[artoorie]

Our family just adopted a two year old German Shepherd and we noticed that it has weak hind legs. I heard the owner barely walked the dog so that's probably it. The dog was kind of dragging its legs and low on stamina.

What do we need to do to rehabilitate its legs? Thank you :^)

 

[supaflyskye]

Might be hip dysplasia? Hard to say w/ so little information but it is extremely common in German Shepherds and sometimes can be quite severe, especially in show lines. I would get him checked out by a vet just to be certain.

 

[gngracie]

I would definitely have him checked out by a vet to ensure there are no injuries/medical issues. Then, assuming it's just deconditioning, I would slowly increase his activity level and length of walks. He's still a young guy, so I imagine his strength and stamina will increase pretty quickly with proper nutrition and exercise.

 

[Grabby]

Ditto the vet check. That's the first thing I do for any dog I acquire whether it's a pup or an adult dog. Full physical exam and mention the leg weakness. Vets can't read our minds so don't assume your vet will automatically know of your particular concern. You may have to have xrays if it's more than muscle atrophy.