Has your dog had leg weakness due to digestive issues?

[AV1]

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Hello,
I have a dog who last week suffered from digestive issues. She couldn't poop and was not able to keep down her food and water. Other than that she seemed in good spirits and was still active. I took her the vet after 48 hours of no improvement in her digestive issues and continued vomiting. I was given medication to treat her, but then she started limping, and then it started getting more severe. Pretty soon she could hardly move her hind legs. Eventually she did poop what ever she had stuck and is on treatment for that. She was also given pain medicine for her legs. The question I want to put out there is: Has anyone ever gone through something similar with their dogs- where the dog has digestive problems and loses strength in their hind legs? And if so did they regain their strength and maintained it?
My dog is walking now and gradually improving daily with the pain medication, but my concern is that when I take her off the medication, her legs will give out again. the vet mentioned it could be due to a possible degenerative disease, but I feel my dog is too young (2.5 years) to be developing any type of degenerative anything. I went to an AI app and asked if it was possible for dogs to experience weakness and cramping in their hind legs when experiencing severe digestion issues and the short answer was yes, so I just wanted to know if there was anyone out there who can attest to this.

 

[JoanneF]

What medication was she given? Some antibiotics can cause temporary paralysis and weakness doesn't seem like too much of a stretch from that.

 

[AV1]

She was given Metronidazole, but she her hind legs had given out before her primary vet prescribed it to her.

 

[JoanneF]

My dog suffered temporary paralysis in his hind legs when he was on a course of metronidazole. He recovered fully when we stopped it. But if your dog's problems started before the metro, it may be something different that was exacerbated by the medication?

 

[Flobo]

Did they actually check her for an obstruction, given that she couldn't keep food or water down or poop? I know you said she passed something that may have been stuck, but are you or the vets sure there is nothing else still causing a possible obstruction? Or if the thing she passed has done any damage?
My only experience of back leg weakness is in my ferret(to the point of almost paralysis) and that was caused by intense pain (from his kidneys). His mobility completely recovered with pain meds. This is why I was wondering if her weakness is pain related due to something she has ingested... If your vet hasn't already ruled out the things I mentioned, which I would hope they have, it would be worth talking to them again.

 

[AV1]

Did they actually check her for an obstruction, given that she couldn't keep food or water down or poop? I know you said she passed something that may have been stuck, but are you or the vets sure there is nothing else still causing a possible obstruction? Or if the thing she passed has done any damage?
My only experience of back leg weakness is in my ferret(to the point of almost paralysis) and that was caused by intense pain (from his kidneys). His mobility completely recovered with pain meds. This is why I was wondering if her weakness is pain related due to something she has ingested... If your vet hasn't already ruled out the things I mentioned, which I would hope they have, it would be worth talking to them again.

Yes. Her vet gave her a fluid (I forget the name) but it was to coat her intestines and check for obstructions the following day, she also said this fluid might act as a lubricant and help her pass whatever she had stuck in her rectum (which it did, because that night she pooped a big clump). The way she said this fluid works is that, if there was an obstruction the fluid would show up on the X-ray leaking or spread outside of the intestines indicating an obstruction. When the X-rays were taken, she said everything looked fine, there were no leaks and nothing looked stuck anymore.
And about your ferret, did you have to keep him on the pain meds indefinitely or just while inflammation and pain subsided?

 

[Flobo]

My ferret has been on pain meds since, but he has multiple cysts in both his kidneys. So he is being monitored and meds slowly increased as needed. Sadly his condition isn't going to improve... Saying that though he has been pretty stable and doing well these last few months, amazingly!
Fingers crossed with your girl her mobility keeps improving.

 

[AV1]

My ferret has been on pain meds since, but he has multiple cysts in both his kidneys. So he is being monitored and meds slowly increased as needed. Sadly his condition isn't going to improve... Saying that though he has been pretty stable and doing well these last few months, amazingly!
Fingers crossed with your girl her mobility keeps improving.

Thanks. I hope I don't have to keep her on meds. Sorry to hear your ferret's condition isn't going to improve.