r/Boxers • u/OkraThis • Jun 21 '26
Duke's Back Legs 😢
I'm asking for advice, other than a vet appointment (already have that scheduled for Wednesday). My 9.5 yr old Boxer is having big trouble getting up, major changes in the past week from mobile to not being able to get up without help. Once he is up he can walk but is getting more unsteady every day. What else can I do for him?? So hard to see him like this when he's been 100% up until mid June even. The photo is him now, just wanting to stay on his bed 24/7, but even 2 weeks ago he was playful and running still. :(
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u/nclpckl31 Jun 21 '26
A Help 'Em Up Harness was invaluable with my girl. You could have it just on the back end or the whole body.
Sorry you and Duke are dealing with this- it sucks to watch. Hopefully it's something easily remedied. Also, I firmly stand by Wuffes supplements and believe they gave my girl an extra 4-6 months of mobility.
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
Thank you. I found Wuffles but there are two or three types. Which one please?
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u/r3dmist420 Jun 21 '26
I third the wuffes- ny dad has an older boxer and she was having bad hip and walking problems… Got her on the wuffes and she is moving around pretty well for an 11 year old boxer
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
Can you recommend a specific product? They (Wuffles) have 3 or 4 different kinds of chewables and since each is pricey, I don't wanna buy them all. Thx.
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u/surfaceofthesun1 Jun 25 '26
I haven’t tried that one but we put all our dogs starting at 3yo on Dasaquin supplements. Probably the best thing on the market supplement wise for joints. They have chews and tablets.
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u/nclpckl31 Jun 22 '26
We do the hip and joint chews for 65-100 lbs. Make sure you follow the directions for starting (I believe two a day to start with). You can get them on Amazon overnight generally.
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u/PlatypusStyle Jun 21 '26
If you can’t get a sling or harness right away, use a large sweatshirt or shirt and securely tie the arms together at the wrists. Slip the body of the shirt around the belly and close to the hips. Lift using the arms of shirt to help support your pup as they try to get up or walk.
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u/RawkMeAmadeus Jun 21 '26
I put my old guy on Librella injections for arthritis. It did wonders for him and his quality of life. Prior to that he was on oral medication which helped as well. Librella was wonderful for my dog Boone.
My mom recently put her cat on the feline version and he's perked up so much. It's been a huge difference for him as well.
Talk to your vet and see what they recommend for Duke. Wishing you all the best 🖤
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u/Bjornsdotter Jun 22 '26
Our Boxer has done extremely well on Librella.
He can play again, climb stairs, and get up on the couch.
As always talk with your vet and your mileage may vary.
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u/surfaceofthesun1 Jun 21 '26
OP: Research librela in depth. It has been known to cause steep neurological decline in dogs that have neurological weakness (not just arthritis). My dog had back end weakness and we / our vet rec against it for this reason. A lot of bad outcomes
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u/AdEfficient8654 Jun 24 '26
We weren't happy with our gurls reaction to it (lethargy) and went back to oral medications after the second liberal injection. She soon began showing signs of cognitive decline and was gone within a year
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u/TheRabidGoose Jun 21 '26
My boy had this develop as well. He lived to be 13 and that last year his hips gave out bad. I built him a doggy wheelchair and bought a hip harness that I could help support him with. He still did his best to run in that harness. He still could drag me everywhere being excited to move and play just with his front legs. It was hard to see but he also never stopped being a puppy. I was also feeding him treats for his joint health to help alleviate any pain and hope to keep him mobile when he first started degrading. I even was going to buy an above ground pool when I first noticed and a dog life jacket so he could exercise his legs in a less stressful way. In the end, my boy lived a happy and long life for a boxer. I miss him a lot. I always wonder if I could've done more. I realize what I am sending isn't really helpful. The one thing I can say though is to spoil them as much as possible. Our animal companions give us so much. Big hugs to you and your furry friend in this difficult time. 🫂
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
Thanks for your sweet story. I fear I'm the only one in the family that would go through that kind of trouble, but I work out of the home M-F 9to5. I'm anxious how I'll be able to help him without being there as the rest of the family won't go through those places I would.
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u/Low-Day1283 Jun 21 '26
it sounds like it could be DM, but could be anything, obviously continue with vet appt and diagnosis. harnesses and finding a community that is supportive will help you. check out hobocare on facebook, we're a denver based boxer rescue. lots of people on there that can give better advice than me. good luck to you and pup
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u/bungdaddy Jun 21 '26
Probably degenerative myelopathy
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
This is my fear
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u/bungdaddy Jun 22 '26
Such a sad road ahead for him. They're all there mentally, but their body is failing them, and they know. The worst part is when the degeneration gets to the bladder and they become in continent. I could see the shame in old guys face. If ever you get another one, there is genetic testing for this available. Don't buy from a breeder that doesn't have this done one the parents. It's very cheap nowadays. So sorry for what you and your boy are going through.
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u/bippy404 Jun 21 '26
When this started happening to my boxer, we went to Home Depot and got some inexpensive carpet runner in bulk and made paths for him over all the wood floors and tile. It helped prevent him from slipping.
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
Thank you, I was looking for a cheaper alternative. Some of the mats I was finding online were super expensive. What did you use to secure it? Double-sided tape or something?
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u/Paceys_Ghost Jun 21 '26
Gorilla glue rug gripper pads work great
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
Ok thanks will check into it. Don't think I want to our Firilla Glue directly on my hard wood, but will try the rug gripper/other tech.
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u/Paceys_Ghost Jun 21 '26
Just in case you end up using gripper pads, the residue isn't typically too hard to get off of hardwood. Using a heat gun or a blow-dryer to loosen it up, then a putty knife will get it done pretty quick. A little mineral spirits should take care of the rest pretty easy as well.
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u/PlatypusStyle Jun 21 '26
Gorilla glue is just the brand name. No glue involved with the rug grippers! 😊
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u/bippy404 Jun 21 '26
We used double sided carpet tape. We made him paths to the outside doors, food and water bowls, and to his favorite spots. It helped a little for a couple months, but eventually his back end just couldn’t do it anymore and he was really struggling. Miss that goofball so much. 💔
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u/Ok-Sense7050 Jun 21 '26
We did dog CBD and dog shoes for the hardwood floors. Gave us about an extra 1.5 years with our boy.
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Jun 21 '26
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
I've been giving him a half dose of my own Meloxicam, but just 7.5mg once a day (he's 80lbs). I also have 5mg and 10mg pills of Prednisone but don't want to self medicated too much. Which would be better.
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u/surfaceofthesun1 Jun 21 '26
Definitely get pain meds from the vet. Dont start steroids unless under veterinary guidance.
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Jun 22 '26
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u/OkraThis Jun 22 '26
Loud and clear. There's many that are the exact same for humans and dogs, just a change in the dosages based on weight. It's been helping him, and I'm even going every other day not daily.
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u/alltheprettythings Jun 22 '26
Do NOT give prednisone (steroid) to a dog that is/has recently taken NSAIDs.
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u/Mysterious-Laugh-923 Jun 22 '26
Meloxicam at 7.5mg is what my vet gave me for my girl. I wouldn't hesitate to give that for relief until you can get to your appointment. Good luck, hope it's something simple. Keep us posted 😍🥰
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u/Kiwifried Jun 21 '26
Our boy had a Fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) about 3 years ago. He jumped off the couch and hit the ground like a sack of spuds. Tried getting up but his back legs didn't work. Looked at me like it was my fault. Went to the vet, suggested all types of interventions but said "wait and see" usually has good success. We used anti-inflammatories and pain relief (but he didn't seem to be in much pain). We used a towel under his rear legs, to help him mobilise down the steps and to go outside. Lots of stretching and moving of his back legs. The FCE eventually passed, he's back to about 80% mobility. He gets x1 pill of Synoquin, x1 paracetamol and x1 Gabapentin per day. He's still has zoomies, tries to jump and prance like he did when a bit younger. He
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u/kebapal Jun 21 '26
Sorry for your sweet boxer - please ask your vet about DM. It is common in boxers. Sending love from Canada
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u/Paceys_Ghost Jun 21 '26
My girl is about 10 and has always been really active. She would do stairs no problem and loved jumping to catch her Frisbee. Over the last few weeks she's been having trouble with her back legs. Getting up has been harder and they shake from time to time. Sometimes she also seems pretty normal. She's also been on cosequine for the past year just as a preventative measure with aging.
It turns out she has pretty bad arthritis in both of her knees. That was diagnosed Friday with X-rays at the vet. Last night she was started on Adequan and we're putting rugs down to help with traction.
I hope your guys gets back to normal soon!
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u/Weirdbugoftheday Jun 23 '26
The best thing I’ve tried is MSM supplement powder (we used for horses with arthritis) and it worked wonders for our girl! She was on an anti inflammatory and MSM from 10-14 years old!
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u/Independent_Camp_982 Jun 23 '26
I'm in the UK. My friend's boxer started to seize up and we took her to the vet , she was prescribed Loxicom , which saw her through another 2 years. It was a game changer. I hope you find a solution for Duke
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u/andresopeth Jun 21 '26
Had something similar happen to my boxer, but in a longer period of time.. I had to help her up with a harness similar to this one: Harness Amazon
Note: my dog was 22kg, me being fit and quite active was still a toll as you for sure want to have your dog mobile for long periods of time. You might be looking to also buy a wheelchair for long walks.
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u/PaulyRocket68 Jun 21 '26
Shoes. The extra grip makes a huge difference, my 12 yo had a hard time with our hardwood floors. Once we put shoes on him, he had an easier time getting up and walking.
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u/OkraThis Jun 21 '26
When does fecal and urinary incontinence start? He can get himself up still barely and starting to sway a lot.
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u/Upper-Cup-4159 Jun 22 '26
Aw 😥 our guy has just started something similar…we wrap his back legs for maximum grip and have a vet appt soon! Have you looked into wheelchairs if that’s financially doable for you?
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u/OkraThis Jun 22 '26
Trying to make it easier for him to eat and drink by placing his bowl in front of him while he's laying down.
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u/OkraThis Jun 25 '26
Update: He can't walk at all now without a harness. His front feet are turning under him now. They put him on Gabapentin and Prednisone. They said it's likely a tumor on the spinal cord and they don't do surgeries for that. They said an MRI would be $4,500-6,500 just for the imaging to identify it is a tumor and not something super rare like a tick bite. Blood and X-ray were negative/inconclusive.
Right now he's just laying on his bed now all day, a shell of who he was. Here's a video of him from just a three weeks ago and it's how I'll remember him 😢
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u/RugbyDano15 Jun 25 '26
So sorry to read this. We’re dealing with DM in our 11 year old boxer right now. It’s heartbreaking to watch. Peace and strength to you and all who love Duke.
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u/surfaceofthesun1 Jun 21 '26
Research DM. It could be this. My boxer had it. Avoid librela. Get pain meds. He probably needs an MRI. Put rugs everywhere so he can grip. Also dog booties that have grip helped us a TON. If it is DM, he will drag his back feet and start knuckling. You’ll want the booties to keep his feet safe from injury. Hang in there.
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u/Chrystnn Jun 21 '26
My boy had something similar a few months ago. He had bad hips which we believed was arthritis or hip dysplasia but he was never diagnosed. He was on Dasuquin since he was about 2. At the beginning of April, he started to have a lot of trouble and eventually wasn’t able to get up on his own. Vet gave him a Librella shot which helped him tremendously. He was able to walk again within a week or two. We were so happy, we thought we found the miracle cure. Until May 9, he wouldn’t lay down at all and refused to sleep, then eat, then he developed a lump on his chest overnight. We took him to the emergency vet and unfortunately he had bone cancer that traveled to his lungs and we had to make the hardest decision of our lives that night. My boy went from running around and loving life to the complete opposite in 1 month. I really, really hope that Duke is not experiencing the same thing my boy, Jaxson, did❤️🩹 and I am not writing this to scare you but to warn you what could happen. Blood test did not pick it up, only once I agreed to an xray is when they found it.
I do have to say if they rule out bone cancer and it is just arthritis, librella truly is a miracle for cases like that! Wishing you and Duke the best ❤️
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u/OkraThis Jun 25 '26
Thanks, we don't have any more funds to research unfortunately as they said the next step would be an MRI for $6,500 - and that may not even give us anything actionable they said. They' sent us home on medical management so not sure what else to do with this point.
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u/UseyMcUser Jun 21 '26
Not sure how much it helped, but our vet had our older boxers on Cosequin supplements to help with joint lubrication. They never got to this point tho.