Hi everyone, I’m posting about my relative’s 9-year-old dog because we’re really worried and would love to hear from anyone who has experienced something similar.

Back in March, he started limping on his **right hind leg**. The vets suspected a torn ACL/CCL. They decided not to do surgery immediately and hoped conservative treatment might help. They were especially hesitant because a neighbor’s dog sadly passed away after ACL surgery.

They immediately stopped him from using stairs, limited his activity, and started giving him joint supplements.

Over time, **his limp actually improved and he started walking better again.** However, we noticed that both of his back legs would sometimes shake, and his posture/back has started looking much more hunched or “boxed” than it used to.

A couple of days ago, things suddenly became much worse.  
He couldn’t get up the stairs outside, so they lifted/carried him. We’re wondering if he could have hurt himself during that. There was also another dog staying at the house recently, which caused him to move around and exert himself much more than usual.

Since then, **he basically will not get up at all.** He has been lying in bed, cannot go outside, and now isn’t eating or drinking normally either.

We’re obviously getting him veterinary care tomorrow, but I’m trying to understand what possibilities we should be asking the vet about.   
For anyone who has dealt with a CCL/ACL tear or severe arthritis with their baby:

Can a CCL tear improve for months and then suddenly become this severe?  
Could arthritis cause a dog to suddenly become completely unable/unwilling to stand?  
Does the shaking in **both back legs** and change in his back/posture suggest something neurological or spinal rather than just a CCL?  
What testing helped you get a definitive diagnosis?  
If your older dog had CCL surgery, what was the recovery like?  
We’ve ordered **CoQ10, MYOS, and a full-body support sling** to help him, but at this point we’re much more concerned about figuring out what’s actually happening than supplements.  
Any experiences or suggestions for things we should specifically ask the vet to evaluate would be really appreciated.

Picture of him with the red light therapy.   
Any good thoughts please your way, this dog means the entire world to us and we are heartbroken.   
. 

9 year old goldendoodle with torn acl or severe arthritis