I Need Some Alternatives To Worry About Besides Osteo...

[Guest Hokiebuck]

Ok...I am beginning to get more and more paranoid. Friday night I get home and find Cash limping on his front right paw. I asked my parents (I am visiting for the week) if he was running, playing, anything that might have caused a sprain or something....nope. I examined it with different modalities, checked the feet throughly, push, pulled, prodded, and could not get it to hurt, so I don't think its muscular.

 

This morning we walked about 35 mins before he started limping again, and now the limp is still there. He will get a bit hyper and ignore the pain, but after he plays for a minute or so he goes back to limping. He does tolerate stairs. I have given him some Rimadyl to make him more comfortable.

 

So, anyone have any alternative less severe possibilies for a diagnosis? Since he seems to be functioning ok and I am out of town I have made an appt with the vet at home on Monday. But if it progresses I'll got to the E-vet.

[Guest mirthlesstroll]

How old is Cash? Could he be starting up some arthritis in his toes or wrist joints?

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

I'm not a vet, nor do I play one on TV. Could be tendonitis, a ligament issue or corn. Those come to mind.

I am the same with limps, I panic. I've now learned the 72 hour rule. Watch for 72 hours if it gets worse, to the vet right away, if it gets better make an appointment, but no need to rush right away. If it becomes non-weight bearing within the 72 hour time period, to the evet.

 

That's just me.

[ShantisMom]

I think all of us worry about the dreaded Osteo when our pups limp, but it is not always that. There are lots of other things it could be. My girl limps, and after tons of visits to the vet and xrays, it is arthritis and she is only 3. We have been dealing with it for a year now. So it can hit at any age. A trip to the vet will tell you. If it is not getting much worse, I would wait till Monday for your vet rather than the evet. But that is me.

[Maddiesmom]

Keith and Cash

 

We are sending good thoughts your way!! Could he have pulled something or have a corn or wart that his causing him to limp? How long has he been limping?

 

Amy and Mads

[Guest FireHorse]

I did the omg-what-if-it's-osteo? about 6 weeks ago, complicated that I was home with my mom, and my mil in kid/dog-sitting. Sounds like your guy-an occasional limp, ignored in the pursuit of fun, until it can't be ignored any more. Despite my nerves, it turned out to be fairly minor-arthritis in his right front wrist. He spent a week on Rimadyl, and six on Synovi, which seems to have done the trick.

 

Good luck-I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's minor and easily treatable!

 

[Greytlady94]

I understand how scary this is.

Maybe someone else will weigh in on this...but I'm wondering if it would be best to not give the Rimadyl so as not to mask the pain for the vet visit.

My Lucy has gone in three different times over the last 3 or 4 years for exams and x-rays when she has suddenly come up limping. Fortunately it has not been c and after a few days she is fine again. I do give all three Fresh Factors and Joint Health from Springtime.

 

[Guest LolasMom]

I had a pup once with a similar limp in the front left leg. After much searching and testing it was found that she had a spot in her neck that was a little out of wack. One adjustment and the limp was gone. I never knew that something like a limp that seemed so obviously connected to the leg or foot area could originate in the neck! It's a long shot but definately a possiblitiy.

[gazehund]

Corns.

Dislocated, displaced toe

TBD can sometimes present an undefined limp.

Foreign body in the pad.

 

Many other causes for a limp in a hound but I am right there with you in the panic department.

Agree if you have an upcoming vet appointment for him don't give him anything for pain. You want the vet to be able to see what you saw, you don't want to mask it. Good luck with Cash, I hope he feels better soon!

[Guest trevdog]

Check his paw thoroughly, any little thing can cause them to limp, even a cut in the webbing betwwen the toes. Check his leg and wrist for any swelling or bruising. I follow the 72 hour rule as well, unless it gets drastically worse.

[Guest Hokiebuck]

Wow...thanks for all the responses. Here are some answers to your questions:

 

Age: 5 (just had a bday) How early has arthritis presented itself in ghounds?

Corns etc: I did a through exam (and I keep doing it periodically in hopes of finding something).

I am use to doing joint/muscle exams on him from racing LGRA, so I don't think its muscular.

Rimadyl: I will stop giving him it the a.m. of his vet appt (its at 4pm) so his symptoms will present.

 

 

Any more thoughts are appreciated!

[ShantisMom]

Wow...thanks for all the responses. Here are some answers to your questions:

 

Age: 5 (just had a bday) How early has arthritis presented itself in ghounds?

Corns etc: I did a through exam (and I keep doing it periodically in hopes of finding something).

I am use to doing joint/muscle exams on him from racing LGRA, so I don't think its muscular.

Rimadyl: I will stop giving him it the a.m. of his vet appt (its at 4pm) so his symptoms will present.

 

 

Any more thoughts are appreciated!

 

 

My girl had arthritis diagnosed by several sets of xrays a couple months apart at age 2. Yep....2! I also was told that since I had given her aspirin, I could not start the NSAIDs for her pain for 3 days after no aspirin. That was a hard 3 days with a dog on 3 legs!!! Her medicine she is on now works for 24 hours. It is not Rimadyl, but another NSAID. You may want to check and see how long Rimadyl works. I don't have a clue on that. But you will want it out of the system before the vet check.

 

Good luck. Keep us posted!

[Houndtime]

I know where you are coming from. Paul had a limp, he was only 5, and I cried for three days until I could get an appointment. Dr. Newman pushed, pulled, prodded, pinched and poked. Nothing, but, he definitely had a limp. She thought perhaps a soft tissue injury. Three weeks of 1/2 dermax daily, no running, leash walking. Fine. I hope your solution is just as simple.

[MarcR]

I had a similar scare with Honey around her sixth birthday. She was limping and in a lot of pain but with no obvious cuts, scrapes, etc. Have you checked further up the limb - at the elbow or shoulder? The good news, in her case, was the radiographs were clear and a course of NSAIDs got her past the porblem.

 

Mystery limps are scary. Hopefully it's just a sprain or strain.

[Guest Hokiebuck]

I had a similar scare with Honey around her sixth birthday. She was limping and in a lot of pain but with no obvious cuts, scrapes, etc. Have you checked further up the limb - at the elbow or shoulder? The good news, in her case, was the radiographs were clear and a course of NSAIDs got her past the porblem.

 

Mystery limps are scary. Hopefully it's just a sprain or strain.

 

 

Yep...I checked every joint from toes to shoulders...nuthin.

 

UPDATE:

Sunday a.m. no change...not worse...not better. He still does stairs so that is a good thing since I live on the second floor.

[Guest IrskasMom]

 

 

I dont want to be Negative. But my Irska was limping for quiet a while and we took him to the Vet for

XRay's several times and every time the Vet would tell me it's a sprained Ankel. This went on for Month

and the Vet would say it takes a long time to heal. A Friend of my Son persuaded us to go to the E Vet

and found out he had fullblown OS already in the Lungs. So I am all for going to the right Source with

State of the Art Equipment to check that out, just for a precaution.

[Batmom]

Most of the things that cause limping aren't cancer. If you're checking feet, make sure you take a good look up between those toes, between all the pads, around the nail beds. I use a flashlight -- feet are shadowy places.

 

Good luck!

[Maddiesmom]

Keith- Let us know what the vet said about Cash on Monday. Maddie is crossing her paws for her buddy Cash that it is nothing serious. I have my fingers crossed for you guys. Safe travels home.

 

Amy and Mads

[Aerosmom]

Paws crossed that it's nothing.

[grey14me]

it could still be muscular...sometimes our hounds won't flinch if we (their owners) are examining, yet will react when the vet does it. hoping it's something minor :hope

[Guest CindiLuvsGreys]

My Jesse is 8 and has a history of Osteo in his litter. When he started limping I started freaking out. I took him to the vet and turns out he has a "sprained ankle" which will be fine for a while then he will start limping again if he runs too much or even takes th steps the wrong way. Try not to worry until you need to worry. I know easier said than done but there are a lot of other things it could be. Osteo is only one choice of many.

[DustysMom]

Dusty went from limping to hobbling and I couldn't find anything. FINALLY the nasty corn revealed itself. I guess since it was forming from the inside, it hurt him before it became visible. Does he pull back when you squeeze his toes on that foot?

[Guest argolola]

We have been through this for the past year. I know how scary it can be, but as others have said, there are a lot of reasons for limping.

 

Lola's limp gets worse if we take her for a walk. After 2 vets checking her thoroughly, they finally found a "warty growth" that was only revealed after her repeated licking. It is thought to be a seed wart or something lodged under there.

 

We are going to check into TheraPads. This might help Cash on walks.

 

I will pray that all is fine.

[Guest Hokiebuck]

Dusty went from limping to hobbling and I couldn't find anything. FINALLY the nasty corn revealed itself. I guess since it was forming from the inside, it hurt him before it became visible. Does he pull back when you squeeze his toes on that foot?

 

 

Funny you should say that...I went over his pads with a fine tooth comb and did see the slightest dark spot (I had to use a head lamp), I push on it and he slightly pulls back...kinda strange that he limps so severly, but when I directly push on the pad he just pulls back a little, like it barely hurts. I am hoping I found the problem. I am looking forward to the vet visit tomorrow.

 

I will be relieved if its that, but I will feel so stupid if I did all this worrying over a friggin corn. We'll see....

 

 

[Guest darlene]

Here's to hoping it's a "friggin' corn"!