When dogs struggle and experience pain when walking, they can suffer if it is not diagnosed and treated. Reasons your dog may have pain when walking include:
Sprains and Strains
If your dog has overexerted himself or landed in a harsh way when running or jumping, he may have a sprain or strain. When muscles, ligaments, or tendons are pulled or twisted in an unnatural way, pain can occur. An MRI can usually diagnose a sprain or strain in your dog.
Degenerative Myelopathy
This spinal cord disease occurs most often in aging dogs. The spinal cord begins to deteriorate, and the first symptoms are usually loss of the mobility in the hind area. Eventually the dog loses complete hind leg mobility and needs assistance when walking.
Intervertebral Disc Disease
Intervertebral disc disease occurs when a disc in the back becomes problematic, and then part of the inner material of the disc leaks into the spinal column. This causes pain when walking that has resulted from nerve damage. Otherwise known as a herniated disc or the protrusion of the material from a disc, this occurs more commonly in very active dogs or older dogs.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a disorder of the spine in which the cartilage begins to deteriorate. This occurs over a period of time, and when the cartilage calcifies it causes significant mobility and discomfort. Trauma can cause spinal stenosis, as well as infections, bone disorders of the spine, aging, and disorders of the connective tissues.
Arthritis
Inflammation of the joint in the legs or hips can cause a dog to have pain when walking. Arthritis may also give your dog difficulty rising from a sitting position. Fortunately, there are supplements and medications that can be given to dogs with arthritis to make the pain and inflammation less discomforting.