emergency during our normal office hours,please call(215) 884-0453so we can assess the severity of the emergency and adequately prepare for your arrival. Though its tempting to give your pal food when she looks at you with those soulful eyes, you can love her to death with leftover people food and doggie treats. Feed a high-quality diet appropriate for her age. A dog may sustain many of the same kinds of hip, knee, or neurological ailments and injuries as humans. This is an extremely irritating and painful condition that can ultimately lead to blindness. Its quite common for a dogs hind legs to collapse and even become paralyzed after a disc herniation from IVDD. The disease is caused when the jelly-like cushion between one or more vertebrae slips or ruptures, causing the disc to press on the spinal cord. These changes result in painful joint friction whenever the dog tries to move his hip, knee, or ankle. Watch her diet, make sure she gets plenty of exercise, regularly brush her teeth and coat, and call us or a pet emergency hospital when something seems unusual (see What to Watch For below). Signs of hydrocephalus include seizures, dulled mental function, circling, and a spastic gait. Many diseases and health conditions are genetic, meaning they are related to your pets breed. A dog cart provides the hind leg support your pet needs to enjoy their daily walk, get outside for potty breaks, and to play. Few sights cause owners more sorrow than seeing their best friend hobbling stiffly or wobbling while standing due to a serious injury, congenital defect, or age-related health problem. The important thing is to be able to tell when to seek veterinary help and how urgently. Unfortunately, Pomeranians can inherit or develop a number of different eye conditions, some of which may cause blindness if not treated right away, and most of which can be extremely painful! Puppies born with this condition have looser-than-normal hip joints. To learn how to better manage canine arthritis, we recommend reading our essential guide on how to help a dog with arthritis. He may even experience sudden paralysishe may drag his back feet or be unable to get up or use his back legs. Not many things have as dramatic an impact on your dog's quality of life as the proper functioning of his eyes. In fact, your Pom's life span may even be cut short by one to three years! Dogs with spinal stenosis struggle to stand and wobble when they walk. If you'd like to learn more about Walkin' Pets and our products for aging and disabled pets, start here: Meet the team behind Walkin' Pets, Your email address will not be published. The nerve sheath that insulates the spinal cords nerve cells deteriorates, resulting in loss of nerve function. Mild cases can be treated with medication though if his symptoms are more severe, more advanced care may be needed. The instability grows worse as muscles atrophy due to non-use. We will always credit the photo to the name of the Pom's owner(s) if it is supplied. All text, images and artwork protected by US and International copyright laws. Pomeranians often have serious problems with their teeth, so youll need to brush them at least three times a week! Dogs recovering from such surgeries may experience temporary disability, with owners instructed to keep their pets from bearing weight on an extremity that has yet to heal. Misaligned teeth can also occur and cause lots of problems, but can usually be corrected with braces or extractions. This condition typically develops when your dog is between one and five years of age. Thank you for your feedback. With diligent observation at home and knowledge about the diseases that may affect your friend's bones, joints, or muscles, you will be able to take great care of him throughout his life. Hydrocephalus most often occurs when the skull bones dont fuse properly after birth. Please let us know what question we were unable to answer for you. This looseness promotes instability and unnatural wear and tear as the animal grows, often producing osteoarthritis as a complication. Supervise your pet as you would a toddler. We will evaluate his eyes at every examination to look for any signs for concern. This information helps you and us together plan for your pets unique medical needs. An overbite or underbite is called a malocclusion or a bad bite. By testing early, we can identify whether HU is a health risk for your petif indicated, we will recommend appropriate dietary therapy to prevent potential problems. Shell feel better, and so will you! Due to her assertive nature and small size, she is not recommended for homes with small children. If either of these injuries is suspected as the reason for the limping, x-rays and other diagnostic testing will be done. Neutering often resolves this condition, or it can sometimes be treated with the same medications used for Cushings disease, another disorder involving the adrenal glands. We listen for a specific type of heart murmur to diagnose this problem during your pets examinations. Pomeranians are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections the same ones that all dogs can get such as parvo, rabies, and distemper. Hydrocephalus is usually diagnosed early in life, but is occasionally diagnosed in adult dogs as well. Hookworms, roundworms, heartworms, and whipworms can get into her system in a number of ways: drinking unclean water, walking on contaminated soil, or being bitten by an infected mosquito. Alopecia X, or adrenal sex-hormone imbalance, is known to causes patchy hair loss. K9 Carts offers mobility products to help dogs get around easily even if they have painful hind limb problems, limited hind limb function, or no hind limb function at all. She is a loving and docile companion, but she can be independent and willful. If your dog is suddenly unable or unwilling to jump or go up stairs, is reluctant to move around, has a hunched back, cries out, or refuses to eat or go potty, he is likely in severe pain. You may notice that your dog has dry, scaly skin with patches of hair loss along the top of his head, back of the neck, and along his back. With the right shoes, you can walk or hike just about anywhere, preventing burns and keeping your Pom safe from particles. Dog boots can be worn to provide your dog with additional traction. The severity of a hind leg condition may dictate the kind of treatment your pet receives. This condition is very painful and can result in urinary and fecal incontinence, and paralysis of the tail. Unusually long-bodied dogs who carry their bodies low to the ground, such as Basset Hounds and Dachshunds, often suffer from vertebral problems of this nature. Dental disease starts with tartar build-up on the teeth and progresses to infection of the gums and roots of the teeth. That is why we have summarized the health concerns we will be discussing with you over the life of your Pom. Outward signs may be mild or severe, including coughing, fatigue during exercise, weight loss, shortness of breath, and weakness in the hind limbs. The response to treatment is highly variable, but youll almost always need to give fatty acid supplements and use special shampoos to remove dead skin and hair. Sick sinus syndrome is a condition in which the sinus node, the part of the bodys electrical system that signals the heart to beat, doesnt function properly. Luckily paralysis doesnt have to be an end-of-life decision. Arthritis afflicts dogs just as it does humans. If the problem is mild and involves only one leg, your friend may not require much treatment beyond arthritis medication. Arthritis is a painful joint condition most often impacting dogs as they get older. If your dog cannot bear any weight on his hind legs at all, consider getting a. . They were then bred down in size for companionship. We will describe the most common issues seen in Pomeranians to give you an idea of what may come up in her future. Cancerous growths can be slow-growing and gradually press against nerves or very rapid in onsets such as Osteosarcoma (seen most commonly in the tibia and fibula bone in larger dogs such as Rottweilers. 2022 Rau Animal Hospital. Dont worry; well discuss the specific problems we will be looking for when the time arrives. Hi Judith, just because a dog is losing strength in its back legs, does not mean its in pain. A dog that is unable to get up unaided that has not already had a diagnosis by a veterinarian is a medical emergency and veterinary assistance should be sought immediately. Build her routine care into your schedule to help your Pom Pom live longer, stay healthier, and be happier during her lifetime. There are many conditions that can impact a dogs leg strength, here are seven of the more common causes of back leg weakness in dogs: Sudden paralysis in dogs can often be attributed to IVDD. He might then kick his leg out sideways to pop the kneecap back in place. We want to keep your buddys teeth healthy, so we will be watching his developing teeth closely. Spaying or neutering decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers and eliminates the possibility of your pet becoming pregnant or fathering unwanted puppies. It is one area that many owners dont think about when. Dogs with this condition may display signs of tremors in their hind legs, or stand with their hind legs close together and their feet at unusual angles. Dog wheelchairs provide the rear support your dog needs to stand up and walk on their own. If your dog is unable to stand, its recommended to turn your dog over to the opposite side every 4 hours to prevent muscle damage from too much pressure. Signs can include dry skin and coat, hair loss, susceptibility to other skin diseases, weight gain, fearfulness, aggression, and other behavioral changes. She is highly intelligent and can be taught to perform a variety of tricks to help keep her mentally stimulated. Many of these infections are preventable through vaccination, which we will recommend based on her age, the diseases we see in our area, and other factors. These lightweight wheelchairs assume all the weight of your pets rear body and do all the work that the hind legs would do. You and your Pom trot down the street, enjoying the day. You attach his harness, put on your sandals and as you are about to leave the house you realize that it is such a nice day that you dont even need to wear a sweater. If we dont prevent or treat dental disease, your buddy may lose her teeth and be in danger of damage to her kidneys, liver, heart, and joints. Dogs with this condition may display signs of. As long as your pet still has comfortable use of his forelimbs, he can move speedily, safely, and confidently with the aid of his wheelchair. Your dog may respond by avoiding stairs or walks, adopting an odd bunny hop gait to compensate for a painful joint, or begin developing unusually large front-leg muscles as he relies more and more on these extremities to get around. Learn more about products for disabled and/or elderly pets. When indicated, well perform an annual heart health check, which may include X-rays, an ECG, or an echocardiogram, depending on your dogs risk factors. With this breed, its also important to set up ramps or steps in your home from the time your pet is a puppy to save him a lifetime of stressing his neck when jumping on and off the furniture. Poms enjoy close human companionship and bond quickly, but do not tend to be overly clingy. A total hip replacement can restore both full hip function and full comfort in many canine patients. Injury, unfortunately, can happen easily to this tiny toy breed dog. By knowing about health concerns specific to Pomeranians, we can tailor a preventive health plan to watch for and hopefully prevent some predictable risks. Heart failure is a leading cause of death among Pomeranians in their. Hind leg weakness is debilitating for a dog and their family. Young dogs can receive a double or triple pelvic osteotomy, which rotates the joint components to improve function. Uric acid acts like fertilizer for bladder and kidney stone development. If the skin looks very irritated, it should be looked at by a veterinarian, as the pull of the hair may have caused a breakage of the skin and there is a chance that it has become infected. Enter your email address below and one will be in contact with you shortly to answer all of your questions. This can be easily fixed with some simple grooming You will want to clip hairs to be EVEN with the bottom of the pads Do NOT try and snip fur that is between the pads. For example, a herniated disc can press against nerve tissue until the nerve tissue cannot conduct signals normally. Early detection of heart disease often allows us to treat with medication that can prolong your pets life for many years. Dog boots and traction socks help your dog to better grip the floor as they stand. A rear support dog wheelchair makes sense when your pet needs to avoid all weight bearing activities, or when your pet has lost all hind leg function due to a neurological problem. (888) 253-0777Mon-Thur: 8AM 6PM ESTFri: 8AM 5PM EST, 105 Route 101A, Suite 18Amherst, NH 03031, ProductsAbout UsContact UsSign UpWalkinpets.com, 7 Causes of Sudden Hind Leg Weakness in Dogs, We're glad we were able to answer your questions, Tips to Design a Playroom for Senior and Handicapped Dogs. Pomeranians became popular pets when Queen Victoria imported them to Britain in the late 19th century and established a breeding kennel. It is not uncommon for dogs to have issues that lead to limping; however with toy breeds it is even more prevalent. A paralyzed dog can live a happy, healthy life in a wheelchair. Neurological conditions, degenerative mobility conditions, and injury are just a few of the possibilities. Pomeranians are prone to multiple types of heart disease, which can occur both early and later in life. It can also cause a fuzzy or woolly coat appearance on the sides of your friends body. There are many reasons why a dogs mobility may suddenly change. Veterinary dental care and weight control also go a long way in preventing heart disease. Dogs can use a wheelchair and still walk using all four legs. They demand to be the center of attention and enjoy entertaining others with their comical tricks and vivacious outlook on life. Pomeranians are just full of fluffy personality. Another very important step in caring for your pet is signing up for pet health insurance. There will certainly be medical tests and procedures she will need throughout her life and pet health insurance will help you cover those costs. Teeth abnormalities are often genetically induced and are relatively common in dogs, especially in purebred dogs like your Pom. Poms are prone to a variety of skin problems, including sebaceous adenitis.
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