Your Thoughts Please.

[RobinM]

Polli: 8.5 year old broodie:

 

Poll's gait was a bit off when she first came off the farm. On walks she would go lame for 2 or 3 steps and then she would be fine. There were a few days when she had a distinct limp, we would back off of the walks and when she had her spay and dental, they took a series of x-rays of her back legs and her back. It was clear.

 

This past Friday evening out of the blue, she starting limping to the point of not using her left front paw, bearing no weight on it and actually keeping it off the ground at all times.

 

We took her in for an exam yesterday and they did some x-rays. They were clear, it didn't even show arthritis which you would expect to see in an 8.5 year old dog.

 

I don't know why, but I beleive the vet said they did not run a set of pictures of her paw.

 

The vet said as of right now we need to treat this as a soft tissue injury. I have to cal Monday to report in. Today, so far, no change.

 

Otherwise, Polli is fine, happy, playful, playbowing with assorted toys, loves her cookies etc.

 

Any idea of what this sounds like? Does it sound like a soft tissue injury? Since she is small, could it be from jumping on and off of our 32" high bed. (now we lift her on and off!)

 

This is maddening.

[Batmom]

Could be leg, could be shoulder, could be back/neck .... You're sure she doesn't have a corn or anything funky going on with toes?

[RobinM]

Batmom- absolutely. We pressed, looked at and between toes, web..all clean.

 

They ex-rayed the leg and shoulder yesterday. Clear.

Edited September 30, 2007 by RobinM

[silverfish]

Jim had a couple of soft tissue injuries which bothered him on and off. He'd limp quite noticeably when one was playing up.

 

He had something going on with a shoulder, either soft tissue or nerve damage (he'd been kicked by a bullock when he was quite young) and a torn hip abductor. When he got old and they were both playing up at once he had a very odd gait indeed, but Metacam helped him.

 

I presume Poll has had a tick panel done? Other than than, I'd guess soft tissue injury.

 

If you don't already, I'd raise her food and water and see if that helps. Certainly I wouldn't ask her to jump 32 inches, and I'd be careful how you get her into and out of vehicles, too.

[RobinM]

All our pups have raised dished and Polli has never jumped into the car, only the bed which we will only do for her now.

 

She is NOT using the leg at all. AT ALL. The left front is constantly raised. But otherwise, you'd never know it. It is very strange and very very frustrating.

 

No, she has not had a tick panel done. I guess that's next.

[Chicocat]

The source of injuries can be real hard to pin down. Did the vet manipulate the leg for a soft tissue injury in the shoulder, ankle, etc? These guys can be so stoic it's hard to get some greyhounds to show you what is hurting. My Alpo is like that.

 

With Polli's gait being a little off when she came from the farm, you have to wonder if it is a prior injury that has flaired. Does she run with your other dogs in the yard? Shoulder injuries usually take a pretty good amount of hard exercise to cause them to be a problem. Ankle injuries tend to flair up more often than some other injuries, especially of the stopper bone. That also might be something that could have happened from jumping off the bed. You might try bending the ankle until the foot touches the back of her leg and and squeeze a little to see if she shows any discomfort. (or the vet may have already done all this).

 

I don't know if you were able to make any contact with the breeder, but if this doesn't clear up with the meds, you might want to contact him to ask about an injury that might have ended her racing career.

 

Hopefully the meds will work and get whatever this is behind her quickly!

 

 

 

 

 

[RobinM]

I don't know if you were able to make any contact with the breeder, but if this doesn't clear up with the meds, you might want to contact him to ask about an injury that might have ended her racing career.

 

Hopefully the meds will work and get whatever this is behind her quickly!

 

SHE NEVER RACED. I am stumped.

[dmdsmoxie]

Could she have gotten hurt in training?

 

Have you thought about seeing a chiropracter, sometimes the back can cause problems in other places.

Edited September 30, 2007 by dmdsmoxie

[Guest indigojen]

Shortly after we adopted 18 month old Wave she began to limp. It was on and off and not consistent at all.

 

She'd never raced, but had been at the farm. Several tick panels later, we discovered Erlichia (Ewingii, I believe). Anyhoo, after xraying and spending a fortune, for many years it was cleared up with a round of Doxycycline.

 

Thinking good thoughts for Polli - she is adorable. I wish she was on my couch

[Chicocat]

I didn't realize she had been held back for breeding. Hope you find the solution to her problems soon.

 

Although this probably isn't the right time & place to pass this along, her son Zoomin Zook lives in a great adoptive home here in Springfield.

Edited September 30, 2007 by Chicocat

[patricia]

Sending my many prayers. It is so frustrating when our babes just don't feel well...I wish they could talk.

[RobinM]

I'm going to call her old owner either tonight or tomorrow. It's just not a "good limp", not that there is such a thing. What I think I mean is that she is literally a tripod and I just don't see any improvement. I'm trying not to panic, but I am starting to. A good limp would be she limped, not avoided using the leg altogher. Maybe she is just smart? I don't know what to think anymore.

 

She WANTs to go for walks which of course we will not allow and she wants to play, which we are limiting. She looks at us as if to ask WHY?

 

Tonight is the 1st time that she is not hanging out in the den in the beds waiting for me to prepare dinner, instead she ran back upstair and really didn't eat. So I think even though she is not complaining, she is hurting.

 

 

 

I didn't realize she had been held back for breeding. Hope you find the solution to her problems soon.

 

Although this probably isn't the right time & place to pass this along, her son Zoomin Zook lives in a great adoptive home here in Springfield.

 

I imagine he is probably an amamzing dog. Her lineage is incredible and I have met a few in her immediate family. All fantastic pups.

[RobinM]

OK I LIED. I just spoke to Brad, the old owner and she DID race at Wheeling. It is not listed on GH data. So, I will have to investigate that... but

 

The ONLY reason she was retired as a brood was she threw a rear muscle so that explains nothing!

 

He was shocked about her limp and said there was no indication about her left front. It was nice to chat with him though.

 

Back to square one... Magic bullet anyone?

Edited September 30, 2007 by RobinM