Poor Tess lame on one side

[OEH]

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A long one -_- sorry, but I'm rather worried

Tess has been lame on her right hind on and off since January, never for longer than a few hours, most often in the evenings.

I took her straight to the vet and they did a series of x-rays and said that it was hip displasia. They showed me the x-rays, and while the ball and the socket are both perfect and with no wear and tear the ball is a little (mms) out of place in the socket. They said to lead walk her for a few days and give her metacam until it was better. They also recommended loads of road work.

We've done this since then (except I cut out the metacam as it didn't seem to help), and we've walked about 2 miles a day on the road in addition to our normal walks.

It didn't really seem to help an awful lot, but with time the lameness happened less and less frequently, but the more I looked at her the more sure I was that the lameness wasn't coming from her hips as she was swinging the leg out completely straight which I would have thought would have put a real strain on the hip.

Last week she had a bad bout, for the first timke in months, so I thought I would take her to another vet for a second opinion.

So we went yesterday.

This vet seemed to take a lot more time over her. we trotted her up and down out side a lot for him to really analyse her movement. Then he spent ages feeling her joints and muscles from her neck down. She is a very stoical little dog and never squeals, but when he felt her around her pelvis she squealled and looked misereable but at least he had found the source of the pain, which is more than anyone else yet.

He wants to do an x-ray, but she's in season and he doesn't want to do it till its over, so she's going in August.

He thinks that it is very serious, there is a nerve trapped somewhere around her spine and her pelvis, he thinks this could be due to an injury, her natural conformation or a degenerative spine condition.

He said that she mustn't do anything that could jar it as it could cut the nerve and she would be paralysed from there down. So she's got to stay on the lead until her x-ray .

He did, however, say that she's to walk loads on smooth grass, and we can do that. He also said that if she could swim at least 3 times a week it could really help, but for some reason not go to a hydrotherapy pool till after the x-ray. We live near the Thames and he recommends that we swim her in it everyday, the only thing is she's not too keen on swiming, and only ever does it to retreive a stick at great speed and she's not allowed stick chasing now. So I'm off to wade down the Thames with her.

Poor baby is already miserable as she feels fine, and can't understand why she's not allowed to play with Nana. She's furious with me :angry: .

Any ideas how to keep her brain happy, or to encourage swimming?

Thank you for bothering to read this. I just needed to get it off my chest as I'm really worried, and feel so sorry for my baby.

Olivia

 

[anslinmcg]

:luck: Good luck :luck:

 

[*Lesley*]

Sorry no advice, wish I had just hope all goes well for you and tess :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck:

 

[ILoveKettleChips]

Kongs! I'm sure if Helen hasn't already got a 'bored dogs' or 'Kong recipe' thread on FAQ, she could maybe start one?

My dogs will swim only if I go in too ... best suggestion I'm afraid. :luck:

 

[Nicola]

I do feel for you. It's horrible to see them lame and in pain.

Fred has had a limp for ages too, and it was diagnosed as arthritis in his toe and elbow. However, I pushed him slightly the other day against his shoulder (he was trying to lick my face in bed) and he squealed, and seemed dejected for the remainder of the day, not moving much at all. This has happened before when i tried to lift him off a bed that he wasn't supposed to be on and he refused to get off. I put my hand under his shoulder and tried to lift him upright and the same thing happened. I'm not convinced his pain is due to arthritis anymore, but an old shoulder injury, where he was badly attacked by another dog. Must get this re-investigated.

What I'm trying to say is I think vets quite often misdiagnose these type of things, and it's distressing and time consuming getting to the bottom of it. Tricky for the vet too, I would imagine.

Good luck :luck:

 

[ILoveKettleChips]

Tricky for the vet too, I would imagine.

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:lol: :lol: Well rescued ... :lol:

Just had a thought - what about exercise on sand? Check it out with your own vet first, but perhaps some visits to the beach to incorporate swimming AND gentle walking would be worthwhile?

 

[Zoe G]

I've got to agree about the mis-diagnosis thing. My whippet Oliver was lame in his front left early this year. I took him to the vet after a few weeks as no improvement. They felt around but he wouldn't give any sort of reaction, no crying, just fuming to be at the vets. And he didn't really display the limp while he was there either. Obviously hard for them to diagnose but they said they were pretty sure it was the shoulder, to rest it and come back if no joy.

I rested it but it never really went away, i ended up back at the vets a month later. This time they were pretty sure it was the wrist joint after feeling about but would have to xray to find out, full anaesthetic required.

I wasn't happy to have the anaesthetic especially when they had no idea of where the problem was. I decided to give asolutely full rest. I asked if swimming would help and they said resolutely no, it could make things worse if a cartilage problem.

Anyway absolute rest for 2 weeks - 3 minute walk on lead to go to the loo, twice a day and NOTHING ELSE! I got this cortaflex for joint pain as well and gave him that as a diet supplement. Was really hard to keep this up with no walks but I was determined not go back to the vets. It paid off and the limp has gone. I built up his exercise really really slowly after that. He put on 3kgs! But now he's back to normal weight with no limp.

A friend of mine recommended really strongly Cortaflex for dogs. I got a bottle which was about £20 but I'm still finishing it. I'm not sure how much this helped but she absolutely swore by it and Ollie is better so maybe it had some effect.

Anyway this is probably a totally different problem to yours but have you tried absolute rest? And be cautious with the vets because they have to guess a fair bit.

Keep us posted and I hope Tess gets back to fitness soon. )

Zoe

 

[Rae]

Poor Tesa

Hope they get to the bottom of it soon and it's something that can be sorted out quickly.

We did loads of clicker training with Leia while she was immobile - and games like hiding a peice of cheese under a cup for her to find, etc

I dont understand why she cant go to a hydrotherapy pool now but you are supposed to be swimming her in the Thames? :blink:

 

[OEH]

I dont understand why she cant go to a hydrotherapy pool now but you are supposed to be swimming her in the Thames?  :blink:

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I don't really understand either- maybe its because she's on heat, but surely I could go when its over-

Maybe he thinks it would be too intense ?

Idon't know :wacko:

To be honest I was so shocked I didn't ask all the questions I should have, I think I maight have to ring him when I've digested it a bit more.

ILKC-

Kongs- brilliant :thumbsup: - why hadn't I thought of that, I've seen the threads often enought

Thanks everyone for your support. I'm going to do my absolute best not to let her break out of a slow trot which she is meant to be doing lots of, and may get my bathing dress out and brave the Thames this afternoon- could lead to good photos if my OH comes along too with a camera :- "

 

[Janimal]

Poor Tesa - God Luck for her :luck: Hope things work out for you :thumbsup:

 

[OEH]

Well she wouldn't swim when I paddled with her so I went in (fully clothed) and we had a lovely time. Going to take my bathing dress tomorrow!

 

[Joanna]

Well good luck with her, and I must insist on some Thames photos :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[shane]

I feel for you, my dog pete is in a splint and must rest!, try telling a whippet that! Good luck, hope everything goes well.

 

[~elizabeth~]

Any ideas how to keep her brain happy?

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She's welcome to come and watch squirrels, bunnies and muntjac from my bedroom window with Gelert - they keep him occupied for hours. I don't know how many calories he burns off quivering!

Fingers crossed for a good result :luck: - how long to wait now ? I know I couldn't sleep for weeks when I thought the cat might have a brain tumour.

 

[Kirawan]

Excuse me butting in here, but I reckon I would ring your vet and ask if he was okay about you consulting a McTimoney Chiropractor in your area.

They are very gentle, and can work absolute wonders.... they have to have the blessing of your vet though.

If this is the way you want to go (and I certainly would want to) - you can find your closest one by clicking on this link.

http://www.natural-animal-health.co.uk/find-therapist.htm

I would certainly not over exercise Tess presently - nature often offers the best way towards a cure - and that is often rest.

As someone else said... Cortaflex is very very good.

So pleased to hear that you did not follow the metacam route.

Does she appear well in every other respect?

Naturally, you would not want to offend your vet - but it seems to me that some sort of treatment should be offered right now - not when the season has finished.

how long does she have to go before ending her season??

 

[OEH]

Thank you so much for the advice Kirawan- very helpful :thumbsup:

I reckon I would ring your vet and ask if he was okay about you consulting a McTimoney Chiropractor in your area.They are very gentle, and can work absolute wonders.... they have to have the blessing of your vet though.

In theory I would absolutely agree with you but the vet is excellent at manipulation himself, and is a running dog expert and is going to do it himself, but wants to see x-rays first

I would certainly not over exercise Tess presently - nature often offers the best way towards a cure - and that is often rest.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: well she's done nothing but trot quietly beside me and swim for over two weeks now and it does have to be said it's made an amazing difference, she's not had a single three legged episode and her stride in her back legs has noticably lengthened- she's really stepping out behind now, I hadn't noticed that there was anything wrong when she wasn't lame but she's moving very differently now- much straighter

As someone else said... Cortaflex is very very good.

for some strange reason had no effect at all

Does she appear well in every other respect?

she's really really well, full of spring and bounce, and so can't understand why she's not allowed off the lead

she's my little angel o she's being so sweet and patient

 

[OEH]

Well she's due for her x-ray on Friday. I am very nervous for her. I have been trying so hard not to let her run at all, and she's been brilliant and completely sound . But yesterday I gave in- she so wanted a run and we were with friends, and today she is a little sore again so abviously all that lead work hasn't had a permanent effect.

Here are some pics of her enjoying a relaxing time

 

[OEH]

and with a Nana cushion

 

[*Lesley*]

She's so gorgeous :wub: :wub: ,and Nana too of course :wub: :wub: hope she makes a speedy recovery and good luck for Friday :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck:

 

[kirsty]

Lovely pictures, they are both beautiful :wub: Hope all goes well Friday :luck: and she feels a lot better very soon.

Kirsty