Worried About My 12 Year Old Boy

[Guest GreyKat]

My boy, Reiger, is turning 12 next month. He has, up until very recently, been acting like a puppy in the yard, getting his younger brother to play with him, etc. He had always been a bit slow to rise and to lie down, but we used to think he was just slightly arthritic or a smidge overweight (way back when). Lately, he has begun to avoid the stairs. He will occasionally come up on his own, but other times he needed prodding. We have stopped trying to get him to come up because we see a real increase in problems. Twice my husband tried to carry him, and it seemed to really upset him (he had a low growl). My husband hasn't tried since because we assumed it seemed to hurt and/or scare him.

 

We noticed the resistance to come upstairs at bedtime several times, and an occasional wobbling when getting a drink or when out in the yard (very occasional). We mentioned this to our vet at Reiger's senior exam in June. The vet didn't find anything painful during the exam, and sent us home w/ some pain pills (for when we notice his reluctance to use the stairs) and recommendation to start up again w/ glucosamine supplements. About three weeks ago, we had our first scare- we were on vacation w/ our family, and on the last day, Reiger starting knuckling on his right hind leg. We immediately got him in the car and took him home. We were terrified: last year, his sister died after going through a sudden hind-quarter problem; also, almost three years ago, Reiger had a one-day bizarre seizure, bile vommiting, and knuckling of a front leg, and after an MRI, they decided it was likely unexplainable epilepsy. He never had any similar episode ever again.

 

Anyway, he was still wobbly and knuckling when we got home from our trip. We let him sleep all day, and by evening he was acting totally normal. The next day he was chasing his brother in the yard. Since our vet didn't seem concerned about the occasional wobbliness/stress w/ the stairs, we thought this might be a temporary cramp or something after execise and stress while on vacation (we had some noisy kids there who stressed him out a bit!). We were very happy to see him normalize.

 

Then he became wobbly again a couple of times, no knuckling...and it would go away as quickly as it came on. We've been monitoring him, but he has quickly gone downhill this past day and a half. He began limping again, and he has trouble getting up/down, eating while standing, and trouble pooping because his has to bend his knee. It seems easier for him to pee since he can just kind of lean to one side, although even that doesn't seem as natural as it used it. He didn't eat this morning, but I got him to eat tonight. He started while on the floor (I tipped and held his dish for him), and then he seemed interested in trying to do it while standing. For all I know, he'll be back to normal walking again when we let him out for his bedtime pee.

 

Anyway, I feel terrible now that we didn't take him to the vet right after the scare during vacation. The problem just seemed to completely reverse itself. It is clear now, though, that the vet needs to reexamine and come up w/ more than "possible arthritis."

 

What scares me is, after reading other posts on here, it sounds possible that it's lumbosacral stenosis or worse- osteosarcoma. I know I'm not a vet, and I need to wait to see him, but since he isn't as experienced w/ greys, I feel like I always need to do my own research as well. I pray it is something else, something more curable.

 

Can anyone think of anything else?? I plan to call the vet first thing in the morning, but I'd like any additional ideas/questions to ask him before I go.

 

Other possible helpful info for you:

it seems, when we watch him limp, that the knee is problematic (which scared me when I read about osteosarcoma). While I mostly have noticed the problem w/ the right hind leg, it seems like it occasionally is the left. I could be wrong, though.

Also: the symptoms listed here for lumbosacral stenosis are almost dead on, except for the paralysis and incontinence. The latter has happened on occasion (several months back, there were two or three times where he seemed to pee inside the house for no reason, but I feel like that's unrelated since it was so long ago).

***He has done some "splits" during the four years we've lived in this house. We have pergo floors, and although we continuously add area rugs everywhere, he has managed to do a complete split which seemed to be very painful to him (we'd hear a horrific cry and find him sliding on the floor and totally terrified). Could this have caused any major damage?

[iluvgreys]

***He has done some "splits" during the four years we've lived in this house. We have pergo floors, and although we continuously add area rugs everywhere, he has managed to do a complete split which seemed to be very painful to him (we'd hear a horrific cry and find him sliding on the floor and totally terrified). Could this have caused any major damage?

Yes. Do you have a greyhound savvy vet? They should be able to do manual diagnostic testing for LS. Might be time to do x-rays too, to rule out osteo. Definitely take your boy into the vet. Sending lots of prayers and light...

 

[Guest ss556]

Alan has done a few splits as well. He was knuckling and has rear leg weakness. He had some acupuncture and was doing ok for a few months after that. Sending prayers.

[Guest argolola]

Poor little sweetheart. I have him on my prayer list.

[Guest sheila]

I just want to say that you don't necessarily need to have a 'greyhound savvy' vet. While my vet never had a greyhound in his practice before I came along, most issues have been pretty basic to dogs in general. When there have been times when I suspected something that greys seem to be more prone to (such as LS or osteo) he is very willing to look at whatever information I bring in and do research on his own as well. He has also consulted with a 'greyhound savvy' vet that he is acquainted with.

When my Kiowa began to have the issues you describe I directed my vet to this web page which he read and printed off copies of to keep in both his own files and in Kiowas file

http://greythealth.com/lumbosacral.htm

[Guest GreyKat]

Thanks for the advice and prayers! We are heading out to a greyhound expert vet tomorrow morning (1 1/2 hour drive, but hopefully worth it). I will also print out the info from Dr. Stack. Wish us luck! Reiger ate stnding up this morning, and he ate most of his food tonight, although he ate while lying down. I'm just happy he's got an appetite.

 

Thanks, again!

Kat

[4greyhounds]

Sending lots of prayers and white light!!!!! Please keep us posted. :hope :hope

[Guest houndlover]

Good luck at the vet. I will be looking for an update. The truth is, there are so many possibilities as to what could be wrong that you truly could drive yourself crazy until you get a dx from the vet. A lot of the things that you describe are very similar to issues that I am having with Billy (11 yo) but they are not to the same extent as what you are dealing with.

 

One thing that I thought of when you mentioned not wanting to go up the stairs was Reiger's eyesight. Do you think that he could be having trouble seeing and that combined with hind end weakness could be why he isn't doing the stairs?

 

I will be thinking of Reiger tomorrow.

[fritofeet]

I was going to mention eyesight as well. If I don't turn the light on, Diesel won't come down the stairs. I started him on DGP a couple of months ago and he started going up and down again, but if the area rugs aren't there-he won't go down either. He avoids shiney floors like the plague. He has some hind end weakness and LS symptoms as well and this has been the only thing that seems to help him. He still has bad days once in awhile, but he willingly takes the stuff like he knows it helps. He will be 11 in Dec.

 

DGP

 

The company will give you about a week's worth when you request a sample.