Baby Bulldog Limping - any ideas?

    • Bronze

    Baby Bulldog Limping - any ideas?

    My bulldog is only a baby (11 mos) and has developed a limp in the past month or so.  It started slight and occasional and has progressively gotten much worse.  Luckily, she does not appear in pain.  It is so bad now that I cannot walk her except to let her go to the bathroom.  My vet cannot know for sure, but thinks it may be her nervous system.  We are trying to factor out other options such as growing pains, injury, and bone problems for now with rest and doggy anti-inflamatory medication.  If she doesn't improve we could be looking at disk problems in her neck which would call for extensive back surgery.  She is so young and loves to play so I feel awful that we have to keep her sedentary, or worse that she may need to stay sedentary for the rest of her life.  Has anyone had any experience in this area?  If she needs surgery, can we guarantee that will help?  We are so worried.

    • Gold Top Dog

    where's the limp? front? rear? have you checked between the toes for interdigital cysts? Had a hip x ray done?

    • Bronze

    It's her front right leg and appears to be her shoulder.  They checked her toes and there are no cysts.  The vet is guessing nerves because her reflexes aren't as strong in the front as in the back and she has drug her paw a few times although, not all the time.  Also, her nails on her right paw are filed down shorter as if she has been dragging it more. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Does it seem progressive as in it's gone to the other leg too?

    If she does drag it enough, in time it will wear and wound and might get infected. She also might not notice injuries to it as it's sensation is reduced. This sounds like a rough thing to go thru...I'm sorry. Have you spoken with people in your breed to see if anyone's encountered this before and if so what their outcome was?

    • Bronze

    No, it definitely is not in the other leg, just the right.  Also, another weird thing is that she can run perfectly fine, just walks very poorly.  I tried doing research on her breed, but haven't found anything like this yet, nor have I found anything like this in other breeds.  I'm hoping someone here has bulldog experience. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Has Elbow dyplasia been 100% ruled out by a specialist...and have you seen an ortho vet for this as opposed to a regular vet? Bulldog Club of America lists ED as a problem.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Read this one...scroll down the the Hemivertebrae one and also read thru the spina bifida one...might mention both to your vet....

    http://www.bcahealth.homestead.com/spinabifida.html

    • Bronze

    That's really good information, thank you!  I will bring this up to her tomorrow.  She is supposed to call me then to discuss other ideas/treatments.  Thanks again!

    • Gold Top Dog

    You are more than welcome...best of luck to you both!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Any luck in identifying your bulldog pup's limping problem?