Dog Spinal Problems: Causes of Weak Back Legs and What Helps

The pattern of how it started, how fast it is changing, and whether your dog is in pain tells your vet a great deal. This guide walks through each cause, how to tell a spinal problem from sore hips, what the vet will do, and what helps at home. For a broader overview of sudden injuries to the spine, see our guide to how spinal injuries happen in dogs.

The three conditions behind most weak back legs

The spinal causes of hind leg weakness in dogs include intervertebral disk disease (worn discs pressing on the spinal cord), degenerative myelopathy (a gradual breakdown of the spinal cord itself), degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal at the base of the back), and compression in the neck from cervical spondylomyelopathy, better known as wobbler syndrome.¹

Disc disease (IVDD). IVDD occurs when the disc that sits between two vertebrae to cushion or absorb movement in the spine deteriorates and presses on the spinal cord.² The result can be pain, dysfunction, or paralysis.³ Breeds built with long backs and short legs (Dachshund, French Bulldog, Beagle, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso and Pekingese) are most commonly affected, with Miniature Dachshunds having a lifetime prevalence of approximately 20%.¹ These dogs may be clinically affected by 3 to 6 years of age.⁴ In bigger dogs it tends to creep rather than strike: large-breed dogs can suffer a tougher, fibrous form of disc degeneration as they age, which predisposes them to a slowly progressive bulging of the disc, with signs typically developing after 5 years old as gradual incoordination and weakness.¹

Degenerative myelopathy (DM). This is an inherited disease of the spinal cord itself, typically affecting dogs around eight years of age or older, causing gradual muscle wasting, weakness and incoordination in the hind limbs, then progressing to an inability to walk after six to twelve months.⁵ Signs often start in one hind limb and then progress to include both.⁵ Importantly, the weakness and wobbliness come on slowly and are not painful.¹ It is most common in German Shepherd Dogs, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Boxers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.¹

Lumbosacral stenosis. Narrowing of the spinal canal at the base of the back, or of the openings where nerves exit, pinches those nerves, and it is most common in large breeds of dogs, especially German Shepherd Dogs.¹ Signs typically begin at 3 to 7 years old and can include difficulty using the back legs, lameness, tail weakness and incontinence, with pain when the vet extends that joint being the most consistent finding.¹ Wobbler syndrome sits higher up: it is compression of the spinal cord caused by abnormal development of the neck vertebrae,¹ and mild cases show subtle incoordination in all four limbs, often with a long, protracted stride behind and a short-strided gait in front.¹

How to tell a spinal problem from sore hips or knees

A dog with joint pain will usually flip the paw right back, because joint problems leave the sense of where the feet are intact, while a dog with a spinal problem may leave it knuckled over, because that foot awareness fades early in nerve disease.⁶

Watch for knuckling (the paw rolling over so your dog walks on the top of it), scuffed back nails, back feet crossing or swaying, and a drunk-looking back end. Scuffed toenails on the hind limbs are a recognised sign of degenerative myelopathy.⁵ A weak limb is often dragged, while a painful limb is usually carried.⁶ Early DM can be confused with joint disorders, but loss of foot awareness is an early feature of DM and is not seen in joint disease.¹

Red flags that mean the vet today

Sudden paralysis, dragging both back legs, or loss of bladder or bowel control is an emergency, not a wait-and-see. All of the classic IVDD symptoms require immediate veterinary attention, and the symptom that is an absolute emergency is if the dog is unable to walk.³ Yelping when touched or lifted, arching the back, and refusing to turn the head all count. Dogs that become paralyzed and have also lost pain sensation in their feet are considered an emergency, and the chances of walking again are very low, even with surgery.²

How vets diagnose spinal problems in dogs

Diagnosis starts hands-on, not with a scan. The first step is a thorough physical exam, which is often all that is needed for a mild case, although X-rays may be done as well.⁴ Your vet will test reflexes, paw positioning, and pain response. X-rays have real limits: they confirm IVDD only 60 percent of the time, so the preferred imaging is MRI or CT.²

There is no specific test that can confirm DM while a dog is alive, so several tests may be needed to rule out other spinal cord diseases, including a neurological exam, blood work, X-rays, MRI or CT, and spinal fluid analysis.⁵ Genetic testing will show if a dog carries one or two copies of the inherited variants associated with DM.⁵

Treatment paths, in plain terms

Treatment depends on how severe the signs are and how fast they came on. Medical management consists of very strict movement restrictions for four weeks combined with medication, often recommended for dogs with a first episode of back pain or mild signs, with the dog on full cage rest and only taken outside on a leash to toilet.² Dogs with pain and minimal to moderate nerve problems often recover with 2 to 3 weeks of cage rest.¹ It is not a soft option, and it is not forever. Signs do come back after conservative treatment in 30 to 40% of cases.¹

Surgery is usually recommended only for patients that are unable to walk, or in dogs with recurrent or persistent back pain.² If surgery is recommended, don't wait: the longer you wait, the greater the chance the spinal cord will degenerate to the point where it might not recover.⁴ Dogs who have spinal surgery need crate rest first, then strictly controlled exercise while they heal, and recovery can take months.⁴

Rehab comes after, not during, the acute phase. As recovery progresses, rehabilitation may include laser therapy and underwater treadmill work, with exercises prescribed at home and a gradually increasing program of walks.⁴ In dogs recovering from hip surgery, a weekly underwater treadmill program significantly improved weight bearing on the operated limb.⁷ Ask your vet whether your dog's spine is stable enough to start, and who locally runs canine rehab. For DM there is no cure, however routine physical therapy may delay the progression of the disease.⁵

Where a rear support wheelchair fits in

A cart is for the dog whose back legs no longer hold them up reliably, whatever the cause. A wheelchair to support the hind limbs is listed among the standard management steps for degenerative myelopathy, alongside rugs on slick floors, ramps, slings and booties.⁵ After disc disease too: if the dog's front limbs are strong enough, the vet may recommend a mobility device like a cart to help your dog get around.³ With a condition like DM, a wheelchair is only a management aid that supports the hind limbs, not a cure or a treatment that slows the disease.⁵

Good signs your dog is ready: the back end sags or sways on walks, they can still pull forward with the front end, and they are scuffing or knuckling enough to risk sore paws.

The OldPal Rear Support Dog Wheelchair comes in five sizes covering rear leg heights from 3 to 27 inches. Sizing uses one measurement, rear leg height, taken with your dog lying on their side: see how to measure your dog, or email a photo and your measurement to help@oldpalpets.com. Mini, Small and Medium arrive within 1 to 2 weeks, Large and XL within 2 to 3 weeks, continental US only. If the size is wrong, the Fit Guarantee lets you exchange the frame for the one that fits.

Day to day care at home

Small changes to the house do more for a wobbly dog than almost anything else. Recommended steps include using rugs, carpets or yoga mats on hardwood or tiled surfaces, adding pet ramps or steps where necessary, using a sling or harness to assist with walking and standing, wearing booties to protect scuffed paws, keeping a healthy weight, and addressing other issues such as arthritis that add to mobility problems.⁵

If bladder control goes, you will need help early. Dogs who become incontinent will need aid from their families to express, or manually empty, the bladder.³ These dogs need constant bathing and may get skin infections from lying in their own waste.³ Dogs recovering from spinal surgery need to be monitored for pressure sores.⁴

Exercises that keep muscle on

Short flat leash walks on grass or carpet, slow sit-to-stands, and gentle bending and straightening of each back leg while your dog lies on their side all help. Keep sessions short and stop before your dog tires.

During an active disc flare, do none of it. The goal of activity restriction is to allow the disc time to heal.² Rest really makes a difference, and sometimes that means a crate or playpen where your dog can't walk around much or jump on anything.³

Lowering the risk and catching changes early

You cannot prevent every spinal problem, but you can reduce the load on the spine. Keep your dog trim and fit, minimize stairs and jumping on and off a deck, bed or sofa, and plan sensible activities: walking is safe for any dog, leaping for a thrown toy, not so much.⁴ Disc disease can happen at any time and may or may not be related to activity such as running or jumping.²

Track it. Once a week, film ten seconds of your dog walking away from you on a non-slip surface and note anything new: scuffing, crossing, a slower rise, a change in toileting. At the first sign of back discomfort, contact your veterinarian.⁴

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Understanding IVDD in dogs: the disc condition that is the most common source of paralyzing back pain in dogs, including rear-end weakness in younger dogs of predisposed breeds like Dachshunds.⁴

Good days ahead.

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