Senior Dog's Back Legs Giving Out: What It Means and What to Do

Start here: what "back legs giving out" usually means

Your job right now is to keep your dog safe, get them seen, and make the house easier to move around in. Our overview of why back legs get weak in dogs walks through the whole picture if you want the long version.

Two words you may hear at the vet, in plain English. In this study, paraparesis (weakness in the back legs) was counted as a milder spinal problem than paraplegia (complete paralysis of the back legs), which was classed as the most severe.¹ Owners usually describe the same thing as wobbly, dragging, or "my old dog's back legs keep collapsing".

When to go in, and when it is an emergency

Go to a vet the same day, or to an emergency clinic, if the weakness came on suddenly, if your dog cannot stand or walk at all, if they seem to be in pain, or if there is no feeling in the back feet.

In dogs with a blood supply problem affecting the back legs, still being able to walk, still having nociception (the ability to feel a pinch in the toes), and a slower slide to their worst point were all associated with surviving to discharge.² There is also real reason for hope when things look bad at first: complete recovery occurred in a subset of dogs that could not walk at the start, showing that recovery is possible despite more severe neurological problems at presentation.²

Falls matter too, especially on stairs. Falls involving stairs are associated with various forms of injury in dogs, though many cases are mild and can be managed as an outpatient.¹ Worth knowing: in some cases it is difficult to tell whether the fall caused the injury, or whether an existing disease caused the fall.¹ If your wobbly dog tumbles down the stairs, mention both possibilities to your vet.

Old dog back legs collapsing, no pain

Plenty of owners tell us the same thing: the back end is failing, but the dog does not cry out, flinch or limp.

Some dogs clearly hurt. In one 9 year old dog with an 8 day history of worsening back leg weakness, the neurological exam pointed to a painful problem in the mid spinal cord.³ Others are completely quiet. In one reported case, a young Picardy sheepdog with a slow growing lump over the lower back showed no clinical or neurological signs at all, yet it turned out to be an infiltrative lipoma (a fatty growth that spreads into surrounding tissue) that had invaded the spinal canal and was pressing on the spinal cord.⁴

Both need an exam. We go deeper into this in our guide on weak back legs without any sign of pain.

Old dog back legs collapsing and not eating

When the back legs go and the appetite goes with them, that combination is worth a prompt vet visit rather than a wait-and-see week.

One example from the literature: a 9 year old Scottish terrier came in with worsening back leg weakness, and testing of the spinal lesions eventually gave a diagnosis of lymphoma.³ That is one dog, not a prediction about yours. The point is only that "back legs plus not eating" deserves a proper workup, and that is a conversation for your vet, not for the internet.

Old dog back legs collapsing and panting

If your dog is panting heavily at rest, or panting and collapsing in the back end, call your vet today.

In one referral study, other health conditions were documented in 35 of 42 dogs (83.3%), most commonly protein-losing nephropathy, a kidney condition.² If you are worried about your dog's heart specifically, read our guide on heart problems and hind leg weakness in older dogs and take your questions to the exam room.

What helps once you have a diagnosis

Treatment depends entirely on the cause, and it belongs to your vet.

Acupuncture is worth asking about. There is moderate evidence that adding it to standard medical management gives a mild benefit to recovery in dogs with a thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (a slipped disc in the mid to lower back), particularly those that cannot walk but can still feel deep pain.⁵

Rehab is worth asking about too. In a 10 year old dog recovering from hip surgery, a physiotherapy programme including weekly hydrotherapy was used to build muscle and strength, and hydrotherapy was associated with a 5 cm increase in thigh circumference after eight sessions.⁶ After two months of physiotherapy, that dog showed considerable improvement and was able to walk independently.⁶ If your vet suggests a rehab referral, it is usually worth taking.

If you are tracking progress at home, keep your walks consistent in pace. Faster walking increases how far the hip, knee and ankle joints move, so walking speed should be kept the same, or allowed for, when you compare one week's gait with another.⁷ A slow lap of the same route each week tells you more than a fast one today and a slow one next Tuesday. Our page on what can be done for weak back legs sets out the usual routes.

Where a wheelchair fits in

What it does is support your dog's back end so they can keep moving while you and your vet work on the cause.

The OldPal Rear Support Dog Wheelchair is built for exactly this: dogs whose back legs are weak or have stopped working. The padded harness carries weight through the hips and chest rather than the spine, every strap adjusts, and the frame is set so the back legs hang free or lightly brush the ground. Dogs can squat and go to the bathroom while they are in it. The frame is lightweight aluminum with all-terrain wheels.

Sizing uses one measurement: rear leg height, from the top of the hip straight down to the toe pad, taken with your dog lying on their side and the leg at its natural bend. Five sizes cover 3 to 31 inches. Take that measurement, then use the fit finder on our size guide. If you would rather have a person check it, send a photo and your measurement to help@oldpalpets.com and we will tell you the size. If the size is wrong when it arrives, the Fit Guarantee means we swap it for the one that fits and return shipping is your only cost. Most orders arrive within 2 to 3 weeks, continental US only.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• When an old dog starts dragging their back feet
• Weak back legs with no sign of pain
• Heart failure and back leg weakness in senior dogs

Sources

Related guides

• Senior Dog Back Legs: Weak, Wobbly or Giving Out