2308. A 16-year-old Maltese X cannot stand up overnight

Sep 24, 2015
Public holiday. Hazy sky.
This 7.8-kg Maltese X is 16 years old. Usual sleep whole day and ambled slowly.

"He needed to be hand fed by the owner because of painful mouth," I said. "No dental for the past 10 or more years.The toxins from the mouth bacteria could have passed via the blood to the brain and body causing lethargy and difficulty to stand up for the past 2 weeks. But overnight, he just could not stand on his hind limbs. He had paraparesis or paraplegia.   

"Is it common in old dogs?" the lady in her late 30s asked me.
"No," I said.