Aging dog drags his toe nails a little

#1 · March 24, 2022, 5:36 pm

Hello,

I have an almost 14 year old, ridgeback/boxer/pitt who is in very good health but he sometimes drags the toe of his rear left leg. I started giving him various nutes (enzymes, multivitamins, zinc, msm powder, fish oil, b12, branch chain amino acids (for protein), ubiquinol, salads out of sulfur containing greens and other things).

The only thing I was able to find online was that this may be a sign of Degenerative Myelopathy. I did some more research and could not find anything specific to a natural treatment for dogs but I did find some medical references for Myelopathy for humans and it apparently is caused by the degeneration of the Myelin sheath in the spinal cord.

His walking is better, he gets up from lying down much easier but he still gets tired fairly quickly. I give him about 10-20 minute walks and massage his rear legs and stretch them a bit. Are there any exercises or stretches you can recommend I to strengthen them?

Also, are there any other nutrients or activities that anyone can suggest?

Thanks,
Jorge

#2 · March 24, 2022, 5:37 pm

Often, this type of problem originates from the nerves. Basically, as dogs age they are more susceptible to having problems the nerve signals that go to the foot. The signal starts in the brain and should travel through the spinal nerves to reach the foot, but in older dogs, these signals may not transmit well if there are degenerative changes (think slipped disc, arthritis of the hips) along the vertebrae that of the back as caused by an accidental twist or misplaced jump. When a vertebra is affected by these degenerative changes, they put pressure on the spinal cord and affect the transmission of signals that go from the brain to the legs.

The best way to know exactly what you are dealing with is having the dog see the vet. Your dog may need a referral to neurologist who may possibly suggest doing an MRI. For those who cannot afford the MRI, rest and steroids to reduce the swelling may be needed. Here's is an example of neurological exam done on a dog.

#3 · March 24, 2022, 5:39 pm

Quote from Meba on March 24, 2022, 5:39 pm

Quote from banterer on March 24, 2022, 5:36 pm

Hello,

I have an almost 14 year old, ridgeback/boxer/pitt who is in very good health but he sometimes drags the toe of his rear left leg. I started giving him various nutes (enzymes, multivitamins, zinc, msm powder, fish oil, b12, branch chain amino acids (for protein), ubiquinol, salads out of sulfur containing greens and other things).

The only thing I was able to find online was that this may be a sign of Degenerative Myelopathy. I did some more research and could not find anything specific to a natural treatment for dogs but I did find some medical references for Myelopathy for humans and it apparently is caused by the degeneration of the Myelin sheath in the spinal cord.

His walking is better, he gets up from lying down much easier but he still gets tired fairly quickly. I give him about 10-20 minute walks and massage his rear legs and stretch them a bit. Are there any exercises or stretches you can recommend I to strengthen them?

Also, are there any other nutrients or activities that anyone can suggest?

Thanks,
Jorge

If you lift the paw that he seems to drag and place it under (knuckled), does your dog quickly re-position it? Are the nails of the paw different than the other paw? The nails on the paw of dogs who repeatedly scrape their feet on walks (you can literally hear it when it happens) are usually shorter than the other paws. I second seeing the vet to see the exact cause, arthritic changes, bulging disc, hip problem, torn cruciate ligament, lumbosacral stenosis, spinal tumor etc. so the most appropriate treatment can be started. Depending what is found, your vet may prescribe rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids to reduce swelling. Holistic vets may opt to do acupuncture. Physical therapy can be helpful.

On a side note: I had a young dog do this at times on walks too, and it was only on hot days when she was a bit lazy. This happened just like once a day and it happened all her life, but if this is new behavior, a vet visit may be the best option especially considering your dog's age.

Quote from banterer on March 24, 2022, 5:36 pm

Hello,

I have an almost 14 year old, ridgeback/boxer/pitt who is in very good health but he sometimes drags the toe of his rear left leg. I started giving him various nutes (enzymes, multivitamins, zinc, msm powder, fish oil, b12, branch chain amino acids (for protein), ubiquinol, salads out of sulfur containing greens and other things).

The only thing I was able to find online was that this may be a sign of Degenerative Myelopathy. I did some more research and could not find anything specific to a natural treatment for dogs but I did find some medical references for Myelopathy for humans and it apparently is caused by the degeneration of the Myelin sheath in the spinal cord.

His walking is better, he gets up from lying down much easier but he still gets tired fairly quickly. I give him about 10-20 minute walks and massage his rear legs and stretch them a bit. Are there any exercises or stretches you can recommend I to strengthen them?

Also, are there any other nutrients or activities that anyone can suggest?

Thanks,
Jorge

If you lift the paw that he seems to drag and place it under (knuckled), does your dog quickly re-position it? Are the nails of the paw different than the other paw? The nails on the paw of dogs who repeatedly scrape their feet on walks (you can literally hear it when it happens) are usually shorter than the other paws. I second seeing the vet to see the exact cause, arthritic changes, bulging disc, hip problem, torn cruciate ligament, lumbosacral stenosis, spinal tumor etc. so the most appropriate treatment can be started. Depending what is found, your vet may prescribe rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids to reduce swelling. Holistic vets may opt to do acupuncture. Physical therapy can be helpful.

On a side note: I had a young dog do this at times on walks too, and it was only on hot days when she was a bit lazy. This happened just like once a day and it happened all her life, but if this is new behavior, a vet visit may be the best option especially considering your dog's age.