Dog Community

chihuahua limping

Posted : 5/27/2006 11:16:41 PM

New to this board! Unfamiliar using this forum. I have a 7 plus yr old chi, she started limping a couple months ago. Been to the vet, xrays show collapsed disc in thorasic area, healed at this point. It is her front left leg, she can stand, or stretch with it, but can't walk on it. Does this make any sense? She's been on two weeks of prednesone a couple different times, during which she stops limping after about the 4th day and runs and walks like it never hurt her. Take her off it and within two days she's starting to limp again and by the 5th day she carries it, yelps if you pick her up wrong etc. She acts like she is uncomfortable and will still jump off the bed if you don't stop her beforehand. Vet says he thinks it is the disc, but why does she do well on the prednisone and then slips right back to square one when not on it? To me it acts like whatever is happening is inflammatory! She is a rescue, 7 yrs ago, age could be older as we don't know for sure, she is graying in the face, needs dental work, teeth were bad when we rescued her, cleaning and extraction were done several times over the years but remaining teeth still are lose and bad and not as active as she was the first three years we had her. Does anyone know what this possibly is? Her vet wants to do a CT to look further, is this something I should pursue? I trust the vet as he has taken care of my other dogs just fine, he says spinal surgery is a last option.

mrv

Posted : 5/28/2006 7:22:12 AM

You could always try supportive care like acupuncture, VOM, chiropractice, massage or water therapy. If you are in a larger metro area or near one, you can usually find all or some of those services.

Also. make sure the dog is as lean as possible. That reduction in weight is critical for long term function and comfort ( if needed)

Nancy Hulbert

Posted : 5/29/2006 9:12:44 PM

Thanks, could try that, especially acupuncture and I do keep her weight down, she is only 5lbs, but I really will have to find out why it is happening before treatment can be done and apparently no one here knows I guess!

jeano

Posted : 5/30/2006 1:54:03 AM

Hi Nancy,

Post your question in the Health section. You'd be more likely to get a response there.

And welcome!

angelamarie

Posted : 5/30/2006 7:19:47 AM

Hi Nancy, Sorry to hear about your chi's difficulties. The only thing I can add is have her elbows been checked? Elbow dysplasia does affect toy dogs.

Nancy Hulbert

Posted : 5/30/2006 8:51:35 PM

Thanks, maybe I will check out the health forum, elbow dysplasia, now that I don't know, I need to call the vet and see if his xrays were just of the spine and if it included her legs. I saw them but can't remember how much of her legs were visible. Thanks again.

Nancy Hulbert

Posted : 6/7/2006 9:33:59 PM

I guess I'll go to the health forum. The new xrays came back negative again and this was with nuclear stuff which shows alot more. They checked spine shoulder elbow and foot!!! In other words no reason for her lameness!!!

yanke

Posted : 6/7/2006 10:01:13 PM

Did you check for lyme disease?

Nancy Hulbert

Posted : 6/7/2006 11:43:34 PM

Yanke, gee I don't know, didn't even think about that! We live in western washington state and my chi only goes outside to potty and comes right back in, tho I have three other dogs as well! I don't know if there is any way a deer tick could get in the yard and if so why only her? I checked the net and sure enough she has three of the criteria, lameness, swollen lymph nodes and on and off fever. Gee, I'll call the vet and they'll be able to tell me if dogs here get that!!

Karen

Posted : 6/8/2006 3:44:11 PM

We had a chihuahua she lived to be about 13. She used to favour one leg at times then other times jump on and off the lounge, run like nothing was wrong, she would also yelp if you picked her up wrong. We had her checked but nothing was found. Apparently these dogs are known for this along with jack russles.

I'm not saying there is nothing wrong as their could be but two dogs I know of have just favoured one leg at times, still get the dog checked out for everything to make sure nothing is wrong.

I hope everything works out.

Nancy Hulbert

Posted : 6/10/2006 1:55:15 AM

Thanks all for replies. Well went back to vet the first one I saw a few months ago. He thinks almost positively she has bicep brachi tendon rupture! Clearly no neurological problems and he put her through plenty of tests. But if you feel each shoulder, they are very different, the bad leg has no muscle to speak of while the good one is prominent! So we are back on prednizone and this is the second day and she is starting to use the leg again, just like before. We will see how it goes this time, he did give me a quote for a MRI from the surgeon, $1200! He does think the BBTR is the problem and I think for now we will treat her as such and go from there, $1200 is alot of money so one step at a time here!