Dog Community

Cannot ascertain Lab's injury....

Posted : 6/12/2006 5:21:46 AM

Hi all - What a great resource! I understand that you may not be able to shed any light on my problem, however I thought I should try, as it always helps to get other opinions...

My Lab x Golden Retriever Josie is 7.5 years, very agile and never had trouble with weight. We know both her parents well, and they do not have any hip problems, neither has Josie suffered any hip problems during her lifetime. In fact we always laugh when she sits, as she tends to 'lean' into people, roll on her spine, and splay her legs as far apart as possible! Also, she is very comfortable lying on her back with her hind legs splayed out, and has done this since she was little.

Both our dogs are on a supplement called 'Sasha's Blend' - it's an Australian made supplement for stiffness in joints and arthritis. Our pure bred Retriever Beau displayed these symptoms about 12 months ago, however has not shown any problems since being on Sasha's Blend (I highly recommend it for any older dog). We thought it best to start both dogs on the supplement, as it will assist in the future if there is any possibility of arthritis.

Which leads me to now - Josie has been showing increased signs of an injury to her right hind leg, but I just can't work out what it could be.

It started about 8 weeks ago, when she seemed to be having trouble getting up after a sleep. Everyone said 'well, she is getting old,' but I thought that it had come on too sudden, and it was quite severe for a normally active dog. She displayed no signs of slowing down at all - they both get walks twice a day and are 'inside' dogs, therefore not out in the cold at all.

After about 4 weeks, she went to jump over a low fence and clipped it with one of her hind paws. She normally would have cleared it easily. I also felt that she had lost a bit of muscle tone in her hind legs, which worried me. A quick search on the internet found similar symptoms being pinched nerves in the lower spine - Off to the vet!!

The vet deducted that it wasn't nerve damage, as she was responding fine to the 'nerve damage tests,' but she noticed did seem to be keeping most of her weight on her front legs. The vet also felt that the problem wasn't hip dysplacia, as there was no immobility when she moved the hind legs in their sockets. She put Josie on a weeks worth of anti-inflammatories, which she responded well to - she displayed none of the symptoms which she had throughout the weeks before.

After a few days of being off the medication however, she started showing 'stiffness' symptoms again. This time I called a doggie Chiropractor. After some searching the Chiro deducted that there was something wrong with Josie's right hand rear leg, as she flinched when she tried to stretch it out, and also when she used her 'Chiro gadget' on her. That was a week ago - I was expecting that Josie may show worse symptoms for the few days after the chiro appointment, which she did, however she hasn't gotten better, and in fact last night was as bad as I have seen her. She was limping quite badly yesterday evening after a short snooze, and then at about 10.00pm, she tried to hop up onto our bed (for a smooch - normal practice before saying good night) but she clipped both hind legs on the timber base, as if she was not getting enough 'oomph' in her spring.

Another little symptom I have noticed today is that she is not sitting as neatly as she normally does when she is alert, ie: as if she was about to get a treat. Generally both back feet are tucked in underneath, but she does not seem able to do this currently.

I have read on this forum a bit about CCL tears and strains and am wondering if that is it? Does anti-inflammatories help to subside this injury, or it's symptoms? I have been stretching and massaging her legs all day, and she has not shown any irritability at all. The limp seems to have subsided a little today.

If anyone has an idea as to what her injury is, I would greatly appreciate your comments...

Much appreciated,
Christie

nfowler

Posted : 6/12/2006 8:41:11 PM

Hi Christie--

At the risk of perhaps coming across as "too negative," let me say, first of all, that you should probably write owned_by_dogs; copy and paste this into that and tell her that nfowler sent you. She's edited books on these issues.

I really think she has some HD, but that's just me, little ol' obsessive me. It's possible to get that as dogs get older, too. And it's hard to diagnose. Perhaps she clipped her leg on that jump because her back legs are getting weaker.

If she injured her knee in any way, they tend to run and then cry, get better then unwell, be OK and then can't move. They may stick their whole leg out straight when the sit, or spin in circles when trying to get up.

Anyway, I'll let that sit for a bit, but to be honest (and I'm no vet; but I am rapidly learning about it all), it really sounds like HD--of any sort, could be the pretty easy-to-deal-with kind--and not nerve damage. My last hound had some nerve damage and she dragged her back left leg just a bit (she got better after her 2 weeks on drugs, but she never totally healed) when she walked/ran.

More in a bit--nice to meet you and I'm glad you posted. Your dogs are gorgeous and they look so darn happy.

Nancy

Christie Strike

Posted : 6/13/2006 3:40:11 AM

Hi there Nancy - thanks for your reply.

It all got the better of me today, so I took her to another vet this evening (we are new to the area, and don't really know what the different vets are like in the town. Where we used to live we had one of the greatest vets of all time, who has known the dogs since they were pups).

She did say similar things, that it could be a little bit of HD, could be a little CCL tear, could be both together. As you say also, the vet didn't think it was nerve damage at all, which I guess is the best thing to hear.

Anyway, she is booked in with this vet for Friday for a full X-Ray of hips, knees and spine, just to be thorough. If they find anything that they feel requires surgery they are going to do it then. If not, then at least we will have the X-Rays for future reference. This vet instilled a bit more confidence than the previous one, they do about 3 CCL operations a month.

Anyways, I will write to 'Owned' (aren't we all? [

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thank you so much for your kind advice.

Will let you know how we go!!

Cheers,
Christie

nfowler

Posted : 6/13/2006 7:46:11 AM

Christie--let me know how it goes. When Murphy (one of my HD dogs--yes, I'll admit it all here) had a recent updated X-ray done, he hurt really bad for two weeks. I was pretty upset.

I adopted Murphy a few months ago, knowing full well that he was a "special needs" dog. Didn't know why, exactly, but boy do I know now. (I have another post somewhere here from Sunday where I explained more--under "legs" under the "everything else" section.)

I have had his sister (the one in my signature) for 2.5 years, since she was a puppy, and just recently is she showing signs of something being wrong.

Tomorrow is our own "X-day" (for evaluation and possible X-ray) and while I already know in my heart, I'm dreading hearing the words.

You just get so obsessed with making everything okay again. You know? Okay, I do. I can't stand watching her get so "tired" after standing--watching her shift legs and then lay down. Watching her perfect little sit turn into one (more quickly than ever) where her left hip rolls out. And she doesn't know. Just like Murphy doesn't know.

One thing I've learned is that with medicine, it's all open to interpretation, so I'm working on dealing with things one day at a time.

I'll be here!

N

Christie Strike

Posted : 6/17/2006 11:01:50 PM

Nancy, I am so sorry to hear about Murphy - I hope that the news you think you were going to hear about his sister wasn't so. Look at that perfect little nose!

Josie's X-Rays came up quite good, certainly no ACL tear or rupture, which was a relief to hear. Also, no arthritis at all, and as far as HD, whilst she did not have a perfect fit of bones in hip sockets, the vet seemed to think that there was absolutely nothing to worry about there either.

Which all led me to question 'well, what then?' He thought maybe strained ACL's, and she is on a months worth of Cartofen injections whilst we keep her nice and quiet (big changes in this house - carpeting the lounge room which is currently floor boards, and dismantled our bed last night too, mattress is now on the ground. Also, we have carpeted stairs to our bedroom, which concerns me - if we need to, we will move).

She has been not herself at all since the X-Rays, and it is breaking my heart. That is interesting that Murphy was so bad for so long, the poor little thing. And you mentioned a 'perfect sit' - in Josie's case it has become a 'lean,' with a hip and leg rolled out. It is one of the things that I told the vet alerted me to worsening conditions over the past few weeks. I just want her to be right again. And yep, getting very obsessed as to how we can fix her. Where I live is quite isolated, there are no Hydrotherapy places unless we literally get on a plane (Tasmania is an island south of the Australian mainland, population 500,000). So I have emailed a few Hydro bath manufacturers - if no one has one in the State, I may as well be the first! I know so many beloved pooches getting on in years, and their Mums and Dads would have no hesitation in utilising it. Just today, hubby, doggies and I went on a search for suitable premises to house it.....

Thanks you so much for getting me Sally Doyle's details (Owned by Dogs) I brought her eBook and it was a huge help in understanding what the vet was talking about with the X-Rays (ie: Meniscus, had never heard of that before!). Would recommend every dog owner buy it from her, she deserves big slobbery kisses for producing it. [

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All the best Nancy, I will continue reading your posts and posting with any news I have.

Cheers,
- C