Question of the Day

A dog with flaccid paresis is weak and limp, but can still move some. Paresis means weak, but still able to move.

The rear legs are the caudal limbs, the front legs are the cranial limbs.

Paralysis means weak, but not able to move. Paresis and paralysis are often further described as flaccid (limp) or tetanic (stiff).

An example of a flaccid paresis is milk fever (parturient paresis) in dairy cows.

An example of a flaccid paralysis is botulism in animals affected by the neurotoxin of Clostridium botulinum.

Click here to see limp duck, paralyzed with botulism.

Examples of tetanic (stiff) paresis or paralysis include tetanus in animals affected by the neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani and eclampsia in a dog or person who just gave birth.