Paresis

Paresis denotes partial paralysis or muscle weakness triggered by nerve damage. The crucial difference from paralysis – i.e. complete paralysis – is that affected dogs still have some residual mobility and muscle control. This may initially sound like a minor detail, but it makes a big difference in practice – both for the chances of therapy and for the dog’s everyday life. The underlying nerve damage can have very different causes and usually manifests as restricted mobility in the affected body area.

Causes of Paresis in Dogs

Injuries and tumours are the most common causes; other triggers are also possible:

Traumatic injuries: Accidents – traffic accidents, falls, bite wounds – can damage nerves in the spinal cord or peripheral nervous system so severely that paresis occurs.

Slipped disc (discopathy): If a disc slips or tears between two vertebrae, it presses on the spinal nerves and can trigger paresis.

Tumours: A tumour in the spinal cord or brain exerts pressure on the nerves. How severe the paresis is and which body areas are affected depends largely on the location and size of the tumour.

Nerve injuries: Cuts or crushes to the extremities – i.e. peripheral nerve injuries – can partially paralyse the muscles in this area.

Symptoms of Paresis in Dogs

What you see depends heavily on how severe the nerve damage is and which area has been affected. Typical signs are:

Weakness in the limbs: The dog moves one or more legs significantly weaker – paws drag over the ground, gait appears unsteady.

Difficulty standing up and walking: Getting up from a lying position is difficult, gait is uncoordinated or swaying. Stumbling and slipping become more frequent.

Changed body posture: Dogs compensate instinctively – they adopt an unusual posture to relieve the affected leg. This may sometimes look strange, but it is a clear signal.

Loss of reflexes: Knee or paw reflexes are weakened or absent altogether. The vet checks this routinely during the examination.

Muscle wasting (atrophy): If nerve supply fails, muscle breakdown begins within a few days and proceeds faster and more severely than mere disuse atrophy.

Incontinence: If the paresis affects the lower back or pelvis, the nerves for the bladder and bowel may also be affected – uncontrolled urination or problems with defecation are then possible.

Diagnosis of Paresis in Dogs

Reliably diagnosing paresis requires more than a quick glance. The vet proceeds step by step:

Clinical examination: Testing reflexes, assessing weakness and signs of paralysis, evaluating ability to walk – this is the first and often already very informative step.

Imaging procedures: X-rays help to narrow down spinal injuries or bone changes. For tumours in the area of nerve plexuses in the forelimbs or hindlimbs, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is the best procedure according to the MSD Veterinary Manual.

Blood tests: Blood tests help to rule out other systemic diseases.

Electromyography (EMG): It can be used 7 to 10 days after nerve damage to demonstrate the loss of nerve supply in the muscle.

Nerve conduction velocity tests: These tests check how well the peripheral nerves are still functioning – and show whether and where a nerve injury is present.

Treatment of paresis in dogs

The therapy depends on the cause and extent of nerve damage – there is no one-size-fits-all solution:

Medications: In cases of inflammation or infection, anti-inflammatory agents (for example corticosteroids) or antibiotics are used to treat the underlying condition. Additionally, painkillers can help alleviate symptoms.

Surgery: If a nerve is compressed by a fracture or an orthopaedic implant, prompt surgery to relieve the pressure is indicated.

Physiotherapy: For most injuries to peripheral nerves, treatment consists of time and physiotherapy. Daily passive range-of-motion exercises help reduce muscle and joint shortening.

Care and daily support: From practice: In cases of severe paresis, dogs often need concrete help in everyday life; harnesses for dragging or dog wheelchairs enable greater independence.

Prognosis

How good the chances are depends on the cause and extent of nerve damage. For most injuries to peripheral nerves, treatment consists of time and physiotherapy; if a nerve is compressed by a fracture or an implant, prompt decompression surgery is indicated.