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Strange dog behavior, walking

Wondering... my 11 year old (45 lb)   border collie/chow mix male has begun having difficulty with his back legs in that he will be walking along and they just seem to go out from under him. He doesn't cry out, just jumps back up and may do it again. Can't climb on the couch or hop in the car the way he used to. We tried a supplement called Hip Flex Joint level 3 and he got better, so we cut it back, now he's doing it again. We started the supp. again, am now on day 6 and he's still doing it? I'm perplexed. Thanks for your time.
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Avatar universal
Vet thought he was anemic at first, but the tests say he's fine. Trying a pain killer for the moment. It's helping, but still not sure what the problem is.
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Avatar universal
hi my dog had the same problem he was about 10 years old when that happend took him to the vet and they gave him steroids and that helped to a awhile
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441382 tn?1452810569
It does sound like his hips are giving him problems, however neurological deficits can cause this type of thing as well.  There is a simple test you can do right at home to see which it is.  Pick him up and hold him on a table.  Hae someone hold his head while another someone picks up his hind end from the table.  Hold him so that his hind feet are off the edge of the table and then move him forward to that the tops of his feet touch the edge of the table.  If he picks up his foot and puts it on the table, then neurologically he is fine.  If he has neurological deficits he won't react, his feet will just either stay the way the are or he will just let his feet dangle so that if he stands, he'll be standing on the tops of his feet with his toes curled under.  If this happens then you're looking in the direction of a possible stroke or other neurological event.

If it's his hips, there is a product out called Cosequin that is EXCELLENT for helping with this type of thing.  My first Australian Shepherd did this same thing, and it was at the same age.  My vet put her on a generic Cosequin (I want to say it was called Vetrazine but it was 20some years ago and I wouldn't swear to it) and within about 3 months she was a different dog!  She lived another 4 years and, while I eventually did have to have her put down because her hips got too bad, the glucosoamine/chondroitin supplement I had her on worked miracles to buy her those few extra years.  Please keep us updated on her condition.

Ghilly
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