Laying Down On Walks - Advice?

[Guest kaiima]

Cindy layed down on the way home from the park yesterday. She's done this before, but only when its hot, which it wasn't. Then when I took her out again later, she just stopped. I finally got her to move, but very slowly; it took us 5 minutes to walk less than a block! Today she stopped and layed down after just a block. She doesn't seem to be having leg or back pain; no limping or tender spots; it seems like she's just weak.

 

She had a comprehensive blood panel, and the only things that were off were her platelets (a little low) and pancreatic enzymes (a little high). The vet doesn't think it's GI related, since she is eating, drinking, and pooping normally. She isn't vomiting, and doesn't have diarrhea. On Xray, the only thing they noticed was possibly something awry in the mediastineum. The vet recommended a cardiopulmonary specialist. She also said it could possibly be a virus (her temp is a couple degrees lower than what's normal for her).

 

I'm going to keep an eye on her over the weekend, and decide whether to try the specialist (that I can't afford) on monday.

 

Has anyone experienced anything like this or have any suggestions for diagnosis?

 

Thanks!

[NevadasMom]

Possibly a cardiac problem? Kids that have an undetected cardiac problem will squat down to rest and try to get more oxygen. They get fatigued easily. It could account for her fatigue also. I would recommend seeing the specialist since they saw something on the xray in the chest area.

Edited May 26, 2007 by NevadasMom

[Ragsysmum]

Certainly doesn't sound right if she is not really old and it's not very hot either. Could be just an isolated thing and she was having an 'off' day for which you may never find the cause, but if it continues I would want to have her checked out some more.

[scullysmum]

Possibly a cardiac problem? Kids that have an undetected cardiac problem will squat down to rest and try to get more oxygen. They get fatigued easily. It could account for her fatigue also. I would recommend seeing the specialist since they saw something on the xray in the chest area.

Heart problem was my first thought when I read your description too. I lost one of my bridge kids to congestive heart failure and he used to lay down when he got tired on walks (I didn't have any idea that he had a heart problem it had never been picked up by his vets).

[Guest Sniffy]

Twiggy did that once or twice, but it was hot and a long walk....and later on she was indeed diagnosed with a heart murmur. This is interesting, I'd never put the two together until now.

[Batmom]

As others said, I'd see the specialist. Probably want an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). Not cheap but not the most expensive diagnostic either, and well worth doing.

 

Good luck.

[Guest JudiK]

Devon used to do this before we got the fence up. Please bear in mind that Devon is very odd... He was simply trying to communicate to me that we needed a fence - he always chose to lay down in our yard and stretch out on his side. Getting him back up was quite a task. Devon is a very big greyhound. But he made it very obvious that nothing was wrong, he'd be walking along, trotting along normal, then he would slow down (obviously looking for a spot) and BAM down he would go. But there was no panting or other signs of distress.

[Guest MZH]

Tick diseases can cause weakness and odd behavior. Has your vet run a tick panel?

 

Marcia in CT (soon to be SC)

[Guest mandm]

Last summer was the first summer that I had my greyhound. He seemed to be lethargic and heat intolerant -- laid down on walks when the temp was in the mid 80s or above. In Fall, he tested positive and was treated for Babesia, resulting in a big improvement in energy. We have not yet had any warm days (we're in Wisconsin), but I'm guessing he will no longer lay down on walks this summer.

 

Low platelets are another symptom of TBD.

 

As Marcia suggested, a tick panel might be a good idea.

[NevadasMom]

What concerns me most are the lethargy along with the xray results.

[jenners]

Uh oh, more of this??? Check out this link for my similar problems with Talica.

 

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=170070

 

Jennifer

[Guest neenieca]

Devon used to do this before we got the fence up. Please bear in mind that Devon is very odd... He was simply trying to communicate to me that we needed a fence - he always chose to lay down in our yard and stretch out on his side. Getting him back up was quite a task. Devon is a very big greyhound. But he made it very obvious that nothing was wrong, he'd be walking along, trotting along normal, then he would slow down (obviously looking for a spot) and BAM down he would go. But there was no panting or other signs of distress.

 

I guess Penny is a bit odd too. She LOVES to lie down on walks, particularly in shady areas with plush grass. She wiggles and roaches and sometimes does zoomies, she's so happy. She generally only does this in spring and summer, though, so I think she's also a little hot from the higher temperatures.