All of a sudden: weak hind legs, trembling Hello-- Last night, my 10 m.o. Maxwell was fine. He jumped, ran, played, and did all the things active Yorkies do. We went to bed around midnight, where he slept on my chest for the entire night. This morning at 8:30, I immediately knew something was wrong when he tried to get up and instead trembled and whimpered. I stood him up, but he immediately pulled up his left hind leg and wouldn't walk normally. I tried to get him to potty and get a drink, but he wasn't interested, so I laid him back down in bed. An hour later, I checked on him, tried to get him to stand, and he refused to put weight either of his hind legs. Around 11, I called the nearest ER Vet (just over an hour away), who suggested this may be a cartilage, hip, or knee issue and advised me to give him pain meds (she suggested we use some hydrocodone left over from a cough earlier this year), warm baths, and to do range of motion exercises with him. Of course, she also advised close supervision. So, I gave him his medicine, a warm bath, worked his legs a bit, then put him down for a nap. During his exercises, I palpated his entire body and found no particular area that seemed to be causing his pain. He woke up a bit ago and did walk around a little (he ate well, too), but he is still trembling and whimpering and is definitely not himself. He was up for approximately 10 minutes, and is now resting next to me, whimpering here and there. The million dollar question is: should I make the drive into the city and insist on ER care (which would presumably include x-rays), or do I take the ER vet's phone advice and let him rest, medicate, and try to work it out myself until Tuesday, when his regular vet re-opens? Thanks in advance for your advice. I'm really not sure what to do. |
Your pup could have injured his back and the pain meds could be covering the issue...more damage could be done this way. If he were my pup I would be at the ER vet having some x-rays done just to be sure he is getting the correct meds and treatment. |
I would take him in you can't be sure what's wrong and he is probably in a lot of pain. I hope he is ok. Please keep us updated. |
I would take him in just as soon as you can. Like you're thinking, this could be related to an actual injury. But it also could be neuro - or even abdominal. In dogs, abdominal issues can cause referred pain down the legs. Any bloating, tummy sounds, or digestive issues? |
Update Thanks for all the replies. I ended up following the ER vet's recommendations, against my intuition. I just didn't want to panic and make things worse than they were, though I now wish I had taken him to the ER. Despite my regret, Maxwell is acting now (as he did yesterday) as if nothing ever happened. He saw his regular vet today, who diagnosed him with a pinched nerve. She suspects he may have damaged one of his spinal discs as well, likely while doing regular Yorkie things like dive-jumping, bounding, pogo jumping, etc. She performed some physical therapy and laser therapy in her office, prescribed a few more exercises, and will see him for a follow-up in two weeks. At that time, he will be given more exercises to help strengthen his core. Thanks again, everyone. As a first-time toy Yorkie owner, I'm still figuring things out. Hopefully, this will be the last medical event for awhile. :) |
Oh I wish I had got to your post sooner! This is EXACTLY what happened to Cole about a year ago. I spent $$$$$ (UGH!!) on tests at the Vet ER before they finally determined that it was a pinched nerve and a steroid helped him right away. It was so scary because it happens out of nowhere. Best of luck! |
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