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lab with weak back legs
I have a 14 year old black lab who is developing a weakness in his back legs. They just give out. It usually appears after he has made a turn from the direction he is heading or after exercise.He is pretty spry for an old dog otherwise. No commercial dog food. His diet consists of lean ground beef, ground turkey, vegetables and grains.
fredkiwi on 2009-05-14
This is just a forum. Assume posts are not from medical professionals.
Rear leg weakness can be due to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy,a form of heart disease.It can also be due to Exertional Hyperthermia(sometimes called Extertional myopathy) which occurs often in Labs.If EH is the problem, there should be a high temperature,usually over 106 degrees Fahrenheit, during the exercise period preceding the signs.
The odd thing about EH is that the symptoms appear only when the dog is engaged in some form of activity. Oddly too, a dog can play all day and have no symptoms yet throw a ball for him/her to catch later in the day and the symptoms appear.
There is a condition in Labs known as Type II muscle fiber deficiency. Labs who have this get weak when they exercise and if they continue to exercise they will get stiff and the back legs develop a hopping gait.
There also may be the possibility of the beginnings of hip dysplasia, arthritis,inflamation of the joints/tendons, disc problems and lumbosacral instability.
Have your dog checked by a vet to determine exactly what the problem is.If caught early enough some of these can be limited in the damage they have caused or even eliminated completely.
The odd thing about EH is that the symptoms appear only when the dog is engaged in some form of activity. Oddly too, a dog can play all day and have no symptoms yet throw a ball for him/her to catch later in the day and the symptoms appear.
There is a condition in Labs known as Type II muscle fiber deficiency. Labs who have this get weak when they exercise and if they continue to exercise they will get stiff and the back legs develop a hopping gait.
There also may be the possibility of the beginnings of hip dysplasia, arthritis,inflamation of the joints/tendons, disc problems and lumbosacral instability.
Have your dog checked by a vet to determine exactly what the problem is.If caught early enough some of these can be limited in the damage they have caused or even eliminated completely.
orian last decade
From extensive searching on the net and my own observation I thought it was probably exertional hyperthermia.
Are there any natural supplements or homeopathics that can help this ???
One article suggested that a carnitine shortage had been found in dogs with this condition.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY
Are there any natural supplements or homeopathics that can help this ???
One article suggested that a carnitine shortage had been found in dogs with this condition.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY
fredkiwi last decade
One sign that the weakness in the back legs is due to Exertional Hyperthermia is the presence of myoglobin in
the urine. Myoglobin is red, so the urine has a red
appearance when myoglobin is present. Finding out if there is a high
temperature that triggers this is a big clue that the condition is, indeed, Exertional Hyperthermia.
The solution has been,in some cases, as simple as avoiding the exercise that is causing EH symptoms.
Conventional therapies have included fluid therapy and the administration of oxygen and/or glucose with good results. The use of anti-inflammatories has had inconsistent results.
You may want to look into acupuncture as an alternative.Find a very reputable vet(usually holistic,www.ahvma.org) for this with proven results. Usually several treatments are given then once a month as a preventative.
Acupuncture has worked not only to strengthen weak areas in the body it can also affect the immune system positively. Also it can work to suppress trigger-type symptoms so it may be able to suppress the symptoms that induce EH episodes.
Also, something called Transfer Factor Plas is excellent as a supportive measure. Completely non-toxic even in megadoses but it does increase the appetite somewhat. Start with one and work up to two or three a day. Give with food.
the urine. Myoglobin is red, so the urine has a red
appearance when myoglobin is present. Finding out if there is a high
temperature that triggers this is a big clue that the condition is, indeed, Exertional Hyperthermia.
The solution has been,in some cases, as simple as avoiding the exercise that is causing EH symptoms.
Conventional therapies have included fluid therapy and the administration of oxygen and/or glucose with good results. The use of anti-inflammatories has had inconsistent results.
You may want to look into acupuncture as an alternative.Find a very reputable vet(usually holistic,www.ahvma.org) for this with proven results. Usually several treatments are given then once a month as a preventative.
Acupuncture has worked not only to strengthen weak areas in the body it can also affect the immune system positively. Also it can work to suppress trigger-type symptoms so it may be able to suppress the symptoms that induce EH episodes.
Also, something called Transfer Factor Plas is excellent as a supportive measure. Completely non-toxic even in megadoses but it does increase the appetite somewhat. Start with one and work up to two or three a day. Give with food.
orian last decade
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