6 year old poodle having weird episodes

Question
Hi my poodle has been having these episodes where she cant walk right and her back legs give out. She also shakes while this is happening. It only happens for about 5 minutes and then she is fine again. I was wondering if you would maybe know anything about this? She has had these before but just rarely. She had one yesterday and now today. Thanks if you can help.

Answer
This could be so many different things, but it certainly puts me in mind as to when my sciatic nerve was acting up and the pain would shoot down from my hip all the way to my toes in my left foot and take me down to the floor from the intense pain. Once the spasm past, I was fine again until the next time.

Now it could be something similar with her sciatic nerve, a pinched nerve, or something with her stifles with her patella slipping out of its groove (although the last is not likely to have her rear give out... just limping). If you can, try taking a video of this when it happens so that you have something to show your vet. Dogs are so stoic that it is nearly impossible sometimes to identify where they are hurting. Maybe your vet could get to the heart of the matter if he could actually "see" it happening.

The shaking is most likely from pain.