dogs legs

Question
Our 8 year old dog's legs seem to be giving out suddenly.  It's happened three times that I know of.  We've been told she has a heart murmur. She doesn't faint--just stumbles then literally falls over on her side, rights herself, but then takes a while to get up.  She whimpers a bit and seems distressed. She's eating less dog food and more grass.  Could this be a murmur of something else?

Answer
Hi Andrea,

Signs and symptoms of a heart murmur often include one or all of the following symptoms: coughing, labored breathing, poor exercise ability, fainting, and a bluish tinge to the tongue or gums. Weakness in the rear legs isn't usually associated with a heart murmur, but your vet could confirm that better than I.

The sudden weakness of your dog's rear legs leg might be a stretched or torn ligament, or a spinal disc problem. Diabetes can lead to diabetic neuropathy, an inflammation of the nerves that can also lead to weakness in the rear legs.
At 8 years old, it's also possible that your dog has a little arthritis, which can result in a loss of muscle mass and strength. That being said, I would recommend an exam with your vet.

So you see, there are many things that might be causing the rear leg weakness, and a vet exam is the first step in getting a diagnosis. There are some very effective medications which will relieve your dog's pain, and restore mobility.

Best of luck,
Patti