Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

NDR -- Remy is super lame! What to do?

Collapse
X
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • NDR -- Remy is super lame! What to do?

    Typing this from my phone so apologies for errors. Also sorry for length!

    My Weim/Basset puppy (10 months?) isn't putting any weight on his right hind leg. I checked the entire thing for swelling and injuries including his toenails and pads and webbing (and I'm a horse girl so deff know and am sensitive to things like minute swelling). Can't find anything and he didn't exhibit obvious signs of pain though he did get uncomfy after awhile and pull his leg away from me.

    I already made a vet appt but the earliest they had was 5pm today. The girl on the phone mentioned X-rays just based off what I told her/just told you. I love my vet but they can be a little gung ho in the expensive procedure department and I just wanted to get an idea of what you guys thought. I have a friend who works with dogs at a daycare and is getting training certified -- she said I should give it another day or two (til Monday really since the vet isn't open on Sunday) but she also leans a bit in the farm girl/tough it out/don't shell out $$ direction...

    So, opinions? Vet ASAP and pay whatever it takes? Wait and see?
    Last edited by cherysh; 02-28-2015, 07:19 AM. Reason: Length
    Caitlin &
    REMY {weimaraner}
    LULA {dane}
    OBERYN {newf}
    CONNER {kitty}

  • #2
    I have no experience with that breed but in a dane it could possibly be growing pains. Not sure if small breeds go thru this like the danes do.

    Comment


    • #3
      Well he is like 75+ lbs (breeds are from a DNA test so who knows if they're really accurate, lol), but he hasn't grown much in the last month or two.

      I guess I thought growing pains would be a more gradual onset/less acute and severe type thing?

      He was fine all day yesterday (according to my husband, I wasn't home), woke up from a long snooze around 10 pm and was all of a sudden putting very minimal weight on it. He'll touch it down to walk, but if he's standing still he's just toe touching to maintain his balance.

      It's definitely bothering him; he's laying down instantly whenever he pauses in movement around the house, in situations where he would normally just stand around or whatever. And he's not being a bouncy hyper puppy like he normally is this time of day

      We do live in the Northeast and have at least 2' of snow on the ground right now, plus ice on basically everything. We've been trying to keep up with the dog's fenced in area but there are definitely hazardous spots out there. As he's gotten more comfortable with the snow/ice he's been roughhousing more in the yard.

      Maybe he just tweaked something outside...
      Caitlin &
      REMY {weimaraner}
      LULA {dane}
      OBERYN {newf}
      CONNER {kitty}

      Comment


      • #4
        A good possibility. I'd wait it out until Monday.

        Comment


        • #5
          In my experience "waiting it out" didn't work. Eli's been lame twice (in the front leg though). The first time I brought him in right away, got an NSAID, he stopped limping the same day, then we kept him in house rest for another week and he was good to go. Second time I tried to "wait it out" and see if it was just a sprain or something. He continued limping for 5 days before I gave up and took him in. I got the same drug, he stopped limping the day after, we did the house rest again, and he was fine. Both times was a similar situation to you (no obvious pain anywhere to my eye). One time it turned out to be nothing to do with the leg, and was actually a neck injury.

          I think putting them on an NSAID for a few days is helpful and it can give you peace of mind. It's also not that expensive (I think it was $40 for the exam, $20 for the medication). If the drugs and house rest doesn't work, then it would be time for xrays imo.

          If you decide to wait it out, still make sure you're keeping him quiet (no roughhousing with other dogs, no walks except on leash outside to potty then right back in, just resting!). My vet said to do this 1-2 weeks depending on how fast the limping stops.
          sigpic

          Comment


          • #6
            I second what Tiva said. I wouldn't go as far as an X-ray at this point - but an exam and NSAID prescription. Our previous Dane had an issue with lameness of her front paw with no swelling or heat noted. The vet wanted to do an X-ray to the tune of $500 or so. We opted for just the meds and a follow up if there was no improvement, and she was back to normal within a week or two.

            I feel like vets can be a little too fond of X-rays sometimes. When Zoomer had pneumonia, the vet wanted to do a follow up X-ray weeks later. Since he was asymptomatic by that point I opted not to. When I had pneumonia they certainly didn't do a follow up X-ray on me, so I'm not sure why it would be considered for an animal. Aside from the radiation, getting the first X-ray done was pretty traumatizing for Zoomer.
            -Lisa (Zoomer's mom)

            Comment


            • #7
              I had xrays done on Mouse's elbow and Echo's front leg lump and they were relatively cheap since we didn't have to put them under. They were calm during the xray process. Both times the xray did show what was the matter. Rough arthritis in the elbow for Mouse, and the telltale signs of bone cancer for Echo, unfortunately. It still was nice to know what was the matter and treat it specifically.

              But I wouldn't xray until simple rest and an anti-inflammatory didn't seem to work.
              Tracy
              sigpic
              Mouse April 2010
              Echo -- run free, Sweetie! Jan 9, 2007 - April 24, 2014 Lost to osteosarcoma at 7 years, 3 months. RIP.

              Comment


              • #8
                Well he's so young, I really hope we don't have any serious issues to contend with. :/

                I did look at a past bill from my other dog and it looks like my vet only charges $80 for an initial X-Ray and then $45 for any extra frames. I'm going to keep the appointment and see what they can find while we're there--it was just the receptionist or possibly tech who mentioned the X-Ray so I don't think it's a set in stone thing that they're like trying to pressure me into or anything.

                Thanks guys--I'll post an update this evening after the appointment!
                Caitlin &
                REMY {weimaraner}
                LULA {dane}
                OBERYN {newf}
                CONNER {kitty}

                Comment


                • #9
                  good luck! hope it's nothing more than a tweak!!
                  [SIGPIC]

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Bad news

                    Well, the vet diagnosed it as a partial ACL tear

                    He's on NSAIDs and strict rest for the next week, after which we will bring him back to the vet and they'll re-evaluate the lameness. She said that if he wasn't completely better, they'd do an X-Ray and, assuming it shows a tear, refer us to a surgeon, who will determine if surgery, physical therapy, or a brace is the best option. My poor baby


                    This wasn't his regular vet, because it's Saturday, but it is the same practice. She diagnosed it by I guess poking or pushing at the ligament area over his knee, at which time he snapped his head around and growled at her (I have literally never heard him growl at a person!). After she did that, the lameness was considerably worse and she seemed absolutely positive it was a partial ACL tear :/ Does anyone know if that's a definitive way to diagnose it?
                    Caitlin &
                    REMY {weimaraner}
                    LULA {dane}
                    OBERYN {newf}
                    CONNER {kitty}

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by cherysh View Post
                      Well, the vet diagnosed it as a partial ACL tear

                      He's on NSAIDs and strict rest for the next week, after which we will bring him back to the vet and they'll re-evaluate the lameness. She said that if he wasn't completely better, they'd do an X-Ray and, assuming it shows a tear, refer us to a surgeon, who will determine if surgery, physical therapy, or a brace is the best option. My poor baby


                      This wasn't his regular vet, because it's Saturday, but it is the same practice. She diagnosed it by I guess poking or pushing at the ligament area over his knee, at which time he snapped his head around and growled at her (I have literally never heard him growl at a person!). After she did that, the lameness was considerably worse and she seemed absolutely positive it was a partial ACL tear :/ Does anyone know if that's a definitive way to diagnose it?
                      Don't they generally do MRIs to confirm ligament injuries?
                      sigpic
                      Chaucey
                      Asaah ~ xxx Asaah LaLa, CGC, registered therapy dog

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by oshagcj914 View Post
                        Don't they generally do MRIs to confirm ligament injuries?
                        Yes-- but they are VERY expensive (like, thousands)! Starting with an X-ray would at least rule out any broken bones or cartilage problems before jumping right to the super-expensive test which may not be necessary.
                        sigpic
                        “Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.”

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by GraciesMama View Post
                          Yes-- but they are VERY expensive (like, thousands)! Starting with an X-ray would at least rule out any broken bones or cartilage problems before jumping right to the super-expensive test which may not be necessary.
                          Yikes...my vet charges $80 for the first X-Ray and $45 for additional frames. I would definitely prefer to start with that!

                          I don't think they have MRI capability in the office, so that would probably be something that happens once we get referred to the surgeon...
                          Caitlin &
                          REMY {weimaraner}
                          LULA {dane}
                          OBERYN {newf}
                          CONNER {kitty}

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by cherysh View Post
                            Yikes...my vet charges $80 for the first X-Ray and $45 for additional frames. I would definitely prefer to start with that!

                            I don't think they have MRI capability in the office, so that would probably be something that happens once we get referred to the surgeon...
                            I hope it's nothing too serious! Poor pup.
                            sigpic
                            “Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.”

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Yeah He's so young...but the rescue we got him from thought he was a 12 week old lab mix ("will weigh 35 to 40 lbs"...lol!) when we adopted him, and had neutered him at what they thought was 8 weeks...when we took him to the vet for his first visit, they looked at his teeth and he had barely gotten his baby teeth in, let alone started losing them like he should have been at "12 weeks." Our vet guessed he was 8 weeks or so at that point, and since he weighed 25 lbs at the time, assumed he must have been a Dane or Dane mix. Well, he's not quite that big and DNA testing didn't show any Dane, but either way...the rescue's vet was WAY OFF and the poor baby got neutered at like 4 or 5 weeks old.

                              Anyways...apparently early neutering can predispose male dogs to ACL issues Hopefully he doesn't have any other serious complications from his rough babyhood...
                              Caitlin &
                              REMY {weimaraner}
                              LULA {dane}
                              OBERYN {newf}
                              CONNER {kitty}

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X