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My dog's back legs suddenly gave out; why is he slipping?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 30 lbs

My dogs back legs have all of the sudden given out, he’s not wimpering or anything. He is just struggling walking on husband back legs and slips a lot. We check his paws Andrew they are fine. I just want to know what’s his problem

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 13th, 2017

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.

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    Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 14th, 2018

    Hello. I am sorry for your concerns about Heathcliff. If you are sure he has not gotten into the garbage or something toxic, then I would suspect that there is some inflammatory reaction going on in his back. Arthritis of the spine is a very common ailment in older pets, as well as a slipped or herniated disk. Both of these can manifest very suddenly, & is not always associated with a tremendous amount of pain. If Heathcliff is still having problems tomorrow, have your veterinarian evaluate him. A course of anti-inflammatories may be very beneficial. In the meantime, try to keep him as still & quiet as possible. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 1st, 2018

    This is usually due to either arthritis in the hips, or lower spinal disease. The treatment depends on the specific cause of the disease, so it's unfortunately not possible to advise treatment without knowing this. However, treatment usually involves surgery, pain medication, or a combination of the two. In order to find out what's causing this, you'll need to take your dog to the vet for an evaluation. The vet can usually narrow-down the cause of this rather quickly and provide good treatment for it. I hope that helps and he gets better soon.

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