What to do for my beagle that is in back pain?

Hello, my beagle, Murphy, is 8 years old and in pain with his back.  He is on prednisone 2 xs a day since this past Wednesday but he is still dragging his hind legs.  He scoots across the floor.  I was told that surgery is 50/50 and that my other option is to put him down.  I don't want to put him down and I don't have the funds for surgery.  This happened to him last year but could walk.  It happened to my female beagle, Sassy, and she was put on prednisone as well and now she can walk again.  I don't know what to do or even how long will this prednisone take if it is really going to work.  He is a fat beagle, he is 60 lbs but no other health issues, I have had him checked for thyroid and everything.  His metabolism is horrible but he is the happiest dog.  His taill keeps wagging still to this day.  I just don't know what to do.  Any suggestions?

[Jerry_NJ]

You say he is in pain, that should be addressed first... why to you think pain, the lack of rear leg strength doesn't necessarily mean pain..is that something your vet told you?

Seem like getting the weight down, to what 30 pounds?  That's a big difference right there (I don't know how much he should weigh, but surely not 60 pounds).

We had a golden that had a stroke and lost use of his rear legs, no evidence of ongoing pain.  He was a big dog so it took two of us but we put him in water in a nearby river where we could stand in slow side water deeper than his legs and hold him while he "dog paddled"... that is water therapy for his legs... it worked, we got him back on his feet and he lived for a couple more years  before cancer forced us to put him down.