Screaming When Jumping Up Into Car

[Guest leena]

To start with, I want to say that Leena is only 5 years old. What I am going to explain will probably seem like the symptoms of a much older dog, so they are even more worrisome to me. I am crying a lot lately since this started last Sunday.

 

Last Sunday I noticed that she was not wanting to jump back into the car after walks. I thought she was being obsinate and eventually thowing treats into the car got her to jump in. Then on Tuesday when we got home from work, my husband let her out and she whimpered when the screen door closed gently on her back. I brought her out to the car for a walk, and she jumped right in and started screaming and holding up her back left leg. I rushed to the only vet in town that was still open, and their wait was too long, she wouldn't be able to be seen. Plus, she jumped right down from the car with no problems, and was totally fine walking around the vet, so they must have thought I was overexaggerating. Still, she screamed again when I had her jump back into the car to take her home. The next day we went to our normal vet where she again, only screamed when she jumped into the car. At the vet she was fine, they did full range of motion to her legs, feet, and tail, though they saw that her both back legs were having muscle spasms. They gave me METACAM and METHOCARBAMOL, a 3 day supply, and said that she might have just fallen down when she was in the house, and if she is not better in 7 days or getting worse, to bring her back in. This was not my normal vet, my normal vet has limited hours because she is going to acupuncture training. When we (vet assistant and I) tried to get Leena to go back into the car, she would refuse and try to run back inside. She vet assistant tried to lift her and she SCREAMED so loud that I brought her back in to the vet and was quite shaken up. The vet felt her spine with furm pressure, and she yelped when the vet hit a point in her lower lumbar spine. We got her in the car using a ramp, and I took her home, stopping on the way to buy my own ramp at Petsmart.

 

Then the next day she wouldn't even use the ramp, walking up the incline hurt her, but doing down and walking on level ground gave her no problem. She was obviously getting worse, so I brought her back to the vet, this time to see her normal vet, who was doing her last clinic day before she left for her acupuncture training. I demanded x-rays and she got a full set. The vet did not see anything unusual on the x-rays, but sent them to the radiologist for further evaualation. She told me to continue with the METACAM and METHOCARBAMOL (though I am only giving her half pills of this one, since the vet said that it can make them lethargic.) She is on "bed rest" and I am instructed to not take her for walks and only bring her outside to go potty. I have one more day of medications left for her, and I am waiting to hear back about the x-rays. If they don't see anything on the x-rays, what could it be?

 

I cried all last night. It is horrible for me to see her not be able to go on walks or even jump on the couch. All she does is sleep in her bed for basically 23 hours a day since Sunday, I let her out to go potty, she eats and drinks (just fine, no lack of appetite) and then she goes back to bed and sleeps. I don't know if she is in pain, she doesn't seem to be in pain unless she goes up an incline or jumps, or someone presses on her back. I gave her gentle massage yesterday and she yelped when I got to the base of her spine right where her tail started.

 

For anyone who keeps up on this board, this is happening about 6 weeks after she was attacked by a dog at daycare. She us still recovering from that too, she really hasn't been the same since that attack, but she was getting so much better until this started. I don't think it has anything to do with the attack, but I don't know why this happened. The only thing I can think of is that on Sunday I was driving with her in the car and I stopped short for a light. She fell forward (I hate when they stand and "car surf") and got stuck in between the front and back seats momentarily. By the time I pulled over, she had gotten back up and seemed fine. Maybe it could have aggrivated an old racing injury?

 

How long do you think until she gets better? The vet doesn't know because they don't know what is causing it. I am waiting for them to call me back with the x-ray reports, but if they don't see anything on x-rays, then what can I do? Should I keep her on the medications? For how long?

[Guest KateWantsaGrey]

well i know when my back hurts it always help to get a massage or to put a heating pad on it for a while. Too much massage can make it worse though, so i'd go easy on that. But what about a heating pad? those always seem to work for me. It could be something as simple as her pulling it, or maybe jaming her tail when she fell in the car. I know too that when i pull a muscle or get a charley horse it helps to eat a banana for the potassium, maybe that would help a little? The other day i got a charley horse in my neck and put the banana peel right on my neck for like 10 min and the pain was gone... Who knows? doesn't hurt to try! I hope she's feel better soon either way!

[gazehund]

I am sorry Leena isn't feeling well.

I have had great success using acupuncture and chiropractic (in addition to supplements) with three of my four dogs. Two of the three are older than Leena, 9 and 10 years old respectively. The youngest however is only 5 also. She is a running, crazy maniac who thinks it is great fun to launch herself off the deck OVER the railing.

After one treatment she felt so much better. After the second she was back to normal with no more screaming or limping. She has one more treatment and she is done except as needed.

Not saying it will help Lenna, but I always feel alternative treatments are worth a try.

Good luck with Leena, I hope she feels better very soon.

 

 

[Chicocat]

The vet felt her spine with furm pressure, and she yelped when the vet hit a point in her lower lumbar spine.

 

Based on what you say here, one thing you might have your vet investigate is the possiblity of LS (Lumbsacral Stenosis).

Here are a couple of reference pages you could print for your vet:

 

Dr. Stack's Website

 

So. Calif. Vet. Referral Group

 

LS can happen at any age. I attended a vet conference in KC a few years ago which included a seminar teaching the attending vets how to identify LS through physical exam. We took greyhounds from the adoption kennel at The Woodlands for them to use during the seminar. There was one 4 yr old that showed signs of LS when he was examined.

 

Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant that exerts its effect by acting on the central nervous system (the nerves that control the muscles) rather than on the muscles themselves. It's used pretty commonly in greyhounds - I wouldn't be afraid to use it in the dosage the vet prescribed.

 

Hope this helps and that your girl improves quickly.

 

[grey14me]

she very well may have hurt herself when you had to stop short. I would continue with the methacarbomal and keep her really still (short, leash walks only) for a few days to see if she improves. does she cry out when she bends her neck down? if you stand right in front of her (while she's standing) and say her name, does she look up only with her eyes or does she move her whole head up to look at you? I'm trying to see if perhaps she hurt her neck...in which case, the meds, keeping her still and chiro or acupuncture will all help her...

[Burpdog]

I'd try this vet and see what she says. I would definetely ask for acupuncture.

 

PATTI SCHAEFER , DVM

CANISPORT VETERINARY SERVICE

3430 PACIFIC AVE, A6

PMB 355

OLYMPIA , WA 98501

Phone: 360-923-5759

Fax: 360-491-9750

Modalities Practiced: (Modality Quick Reference)

AC AC(IVAS) CH CR(AVCA) NU WH CANINE SPORTS MEDICINE & REHABILITATION, COMPUTERIZED GAIT & MOTION ANALYSIS

Practice Preferences:

SMALL ANIMAL

www.canisport.com

 

 

 

[Batmom]

If it's a soft tissue back/neck injury -- which could certainly produce the symptoms you're seeing -- you'll want to keep her from going up/down stairs, running, jumping up/down on/from anything as best you can for @ 3 weeks (or when she seems completely better plus @ 10 days). Hugs and luck.

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

I can't offer any recommendations, just wanted to send good healing thoughts your way.

 

I can tell you that during his younger days I once had to brake hard to avoid a sudden left turner in front of me and sent Cougar forward where his chest ended up on the console of the Expedition.

 

Hope the kinks are worked out over the next few days.

[silverfish]

Sorry she's in such pain - I know how distressing that is.

 

You should always give the meds in the dose prescribed, unless you have been told by a vet that you may reduce them. If you have any issues with what's been given, you need to talk to the vet, but they can't help her in a non-therapeutic dose (that is, less than prescribed for her weight and condition) and in some cases - for instance, antibiotics - can do harm if under-dosed.

 

I've had success with acupuncture. Can't help you with chiropractic because over here we just don't have chiro readily available for animals. But if you are not happy with her progress, or you doubt the diagnosis, I would always ask for a second opinion - and with something like this, I'd make it with a specialist.

 

We've had our bouts with back/neck pain here. It is alarming when it happens, but it's surprising how well most recover on the anti-inflammatory/painkiller/rest regime.

 

Good luck with her - I hope she begins to improve soon.

 

 

[robinw]

chiropractic has worked wonders with loca. i highly recommend it.

 

having said that, has leena been checked for a UTI? loca had similar difficulties and pain before she started treatment for a UTI.

 

hope leena's feeling better soon.

[Guest leena]

Hi all.

Her X-rays came back and showed nothing, which is good, of course, but not great for figuring out what was wrong. She has an appt. with the vet for acupuncture tomorrow, which I really hope will help. I don't know or have never heard of a vet locally that does chiropractic, but I will ask the vet tomorrow during the acupuncture appt. As far as the meds dosage thing, I am giving her full dose of the metacam, but halfs of the methocarbamol, as the vet said that I could do that since it can make dogs drowsy, and we want her to still eat and drink, not be totally knocked out. If she was visibily in pain, or course I would give her more, but she has no pain reaction unless she jumps up (like into the car, which she isn't doing) or walks up an incline (which she also is not doing). Her neck is fine, full range of motion, same with her tail and legs (the vet checked.)

 

She is on bed rest, which means only out to go potty, though it was 75 degrees yesterday and I let her sit (but not run) in the garden with me in the sun. She seems happy and content except of course she wants to go on walks, which we are not doing, so she gets that greyhound depressed face. Also she seems very afraid of our cars. When we first noticed the pain, it was when she jumped into the car, so I think she is afraid we are going to make her get back in the car and that the pain will happen again. She gives the cars a wide berth now.

 

So, I wonder, if I keep her on bed rest for 3 weeks or so, how do I know if she is better if she exhibits no symptoms except when jumping??? It will be hard to assess, I think. As of now, I can tell she is still stiff in her back left leg when she is going up and down the 2 (not optional) stairs on our porch when I take her out to pee. But that obviously still does not give the same pain response as the intense pain she feels when jumping..

 

I am very interested in the fact that Loca had the same symptoms with a UTI? I have never thought of that, nor do I understand how a UTI could present as back pain when jumping? Wouldn't she have other symptoms too? The strange thing is that before this she was actually peeing more than usual on our walks, and after this she has been peeing less. Yesterday only 3 times all day! Very unusual. I don't understand how it can be related, but I will take a urine sample into the vet when we see her tomorrow for the acupuncture appt.

 

OH!! Also, a very important question. Some of you talked about suppliments...What ones do you recommend? I was going to try the holistic pet store today for glucosamine and MSM. I already give her "happy hips" which are chicken strips with glucosamine and chondroitin, but I am sure that the dosage is pretty low in those. What do you all recommend, as far as supplements, and what brand?

[Batmom]

I would keep her very quiet for @ 4-5 days, but after that, if she isn't showing pain doing normal things, probably nothing wrong with some gentle leash walks.

 

If she doesn't show any pain response except when jumping, it will be hard to tell when she's better. I would study how she is lying down / getting up and going up/down those 2 stairs, and let that be your guide. Perhaps the vets will have some useful input too.

 

Good luck!

[Guest leena]

I also printed out the pages about LS and will show them to my vet. I don't know if she thought about this in her differental. She did do a range of motion with Leena's tail like shown in the photo, with no pain response.

[gazehund]

Quite a few of us here have great success with Fresh Factors from Springtime

 

http://www.springtimeinc.com/

 

I also add in MSM ( I use a brand made for horses). And Vit E.

All of my dogs have gotten FF for as long as I have had them.

Good luck with Leena, please keep us posted on her progress.

 

 

 

[Guest VelvetEars]

I wonder if she pinched a nerve. I sometimes do that in my neck, and it can really really hurt if you move a certain way. Typically, only time and rest will help it right itself.

 

for supplements, a lot of people swear by Missing Link. KV Vet sells it (http://www.kvvet.com), as does PetEdge and others. You may even be able to find it locally.

[robinw]

I am very interested in the fact that Loca had the same symptoms with a UTI? I have never thought of that, nor do I understand how a UTI could present as back pain when jumping? Wouldn't she have other symptoms too? The strange thing is that before this she was actually peeing more than usual on our walks, and after this she has been peeing less. Yesterday only 3 times all day! Very unusual. I don't understand how it can be related, but I will take a urine sample into the vet when we see her tomorrow for the acupuncture appt.

Loca began to exhibit pain before she exhibited peeing symptoms. I became concerned when it took her three tries to jump into the back of my car, when she had always jumped in with enthusiasm. She was in obvious discomfort. Then I noticed a few drops of blood in her urine; which i probably never would have noticed had there not been snow on the ground. here was my question about it that i posted on GT.

Keep in mind that Loca always peed frequently, even before he had the UTI. I wonder is there could be decreased peeing due to pain...

[Guest greyhoundude]

I never really saw how this problem was resolved. My grey, Tom (age 9), exhibited the EXACT SAME reaction when jumping into my Honda CR-V recently, screaming and lifting his rear left leg in pain. He now refuses to jump into the car again. He also will not hop onto the bed. He also is showing signs of stiffness. A vet visit since (mostly a superficial visit: urine test, blood pressure, prostate exam) revealed nothing out of the ordinary and the vet recommended physical theapy and acupuncture.

 

I've been at this place before and have seen similar signs....I lost 2 greys within 6 weeks of each other almost exactly 4 years ago to cancer.

 

Leena, how was this problem resolved with your grey?

Edited April 5, 2008 by greyhoundude