Knock It Off, Bwat!

[MP_the4pack]

Opal has been limping 3 legged off and on for about a month. I took her to the vets and he said it's in the hip. He seemed pleased it wasn't the cruti-whatever ligament around the knee. But I kept referring back to possible osteo. He said he didn't think it was that since she's only 4. But alas, I know of young'uns from this board that have gotten that dreaded disease. Anyway, he said it would still be too early to xray anyway.

 

He gave us rimadyl and sent us home telling me to keep her quiet. Yeah, I can also nail jello to a tree successfully too!

 

Luckily her chiropractor was coming into the area within a week. When we went, Dr. Lesser stated that her hip was REALLY out of whack.

 

For 4 days after that, Bwat was doing fine. I had taken her off the rimadyl a day before the chiropractor because I didn't want to mask anything. I didn't put her back on. Then on the Wednesday after her adjustment, she went 3 legged again. She's been like this off and on for a week now. It's worse when she just gets up and seems to be able to walk out of it a little. Not completely.

 

I think we'll get xrays. She's starting to scare me now. Other than holding up her leg, she actually doesn't seem in pain. She's running around like the idiot she is, head high, tail high........just on 3 legs. (which at least tells me that if -gasp- it is osteo, she can do 3 legs).

 

 

Anyone who had rear leg osteo, did they seem more in pain just after getting up, but able to put weight on after moving around a bit?

 

 

 

[Guest ss556]

No experience here, but certainly sending my prayers.

[Guest paulamariez]

My only experience with Osteo was with our first hound Chief, and he barely had a discernible limp which was written off as arthritis, until his back leg completely broke while he was doing his poops. And by then it was too late. He passed on his own at the vet that very night, as usual for our Chief, sparing us the pain and decision of whether to put him down. I will keep your precious Opal in my prayers and send her lots of healing love and light. It may not be the dreaded at all. My Domino was limping around for days and it turned out to be a pulled shoulder muscle which cleared up rather quickly after the vet gave him a shot of Metacam (an anti-inflammatory). Domino was yelping when he got up from lying down and sort of limping around holding his front leg up, but not all of the time he was walking around, if that will give you something to compare Opal's limp to. Keeping Opal in my prayers.

[RobinM]

Beau has something going on in his hip too and he often was on 3 legs. I thought it was a risidual from his leg accident 2 years ago but it's something different.

 

We take him for acupunture and its 99% better.

 

Prayers that Opal has something that requires nothing but rest.

[CaliforniaGreys]

No experience here at all with Osteo. What you describe sounds like arthritis though. We'll keep your girl in our prayers.

[Bevd]

I honestly don't remember what it was like with Maddison (his was a rear leg and that turned out to be fibrosarcoma rather than osteo) but he was the same sort of age (sorry to say that). I'd just insist upon immediate xrays now for Opal. Chances are, its something other than the dreaded unmentionable but at least you'll be able to stop worrying and also be able to get whatever it is, fixed

[Guest Greyglo]

Adding our good wishes for the Bwat from here -