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My dog has rear pain, can't walk or eat, and vets can't find a cause.

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered | 76 lbs

Dog rear end causing pain, can’t walk the best, not eating. Had scans and blood tests etc but no cause can be found?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on January 5th, 2018

This sounds like he’s in pain. It can be from arthritis, a knee ligament injury or pain from his back. Arthritis should show up on x rays, and he would be lame on one leg if it’s a cruciate ligament injury. Back pain can be caused by a bulging intervertebral disc and can me difficult to see on x rays. It can cause trouble walking with incoordination. Regardless I would try Tom on pain medication to see if that helps and keep him quiet. No running or jumping and lots of short slow leash walks. Once the pain is controlled he should eat better. If there is no improvement I recommend a rcheck or an exam with a veterinary specialist. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tom.

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    Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on November 11th, 2017

    I’m sorry Tommy is so painful. Pain in that location can be from the hip joint, the pelvis, or the back. If x-rays have not been done yet then I would recommend that he be evaluated by a veterinarian and have some x-rays evaluated. This can provide you with the answers you need to help make the best decisions for his comfort moving forward. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

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