Vet question please?

[swquilts]

Our dear little Rosie (Chessie) has a hard time getting up. We're thinking she is either displaying symptions of hip displasia or she hurt herself chasing mice and lizards in the wood pile.

Once she gets up and moving she doesn't have much problem. I'm sure I can answer this myself (yes), but should we get her Xrayed?

PS: She also shows that hip hoppy gait with her back legs when she runs.....

*sigh*

[LakeMartinGal]

Susan, our younger golden is having similar symptoms. He's off to the vet today. Really freaked me out when he wouldn't eat! He's a real chow hound. Now, he'll move, but prefers not to, and is having a hard time with stairs. I'm having the vet check his blood levels, as he's on phenobarbitol, Gabapentin and potassium bromide -- all for epilepsy.

Hope your little girl feels better soon!

[Shugness]

How old is your doggie? Do you think she might have arthritis?

My dog, Max, died in February - she was 13. The last year of her life she started having difficulty getting around. A friend of mine recommended giving her liquid glucosomine - just like us humans take. She done VERY well with it - she got stubborn about it a few times and missed a couple days of taking it and she started having issues ago, was moving slower and seemed like she was having difficulty. I have recommended it to other people, and actually gave what I had left of it to another friend of mine whose lab is getting old and showing signs of joint pain - they said she is doing a lot better since they started giving it to her.

I was buying it at Costco, this is what it looks like.... http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10027237&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|589|770&N=4013450&Mo=12&No=8&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=31149&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=

If you don't think its arthritis though, and she's not in horrible pain, I'd probably wait a few days. The dog I adopted in April was limping a few months ago, I think she hurt herself playing fetch, probably pulled something - anyways - in about 5 days she was back to tip top condition. It may be something that will heal itself, but it it doesn't get any better then take her and get an xray done.

[pharmarepgirl]

I am not a vet so this is just my opinion: How old is your dog? I think that would play into my decision. One of our dogs will be 15 in a few mos and he has some joint stiffness that we have asked the vet about. Our vet recommended not doing xrays unless we really wanted them. They felt his stiffness was due to age and arthritis. I agreed b/c of his advanced age, negative physical exam plus realtively good bloodwork and no other signs of pain or behavior changes.

On the other hand our female is only 5 and she screamed out in pain one day when playing w/ her brother. They were playing as usual but it was still pretty rough. Turned out she had a subluxating patella that was getting roughed up in their play.

our vet gave us Rimadyl Rx to give our older guy on days when he seems espically sore. He is moritifed of stairs and actually took a spill on them once too so NO stairs for him. I also have to lift him onto the couch but most of the time his walking gait is fine. I will admit that he has a doggie cart/stroller for walks and has a hard time making our daily 2 mile walk unless he has his cart (he would not stand to be left behind though!)

I think I would still consult your vet and ask their advice. At the very least having a physical exam and maybe bloodwork always makes me feel better. If this is a young dog I would definetly not delay w/ a vet trip. Just my 2 cents!

Good luck!

[swquilts]

She's 6 yo. This has been going on now for about 3 weeks. We do give her (and her buddy Woody) glucosamine/chondroitin pills that we get at Trader Joes. (Cheap, $9.99 for 100)

We are afraid to give her Rimadyl since Woody had some major issues with taking it.

[LakeMartinGal]

Just got back from the vet. He took blood work before anything else, thinks it's joint problems, and found a place in Riley's back that seems out of place. He doesn't like to put weight on it. Doc recommended Deramax and glucosamine, so we're trying that until we see the blood levels.

[mcgeiger]

Short and sweet (my flight back from San Diego was delayed, and a snowstorm when I got home=2am to get home + 11 hour day today at work):

6 yo Chessie for 3 weeks not getting better--> exam +/- xrays

:)

[nylucy4]

I have a 5 yr old field spaniel who started displaying similar symptoms in May after a few days of swimming. She was having trouble getting up and limping. We took her to an orthopedist who did x-rays which showed arthritis. We put her on very limited exercise for a few weeks and started giving her glucosomine. We also make adjustments in our house to prevent her from jumping. We got a ramp that goes up to our couch and put a gate up to prevent her from going upstairs (luckily our bedroom in on the first floor). She's doing much better now.

[Laurielee]

I would get an xray to rule out any injury.

Timely thread, have any of you tried chiropractic care?
My almost 12 year old Jake is in the same boat, he is on liquid glucosomine but nothing else. I think I need xrays as he seems more lame recently in one of his back legs when he tries to get up.

Laurie

[swquilts]

Well we took Rosie in (needed shots anyway) and the vet watched her walk and run. Then he did a sort of lumbar test to see if she would spread her back legs when he pushed her hind end side to side. He also felt around and flexed her back legs but said he didn't feel anything out of the ordinary.

He didn't Xray since she was doing so well that day (of course) and she does seem to be doing better. He mentioned that sometimes dogs have back problems that can make one of the back legs a bit numb, but once they walk around they seem ok. This sounds like what she has going on. He was quite pleased that she lost 9 lbs! She is a wide body in the front tho...;) very stocky. Woody went along for company so we had him weighed too and he's lost 13! This will truly help both of them TG. Vet was quite pleased.

Thanks everyone for your comments and support!

[GingerPow]

Just got back from the vet. He took blood work before anything else, thinks it's joint problems, and found a place in Riley's back that seems out of place. He doesn't like to put weight on it. Doc recommended Deramax and glucosamine, so we're trying that until we see the blood levels.
Sounds similar to what happened with Murphy - I thought she may have developed hip problems, but it turned out to be arthritis in her back. I gave her glucosamine and mixed Knox gelatin powder in with a bit of soft food every few days. It did help her.

[pharmarepgirl]

Gosh, there must be a club like the gallbladder club!!! I just took our little girl to the vet this AM. She did not want to jump on the couch or stand on her back legs to beg so I was worried about her back or hips. She is only 5! Plus her gait has been fine and she still gets excited on walks.

Our vet said that dogs can start having back problems at 3-4 yrs of age. They did a physical exam and said they thought it was her back. The vet said no xrays for now b/c she thinks it is muscular. So she recommended Rimadyl and light activity. The dogs are not going to be happy about missing the 2mile walk!:(

Hope everyones doogies are feeling better soon!

[LakeMartinGal]

I gave her glucosamine and mixed Knox gelatin powder in with a bit of soft food every few days. It did help her.Never heard that about the gelatin -- I'll have to try it! Thanks!:)

[bobmark226]

I'm so sorry you're going through this now, Susan, because Tony & I are living with it with 13 year old Mikey, the elder of the two Springers who's pretty much lost the use of his back legs. I wish it was arthritis, because, as mentioned here, there are lots of things to help, but it's spinal deterioration and will only continue with nothing to really help.

We got him one of those harnesses with a back section to lift him so we can walk him somewhat and get him around. We're also trying acupuncture now. The problem here is that everything about Mikey, who is old for a Springer, is fine! Vision, hearing, appetite, no incontinence, alert, responsive, just can't get up. :( Tony, who is my rock, is devastated.

Tough stuff to deal with, it colors everything, and I hope things go well for you, Susan, and all the others who are now living with similar problems.

Bob