Help - Toes Folded Under, Panting, Trembling

[Guest joedogs_mom]

Joe has 2 toes that are "folding under" on one of his rear feet. He is walking funny (almost with more pressure inside than outside)...once toes are folded, he is trying to put pressure on them...it's like he can't "bend them back" to normal position. I am worried he's going to hurt himself even worse because he is trying to walk when the toes are folded!

 

I'm not sure what's going on with the trembling and panting...perhaps scared, in pain? He hasn't yelped since he first injured himself (I"m still not entirely sure what happened, but he was not doing anything active). He is not yelping when he puts pressure on the toes and he just jumped on our bed...so I'm questioning the pain severity.

 

I have some Previcox leftover from a neck strain a month or so ago. Should I give him one?

 

I HATE the e-vet here, but rest assured I can take him to our regular vet in the morning.

 

Any thoughts?

Edited August 10, 2008 by joedogs_mom

[Jiffer]

When Orion stretched a nerve in his leg from doing the splits, he was knuckling like that. The vet put him on Prednisone to help, but only time made him heal.

[Guest joedogs_mom]

When Orion stretched a nerve in his leg from doing the splits, he was knuckling like that. The vet put him on Prednisone to help, but only time made him heal.

 

 

Thanks...yea - I figured there's basically nothing that can be done...I think I'll give him a pain pill cause he definitely seems stresed.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

It is not that nothing can be done! You need to go to your vet. My Tia had that knuckling under in one of her rear legs. It was a nerve/spine problem. Predinisone reduced the inflamation, pain pills helped the pain and accupunture healed the nerve. The neurologist wanted to do surgery, but I couldn't see putting my 12 year old dog thru it so we tried other routes first. Now she has a little weakness in the leg, but no pain and she can still walk and trot normally.

Edited August 10, 2008 by Scouts_mom

[Guest joedogs_mom]

It is not that nothing can be done! You need to go to your vet. My Tia had that knuckling under in one of her rear legs. It was a nerve/spine problem. Predinisone reduced the inflamation, pain pills helped the pain and accupunture healed the nerve. The neurologist wanted to do surgery, but I couldn't see putting my 12 year old dog thru it so we tried other routes first. Now she has a little weakness in the leg, but no pain and she can still walk and trot normally.

 

as i stated earlier, i WILL take my dog to our regular vet tomorrow.

thanks so much for the info and glad tia is okay now!

 

[TheFullHouse]

It sounds like he may have injured himself Laura, maybe a pinched nerve or something. He's probably panting from pain. I'd definitely have Dr. Pearce check him out but you can give him something for the pain and try and keep him calm and quiet so he doesn't hurt himself even more. He's not that old is he?

[Guest argolola]

Sending prayers for your little sweetie.

[Guest joedogs_mom]

It sounds like he may have injured himself Laura, maybe a pinched nerve or something. He's probably panting from pain. I'd definitely have Dr. Pearce check him out but you can give him something for the pain and try and keep him calm and quiet so he doesn't hurt himself even more. He's not that old is he?

 

thanks, judy...he and the other 2 boys will be 10 in january. they have gotten on up there...i did give him a pain pill a couple of hours ago. will definitely get to dr pearce's asap in the morning.

 

laura

[Guest SusanP]

I don't think I'd wait til morning to get him to a vet.

[TheFullHouse]

It sounds like he may have injured himself Laura, maybe a pinched nerve or something. He's probably panting from pain. I'd definitely have Dr. Pearce check him out but you can give him something for the pain and try and keep him calm and quiet so he doesn't hurt himself even more. He's not that old is he?

 

thanks, judy...he and the other 2 boys will be 10 in january. they have gotten on up there...i did give him a pain pill a couple of hours ago. will definitely get to dr pearce's asap in the morning.

 

laura

 

 

Oh my, I didn't realize they were getting up there in age! It happens so fast doesn't it. They're not much younger than Emmy and Andy. Let us know how it goes. I'm sure Dr. Pearce will figure it out.

[Guest HHDesigns]

Oh dear, please keep us posted tomorrow. Hugs for tonight ... it's so hard when they are sick or hurting...

[patricia]

Sending prayers. Please let us know what the vet says...I know if it is a disc (that has ruptured) as with our Angel Sophia...there is a time frame that must be made. Hopefully this is just a simple boo boo that will heal with rest and vet care.

[Guest joedogs_mom]

ok - please do not condemn me for not rushing him to the e-vet any more. i just talked with our regular vet on his cell phone and he approved giving him the prevacox and wants me to give him a muscle relaxer (that we have in the dog medicine chest) as well. i am supposed to limit his activity. and i'll be at dr. pearce's tomorrow morning. joe is our first grey...he inspired us to adopt three more in the meantime. he has been prone to neck strains...and this certainly sounds like a disc issue but the vet is OKAY with keeping him quiet tonight and actually instructed me to as you have read above. thanks for any well wishes.

Edited August 10, 2008 by joedogs_mom

[CaliforniaGreys]

Hoping for good news. You know your own dog, and you know what's best for him. You'll have lots of prayers coming from here.

[patricia]

ok - please do not condemn me for not rushing him to the e-vet any more. i just talked with our regular vet on his cell phone and he approved giving him the prevacox and wants me to give him a muscle relaxer (that we have in the dog medicine chest) as well. i am supposed to limit his activity. and i'll be at dr. pearce's tomorrow morning. joe is our first grey...he inspired us to adopt three more in the meantime. he has been prone to neck strains...and this certainly sounds like a disc issue but the vet is OKAY with keeping him quiet tonight and actually instructed me to as you have read above. thanks for any well wishes.

If I sounded as though I was condemning...I certainly was NOT. As I said...I hope this is just a simple boo boo that time and rest and vet care will cure (I did not mention ER vet . For us however...knuckling was a very bad sign and we went from knuckling to total paralysis in a matter of 4 hours. Hug Joe for me!

Edited August 10, 2008 by patricia

[Guest joedogs_mom]

ok - please do not condemn me for not rushing him to the e-vet any more. i just talked with our regular vet on his cell phone and he approved giving him the prevacox and wants me to give him a muscle relaxer (that we have in the dog medicine chest) as well. i am supposed to limit his activity. and i'll be at dr. pearce's tomorrow morning. joe is our first grey...he inspired us to adopt three more in the meantime. he has been prone to neck strains...and this certainly sounds like a disc issue but the vet is OKAY with keeping him quiet tonight and actually instructed me to as you have read above. thanks for any well wishes.

If I sounded as though I was condemning...I certainly was NOT. As I said...I hope this is just a simple boo boo that time and rest and vet care will cure. For us however...knuckling was a very bad sign and we went from knuckling to total paralysis in a matter of 4 hours. Hug Joe for me!

 

and forgive me for being testy...long day...thanks again for the well wishes...

[patricia]

ok - please do not condemn me for not rushing him to the e-vet any more. i just talked with our regular vet on his cell phone and he approved giving him the prevacox and wants me to give him a muscle relaxer (that we have in the dog medicine chest) as well. i am supposed to limit his activity. and i'll be at dr. pearce's tomorrow morning. joe is our first grey...he inspired us to adopt three more in the meantime. he has been prone to neck strains...and this certainly sounds like a disc issue but the vet is OKAY with keeping him quiet tonight and actually instructed me to as you have read above. thanks for any well wishes.

If I sounded as though I was condemning...I certainly was NOT. As I said...I hope this is just a simple boo boo that time and rest and vet care will cure. For us however...knuckling was a very bad sign and we went from knuckling to total paralysis in a matter of 4 hours. Hug Joe for me!

 

and forgive me for being testy...long day...thanks again for the well wishes...

NP...Fear and worry makes for a long day when one of our babies are not feeling up to par.

Edited August 11, 2008 by patricia

[carronstar]

Sending lots of prayers and good thoughts for your boy.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

I am also sorry I miss-read your second post. Yes, giving him pain medicine and taking him in tomorrow to a vet you trust is just the right treatment! I hope it heals quickly. And do consider acupuncture if there is a practitioner around. I don't understand why it works, but it sure helped my Tia.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I am also sorry I miss-read your second post. Yes, giving him pain medicine and taking him in tomorrow to a vet you trust is just the right treatment! I hope it heals quickly. And do consider acupuncture if there is a practitioner around. I don't understand why it works, but it sure helped my Tia.

Ditto on the acupuncture. I also don't understand "how" it works, but it sure does. My vet explained it to me and the explained the flow of energy, and I still didn't get it

[greyhndz]

I feel for you, as I'm going through a similar situation with Dandi, my galgo. It sounds as if you and your vet have things well under control and you're keeping him comfortable.

 

I brought Dandi to see a neurologist last week, and he thinks he probably has an L5-6 disk herniation, as Dandi is a little slow to move his R hind foot back to normal position after the neurologist folds it over. So Dandi isn't actively knuckling yet, but his neuro exam was abnormal and he's tender directly over L5-6. We could proceed with diagnostics now, and go forward with surgery if the EMG/MRI show it's indicated. But for now, I'm going to start with acupuncture and see if he improves with conservative treatment. If not, onward to the diagnostics and possibly surgery. In the meantime, it's meloxicam and methocarbamol, which mommy shares with him when her own back is hurting.

 

I wish you and Joe well... oftentimes, these flare improve after a short course of steroids and activity restriction, and hopefully that will be the case with Joe.

 

Jordan

[Guest joedogs_mom]

we're back from the vet. x-rays definitely revealed narrowing in a couple of spaces between discs. the vet diagnosed him with invertebral disc disease. he got a big steroid shot and has steroid pills as well as anti-inflammatories. we'll go back in a week for a re-check. he is a bit better today...not knuckling under nearly as much. i understand this is a degenerative condition, which makes me quite sad, but we'll continue to keep him as comfortable and pain-free as possible! the vet did not recommend surgery especially given his age (almost 10).

 

thanks again everyone...

 

laura

[TheFullHouse]

I'm so sorry Laura. I was hoping it was something a little more temporary. I'll keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.

[Guest HHDesigns]

Oh Laura, more big hugs coming your way....

[3greys2cats]

Poor baby, give extra lovins and extra treats