Why can’t my dog stand up?

Disclaimer: This article, its content and related references do not constitute veterinary advice and should not be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If your pet is showing any symptoms that could indicate a medical emergency, please seek immediate emergency care.

There are a wide variety of conditions that can cause a dog to be unable to stand. A sudden inability to stand due to paralysis, collapse, weakness, or loss of coordination or balance is often an emergency. If you are a dog owner, read on to learn:

• Why your dog may not be able to stand
• Other symptoms to look for
• How a vet diagnoses and treats sudden mobility changes in dogs
• What to do if your dog can’t stand up

Treatment options vary depending on the underlying cause, which can include arthritis, ear infections, slipped spinal discs, infectious diseases, and a variety of other medical conditions. Some chronic conditions, such as osteoarthritis, make it difficult for affected dogs to get up or stand most of the time. There are ways pet parents can help their dogs with chronic mobility challenges at home.

Mobility challenges in dogs can be caused by a variety of medical conditions. A dog may have difficulty standing due to:

• Paralysis: One or more limbs lack the ability to voluntarily move
• Collapse: A dog has fallen and can’t get back up, with or without loss of consciousness
• Ataxia: Uncoordinated movements that often result in falling and inability to walk
• Weakness: Struggle to rise from rest
• Pain: It hurts too much to stand, bear weight on a limb, or move

Each of these symptoms can be caused by different health conditions that may involve:

• The musculoskeletal system
• The nervous system
• Infectious diseases
• Heart issues
• Various other conditions

Any illness or injury, if it’s severe or advanced enough, can make it difficult or impossible for a dog to stand up.

Regardless of the underlying cause, an overweight or obese dog’s ability to stand up will be more significantly impacted. It’s important to seek immediate veterinary care if your dog suddenly can’t stand, has collapsed, has a sudden loss of balance or coordination, has lost consciousness, or has one or more paralyzed limbs. Even if your dog seems to be doing okay otherwise, if they’ve been routinely struggling to get up, they need to be evaluated by a veterinarian.

Musculoskeletal problems

The musculoskeletal system includes the bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments. Conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system in dogs are common, especially in senior dogs. Common conditions that can affect a dog’s musculoskeletal system and lead to difficulty standing include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Broken bones
• Torn, sprained, or strained joints, muscles, and ligaments
• Elbow or hip dysplasia
• Bone cancer (osteosarcoma)

Osteoarthritis is a very common joint condition in senior dogs that commonly results in difficulty walking or standing. Arthritic dogs who struggle to stand when first getting up from rest often do better once they get moving. Injuries to the muscles, joints, bones, and ligaments are other common causes of paralysis or weakness in dogs.

Neurologic conditions

Various health issues that affect the brain, spine, spinal cord, and nerves in the body can disrupt communication from the brain to the limbs or make it difficult for a dog to stand or walk normally. Neurologic issues that can make it difficult for a dog to stand up include:

• Vestibular disease
• Slipped spinal discs (intervertebral disc disease)
• Myasthenia gravis
• Stroke or heatstroke
• Spinal or brain tumors
• Degenerative myelopathy
• Head or spinal trauma

Vestibular disease is common in senior dogs and causes an inability to stand or walk normally (ataxia) as well as dizziness and falling. It’s often idiopathic, meaning there’s no identifiable cause. In younger dogs, vestibular ataxia is often caused by a middle- or inner-ear infection. Dogs with vestibular disease commonly have a head tilt and show abnormal eye movement that is rapid, back-and-forth, and twitchy (nystagmus). Slipped spinal discs (intervertebral disc disease) are common in dogs with long bodies, such as dachshunds and corgis. These conditions often lead to paralysis in the hind legs.

Infectious and systemic diseases

Infectious and systemic diseases can affect any part of the body, including the musculoskeletal and nervous systems responsible for normal standing and walking. They can also lead to severe lethargy, causing weakness and an inability to stand or walk. Examples include:

• Canine distemper
• Addison’s disease
• Diabetic neuropathy from diabetes mellitus
• Tick-borne diseases
• Rabies

Infectious and systemic diseases often have additional symptoms, such as excessive thirst and urination, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite, and other signs of illness.

Cardiovascular conditions

Various conditions that affect a dog’s heart, blood vessels, and blood can lead to sudden loss of consciousness, lethargy, weakness, and collapse. Cardiovascular conditions include:

• Congestive heart failure and other forms of heart disease
• Congenital heart defects
• Internal hemorrhage due to trauma
• Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia

When the heart isn’t pumping blood properly, the brain can be momentarily starved of oxygen, causing a loss of consciousness. This happens commonly in dogs with congestive heart failure and may make it difficult for a dog to get up or remain standing from time to time.

Toxicosis

Exposure to various toxins and poisons can lead to neurologic symptoms that make it difficult for a dog to get up, remain standing, or walk normally. These include:

• Snail or rat bait
• Xylitol
• Antifreeze
• Chocolate
• Insecticides or pesticides (organophosphates)
• Ethanol

Dogs who have ingested or been exposed to toxins often have additional symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive drooling, in addition to ataxia and an inability to stand.

Depending on the underlying condition, a dog who is having difficulty standing may have additional symptoms, such as:

• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Head tilt
• Involuntary eye movement (nystagmus)
• Signs of severe injury, such as blood loss or an obviously broken limb
• Seizures and muscle tremors
• Difficulty breathing
• Bowel or urinary incontinence

Additional symptoms vary widely depending on the medical issue.

When a dog presents with difficulty getting up or an inability to stand, a veterinarian typically starts with a thorough physical exam and may recommend diagnostic testing based on the symptoms. Tests may include:

• Neurologic examination
• Blood tests, including infectious-disease testing
• Diagnostic imaging, such as X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRI scans
• Urinalysis
• Spinal fluid examination

Other specialized tests may be recommended if a specific disease is suspected. It’s important to get a definitive diagnosis from a veterinarian in order to develop an effective treatment plan.

Treatment options vary depending on the underlying condition. Options may include:

• Oral antibiotics, antifungals, anti-inflammatories, or pain medications
• Ear medications
• Surgery
• Multimodal osteoarthritis management
• Supportive care
• Palliative care

A sudden inability to stand can be an emergency that requires immediate veterinary care. Stabilization and hospitalization in a veterinary hospital may involve:

• IV fluids and medications
• Blood transfusions
• Close monitoring by doctors and nursing staff
• Repeat lab testing
• Other supportive care

The prognosis varies widely depending on the underlying cause. In some severe cases, treatment options are limited and humane euthanasia may be recommended.

Is it an emergency if my dog suddenly can’t stand up?

A sudden inability to stand is often an emergency. Symptoms that often occur with an emergency include:

• Collapse or loss of consciousness
• A severe injury
• Paralyzed limb(s)
• New or repeated seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Sudden uncoordinated movements

Emergency care is also needed if you suspect your dog has been exposed to toxins or poisons.

Severe injuries that warrant a trip to the nearest emergency clinic include those involving major head trauma, multiple limb injuries, or damage so severe to the chest or abdomen that internal injuries are possible.

“Some dogs live with chronic conditions, such as osteoarthritis, that routinely make it difficult for them to stand or get up,” explains Dr. Jo Myers, a veterinarian on Vetster. “In these cases, this type of mobility difficulty is not considered an emergency unless other emergency symptoms are present or the mobility change appears unrelated to their condition.”

Get veterinary attention right away if your dog suddenly becomes weak, paralyzed, or uncoordinated and cannot stand properly. Note any other symptoms that may be present and whether anything out of the ordinary occurred before the loss of mobility. Remember that the affected dog may be in pain or fearful and may bite. Attempt to keep them calm and still and contact the nearest emergency animal hospital. Emergencies that result in a sudden inability to stand are often time-sensitive and may be life-threatening. If you’re unsure if your dog is having a medical emergency, an online vet can help triage and provide information to help you decide what to do next.

If your dog has been diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, such as osteoarthritis, that will have a long-lasting effect on their mobility, there are ways you can provide assistance with getting up and walking. Modifying the home to fit their needs can help with their daily life. Mobility aids, such as pet ramps, slings, and orthotics, may help with your dog’s mobility but should only be used with veterinary supervision. You can talk to a veterinarian about ways you can help your dog at home in a virtual vet appointment.

Why is my dog falling over and unable to stand up?

There are many medical conditions that can cause sudden or chronic mobility issues like falling over and difficulty standing up. Arthritis, slipped vertebral discs, and ear infections are examples of reasons why a dog may not be able to stand. It’s important to seek veterinary care right away if your dog can’t stand up so you can receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment from a veterinarian.

Why is my dog suddenly weak and unable to walk?

Sudden weakness and inability to walk is an emergency in dogs. Conditions that can cause sudden muscle weakness and inability to walk include exposure to toxins, blood loss from traumatic injuries, congestive heart failure, heatstroke, and many others.

Why does my dog suddenly have hind leg weakness?

Weakness or paralysis in the hind legs is commonly caused by intervertebral disc disease in dogs with long bodies, such as dachshunds and corgis. Blood clots in the aorta, though rare in dogs compared to cats, can cause a saddle thrombus, which paralyzes the hind legs. Sudden hind leg weakness is an emergency.