I have a 7 year old male labrador, and there is something wrong with him and we don't know what. Our vet ended up referring him to a clinic as they couldn't tell what was wrong. He has had numerous blood tests, x-rays and an MRI and they still can't see what is wrong. They're all coming back normal.

He seems to have lost all strength in his back legs. He struggles to stand. He is now almost pulling upself up with his two front legs. He slides around in the kitchen floor, sometimes his back legs are just giving out on him. He keeps standing with his two back legs very close together, almost touching. And when he walks he has a very strange walk, with his back legs often out to the side.

He has been this way for around 2 months now, and it came on quite suddenly. When it first came on, just before the legs/at the same time, he had a problem with his mouth. He kept hanging his mouth open all the time, was drooling a lot into his water bowl, was eating slowly, and when catching a ball etc he would hold it onto one side. Again, the vet didn't know what the problem was. But, after the first general anisthetic he had so the vets could test him, the mouth was fine, and has been since.

His head also shrunk. Like it was wasting away. He face became very skeletal, and you could really see the shape of the bones in his face. Again though, in the last couple of weeks this seems to be improving, and his face filling out again. The vets all seem to agree that the head and legs are two separate issues, but I mention them in case anyone thinks it is relevant.

He is going back to clinic later this week. When we went a couple of weeks ago, they said to stop the steroids he had been on for his legs (which didn't seem to make any difference anyway), as the steroids could be throwing the tests off. But in the last few days, he has seemed much worse. He is not even getting up to greet us when we come home now. Whereas personality wise he had seemed himself up to now, the last few days he has just been lying around and not so happy.

Please, if anyone could provide any suggestions.

I apologize that no one has responded to you until now.

I am so sorry your dog is having such health issues. I can only guess as to how confusing and scary this whole situation is for all of you. My heart is breaking for you and that poor dog.

When you were describing the sudden initial symptoms in your post, I was thinking he might have suffered a stroke, or a series of small strokes. Have they ruled that out? Did they rule out neurological issues and spinal issues? Did they tell you what they know for sure he isn't suffering from? Unfortunately, we can only guess as to what might be wrong. Are there any other vets or specialists in your area that you can bring him to? I treat my dogs medical issues as I do my own health issues. If the doctor can't figure out what is going on, I believe it is time to start talking to other doctors and find someone who can help me. I won't stop until I have an answer. I am a bit bull headed that way. Have you spoken with co-workers and neighbors to see if they might be able to make a vet recommendation? Once you can get a few new names, tell your current vet along with the clinic, that you want copies of everything in your dog's file. You have paid for the tests and you have a right to them. You don't need a new vet to rerun tests unless it is absolutely necessary. Besides being a waste of time it is too costly to repeat tests. Let the new vet(s) read the results of their findings and give you direction from there.

I hope someone can find an answer for you quickly. I wish you and your dog all the best.

The two diseases that come to mind for me are degenerative myelopathy, and a fibrocartilaginous embolism, unsure if they thought of those.

DM is usually not a sudden thing. Here's a site about it, however. Degenerative Myelopathy | Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs | Canine Degenerative Myelopathy Information

Here's a site about FCE: Fibrocartilaginous Embolism

I hope they find out what is going on.

You don't mention if your pet is incontinent. Has your dog had a spinal tap? Age 7 is considered senior for some breeds and Labs have known bizarre genetic disorders. What part of the country do you live in? Is there known regional illnesses where you live? Something that could be transferred from tick or flea bites? Have ALL of these been tested for? Lyme disease,Canine ehrlichiosis,Canine anaplasmosis,Rocky Mountain spotted fever? Best of Luck.

Hi, thanks for the replies.

They tried to do a spinal tap when he went in for the tests, but for some reason couldn't/didn't do it.

No incontinence, he's not been going in the house or anything.

When he went back to the clinic last week, since my original message, they did chest radiography, extensive blood work to check for viruses and infections and other tests as well and still didn't find anything wrong! They did a muscle/nerve biopsy, which we are still waiting for results on. Everything else has come back clear though.

He has got worse though, and now in the kitchen (where it is more slippery than carpet), he often struggles to stand back up if he lies down, and several times in the last few days we have had to help him to his feet because he can't get up out there.

It's very worrying, and the tests coming back clear is increasingly concerning because if they can't find out what it is they can't help him!

Hi - I hope your dog is getting better and that your vet has some positive answers for you. When I read your first post I thought your dog had had a stroke or a blood clot. With all the tests they have done they should have been able to give you a correct answer on that though. The oblique things you could check out are a hyperactive thyroid which can cause paralysis in the rear legs. If they did blood tests they may have tested for this already though. Hookworm can also cause rear leg paralysis. The other one is Coonhound disease and MG - m... (something) gravis. Can't remember the first word but a vet would know it and if they don't you will find it on the internet along with coonhound disease. I personally don't think it would be coonhound because if the rear legs are affected and the head also, I would have expected the front legs to also be in trouble, but it is a baffling autoimmune disease and one which is known very little about so it is worth checking this also. I assume that they have ruled out a tick because I would have thought with all the vet treatment you have had that the tick would have been found already or your dog would have passed away so I am assuming it is not that. If it is MG then it should have shown up in the MRI but not all MRI's are scanned properly and not all vets interpret them properly. Until you can find a cause, if your dog is well and you have the time and the staying power, I suggest you get it a dog buoyancy jacket, attach a dog lead and swim it in some safe waterway with one person holding the lead and the other one paddling the legs in a walking motion to keep the muscles strong so that when the nerves heal (which can take FOREVER - up to 8 months) the muscles will be strong enough to hold your dog up when he can walk again. Please post your updates to help the other people out there who may also have a dog in a similar condition. Good luck

I meant to add that when our dog went down with all 4 legs paralyzed 10 weeks ago, we use a sling to move him and have converted an old pram to take him on walks. This allows us to keep his spirits up and get him out and about while the nerves fix

Sound to me like your dog had a seizure. It could have been a one time thing or he could have more. Vets don't know much about seizures and why they occur. I had a puppy standard poodle that went through the same thing with the legs and not eating. He recovered fine after weeks of carrying him around.

I've only just seen this message its quite old but I'm going through the same thing at the moment, 2 weeks ago my dog went in for a operation because she had a hernia. 2 weeks later on the day her stitches was due out she got up and just clapsed we took her to the vets ammediatly but they have done lots of blood tests and they are all comeing back fine? Vets don't know what's wrong. 1 said she might have brain damage the other said a stroke another is saying a disease. But like I said all the test's are coming back fine? 2 weeks ago she had her reflex's checked and they were fine the vet said all her nerves was fine, but now another vet is saying she has no reflex's. Im baffeled and just hope she gets better anyone know what could have caused this? X

My dog has the same thing... running around like normal one day the next day he started limping and now hardly moves, and when he does finally decide to get up its so painful to watch. He can barely move his legs. Hes not wanting to eat... not drinking much either... Hes on anti botics has been anethetised to have an eternal but vets say his unwellness is a mystery!