It is most prevalent in the northeastern and Midwestern states of the U.S., with about 96% of reported cases occurring in 14 states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
In some cases, the dog will not be able to move its legs at all, a condition of total paralysis, and in other cases, there may still be some communication between the brain and spine and the dog will only appear to be weak, or will have difficulty moving its legs, a condition called paresis â partial paralysis.here are also cases where a dog may be paralyzed in all four legs (tetraplegia), and in others, the dog may be able to control the movement in some of its legs but not all.
1 Stage II disc disease causes moderate to severe pain in the neck or lumbar (lower back) area. 2  Stage III disc disease causes partial paralysis (paresis) and results in the dog walking in staggering or uncoordinated movements. 3  Stage IV disc disease causes paralysis but the ability to feel is present.