Maggie's Story: How an MRI Explained Her Foot Dragging

Maggie is a 6-year-old lab who lives for walks, attention, and stealing socks. One morning her owners noticed something subtle: her left back paw was scraping the sidewalk. At first it seemed like clumsiness. Within a week, she was clearly dragging that foot.

Her regular vet examined her and took X-rays, which didn’t show anything serious. The problem was getting worse, and nobody could explain why. That’s when Maggie was sent for an MRI.

What the MRI Found

The MRI showed what the X-rays couldn’t: a soft-tissue problem deep inside her lower spine. One of the discs between her vertebrae had pushed out just enough to press on the nerve that controls her back leg. It wasn’t visible on regular imaging, but it was enough to make her paw drag.

The good news? It was treatable.

Treatment and Recovery

Maggie didn’t need surgery. Her vet put her on pain medication, nerve-supportive meds, strict rest, and a simple home-exercise plan. Within a month her gait improved. At eight weeks, her foot dragging was gone and she was back to her normal, energetic self.

Why MRI Made the Difference

Dogs drag their feet for all kinds of reasons — hip pain, arthritis, nerve issues, spinal problems. But most of those causes don’t show up on X-rays. MRI is the tool that actually lets us see the nerves, discs, and soft tissues that control movement.

For Maggie, MRI answered the question her owners and vet couldn’t: why is this happening?
Once the cause was clear, treatment was straightforward.