What this means
It helps to tell apart slowness from pain and slowness from weakness. Pain often shows as a careful, hesitant movement, groaning or shifting of the legs, while weakness shows as trembling, giving way or slipping legs when the dog tries to stand. In both cases it is useful to write down when it happens.
Look at when the difficulty is worst. A dog that struggles most in the morning or after a long lie-down but moves more easily once warmed up is one picture. A dog that finds it hard to stand whether rested or warmed up, and whose legs seem not to obey, is another. Note whether one side is harder than the other, or both hind legs together.
Dogs often hide difficulty getting up, so the changes can look small: thinking longer before jumping onto the sofa, choosing flat surfaces, avoiding slippery floors, or rising front end first and the back end afterwards. Before looking for a cause, let a vet check whether pain is involved, because only an examination can judge that properly.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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Painful, stiff joints
Worn joints stiffen most after sleep or a long lie-down. The dog gets up slowly and carefully, and moves more freely after a while.
About the condition: Arthritis -
A hip joint that formed poorly
A hip joint that developed poorly can make rising from the ground hard. The dog may push up with the front legs and sway a little as it stands.
About the condition: Hip dysplasia -
A slowly progressing disorder of the spinal cord
A spinal cord disorder can at first look like nothing more than weakening hind legs. The dog may place the feet imprecisely, stumble or scuff the claws on the ground.
About the condition: Degenerative myelopathy -
Changes in the discs of the spine
A back problem can cause pain or weakness and make standing up hard. Reluctance on stairs or sensitivity when the back is touched often go with it.
About the condition: Intervertebral disc disease -
Pain or weakness from another cause
Difficulty rising can also come from general weakness, another illness or an injury that cannot be recognised at a glance. That is why describing how and when it began matters.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether it is worst in the morning and after a long lie-down, or also after activity
- Whether the legs weaken, tremble or slip, or the dog is just moving carefully
- Whether both hind legs are affected, or one side only
- Whether your dog avoids stairs, the sofa or jumping into the car
- Whether your dog groans, licks one spot or does not like the back being touched
- Whether your dog tires quickly and spends more time lying down
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your dog has been slower to get up than before for more than a couple of days, if it keeps happening or is getting worse, or if you notice weakness or stumbling. If your dog cannot get up or the hind legs have stopped working, go straight away.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Arthritis Bones and joints Arthritis is inflammation of the joints in which the cartilage gradually wears down, leaving the joint stiff and painful. It can develop with age, after an injury or because of joints that did not form properly. Ongoing pain limits how freely and comfortably a dog moves, so changes are worth showing to a vet.
- Hip dysplasia Bones and joints Hip dysplasia is a developmental problem of the hip joint in which the head of the thigh bone does not sit snugly in the hip socket, so the loose joint wears unevenly over time. This can lead to pain and arthritis that limit how freely and comfortably a dog moves. Genetics play a part, but growth, body weight and exercise during puppyhood also have an influence.
- Degenerative myelopathy Nerves and muscles This is a slowly progressing disease of the spinal cord that, in older dogs, gradually weakens the connection between the brain and the hind legs. It is not painful, but over time the dog finds it harder and harder to control the back half of the body. The disease is linked to inherited factors, and whether a change in gait comes from it or from something else is for a vet to determine.
- Intervertebral disc disease Bones and joints Intervertebral disc disease is a condition in which the discs that cushion the spine between the vertebrae degenerate, bulge or rupture and start pressing on the spinal cord or nerves. This causes pain and, in more serious cases, weakness or even paralysis of the legs. The damage can happen suddenly, even after a perfectly ordinary jump, or build up gradually, so it is not something to wait out.
Body systems: Bones and joints Nerves and muscles