Imagine watching your dog waddle into the room and noticing that he is walking on the top of his back paw. While you may classify it as a harmless quirk, in reality, that "knuckling" action can actually be a response to the dog's neurological health in distress.
Dr. Joseph Mankin, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, describes the signs and suggested treatment methods of degenerative myelopathy, a neurological disease that results in hind limb weakness and paralysis.
According to Mankin, degenerative myelopathy is a condition that causes deterioration of the spinal cord and ultimately affects a dog's ability to use their back legs.
"The exact cause is unknown, but there is evidence that a genetic mutation may predispose dogs to developing this condition," Mankin said.
Larger dogs, in particular, are more prone to being diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy—with German shepherds, boxers, huskies, mountain dogs, and Labrador retrievers being among the most common breeds with this condition.
