Leg neuropathy in dogs and cats: causes, signs and treatment

It can be alarming to find that your dog or cat is having trouble walking. It's even worse if you can't think of any obvious cause and your vet has no simple diagnosis either.

Cat and dog leg problems are understandably stressful and can be tricky to diagnose. We're here to explain more.

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Signs of nerve damage in a dog's back legs (and cats)

Some nerve damage symptoms to look out for are:

• Licking or chewing the affected leg

• Limping or dragging a leg

• Muscle wasting

• Muscle weakness

• Paralysis

• Shaking

• Twitching

• Vocalisation (pain sounds like yelping or yowling when you touch their leg, back, or neck)

All of these can be signs of other types of injuries — broken bones, wounds, and muscle damage — or they might be in conjunction with these injuries if your pet's suffered something like a road traffic accident or a fall.

You might notice your pet walking awkwardly or differently from how they usually do. It's because they're trying to compensate by putting more weight on the healthy limbs.

Abnormal gait and lameness are incredibly common. Nerve damage is just one of dozens of possible causes.

If the damaged nerve has caused loss of sensation, you might notice your cat or dog positioning their limbs and paws at unusual angles when at rest or making unusual limb movements. For example, they might have their legs crossed or paws turned under.

Visit your vet as soon as you see any problem with your cat or dog's limbs. They'll be able to work on a full diagnosis to find out if it's nerve damage or something else.

Veterinary surgeon Dr Neerja Muncaster points out that while you as the owner will notice your pet's behaviour and will have the best knowledge of any injury they've suffered, only your vet will be able to determine that nerves are involved.

What causes leg nerve damage in dogs and cats?

There are a few main causes of nerve damage in dogs and cats:

• Cancers and tumours

• Degenerative myelopathy

• Neuro-degenerative disorder

• Physical injury

Dr Muncaster says that vets often see leg nerve damage as a result of a traumatic incident such as road traffic accidents.

It's rarer and also much harder to diagnose when there's a spinal disease or a mass is disrupting a nerve.

Diagnosing nerve damage in dogs or cats

It can take some time to reach a diagnosis. Your vet will usually have to do this by ruling out other causes for the symptoms and testing nerve reflexes.

To rule out other causes and to find any other conditions that might have caused the nerve damage your vet may try:

• Blood tests

• Physical examination

• Ultrasound scans

• X-ray

Your vet may also prescribe a painkiller to see how your pet responds.

If your vet's diagnostic work leads them to suspect nerve damage, they may refer you to a specialist for an MRI scan to confirm the diagnosis and help pinpoint the exact area.

MRI scans aren't a routine screening procedure. The cost is high and it's usually only recommended when the other diagnostics mentioned have failed.

Your dog or cat needs to be anaesthetised for an MRI scan, and the cost is likely to vary depending on their size. A large dog will cost more than a cat.

Dog and cat leg nerve damage treatment: outlook and prognosis

There is no specific treatment for neuropathy in dog's hind legs. Often it is a matter of time, rehabilitation and recuperation. Any treatment will depend on the underlying cause.

Cat and dog nerve damage treatment might include:

• Anti-inflammatories

• Hydrotherapy

• Physical therapy

• Rest

If the damage is caused by something like a tumour, your pet may need surgery or chemotherapy to treat that as well.

"It's very difficult to put a time frame on the healing," says Dr. Muncaster. "Sadly, if you don’t see improvement in a few months the prognosis may not be great."

Even if your dog or cat can't make a complete recovery, your vet may be able to recommend a plan of pain relief and therapies that keep them happy and comfortable in the long term.

Pet insurance and nerve damage

Diagnosing nerve damage can be a long road, and the cost of x-rays, repeat vet trips, and maybe even a multi-thousand-pound MRI scan can add up.

That's where pet insurance can help. All ManyPets policies cover complementary therapies that are administered by a vet to treat an accident or illness.

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