Bwat's Limping

[MP_the4pack]

On Dec 1st, I took Opal into the vets to be checked because she had been 3 legged limping for over a week. They said it was her hips and that's she's too young for cancer. She went on Rimadyl (which I hate) and sent home to rest (yeah right) Dec 6th she went to the chiropractor who said her hips were way out of wack........she's rarely had anything off kilter since she's been going to the chiropractor from age 2.

 

After her adjustment, she was terrific for 4 days then started 3 legged limping again (it's the hind left leg). I put her back on Rimadyl. On the 19th I took her for xrays. It had been at least 3 weeks, closer to 4, since she started. Even I could see the xrays were extremely clean. Beautiful bones!

 

When we had an ice storm and that crap was on the ground for a week. She walked very carefully and stopped limping until a day or so ago and she's 3 legged again.

 

We see the chiro tomorrow, but I'm still worried that it could be osteo since she's been limping for about 6 weeks now.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Oh, by the way, she isn't quiet. Like nailing jello to the wall. But would even soft tissue injury take this long? The vets are almost positive it's in the hip. I'm also thinking along that line.

 

Mary Pat (worried about the baby in the family)

[Guest greydogluvr]

I am sorry. I have only positive thoughts to send your way.

[RobinM]

Ok here goes...Long story, bear with me.

 

What you are describing is what Beau has. EXACTLY.

 

He had had a SEVERE leg injury May '07. He had a long recovery and had to take it easy for a while. In September, he starting "tripoding" with that leg up. I thought for sure he wrecked that leg AGAIN and the screws were loose! They were not. This went on for over a year and finally, this past July, it was so bad, he couldn't move. I had to carry him into the vet where his knee was out of it's socket. They immediately did x-rays and my extremely greyhound savvy vet said, "if he were not a GH, I would say he has hip dysplasia. Something is going on in his hips. The reason his knee was out of line was all the overcompensation from the hips. I thought it was from the "bad" leg.

 

We started acupunture pretty much immediately after that and knock wood, he has been so so so much better.

 

 

Could you try acupunture instead of chiro for a while. Keep in mind, it can get worse (it did for Beau) before it gets better.

 

Prayers for your baby.

 

[MP_the4pack]

Thanks for the info. The chiropractor also does accupuncture. I'll ask her tomorrow.

 

 

[Guest VanillaBean]

If it is a hip strain/sprain, they can take up to 12 weeks to heal completely.

[Guest MorganKonaAlex]

It's hard to not get scared when they limp. If I understand correctly, you'd like to know how long between limping and it shows in an x-ray. For Morgan, it was 36 hours between when he started limping and the leg broke. For Alex, it was much more drawn out. He was limping, x-rays were negative and he was put on Rimadyl and it seemed to go away. We thought it was a soft tissue injury. A few months later it returned and x-rays showed osteo.

[patricia]

Sending my many prayers and good thoughts your way.

[MerlinsMum]

I have no advice, just sending lots of good thoughts... :goodluck

[MP_the4pack]

I sent an email to Dr. Couto. He said to check for corns.

 

To date I've never had to deal with corns. Are they readily easy to see/feel? Or do I need to go to a vet to find them?

 

My vet and chiropractor still feel the problem is in the hips, but I want to rule out everything before I break down and take a 10 hr trip to Ohio. (which I will do!)

 

 

[Guest trevdog]

Most corns are fairly easy to see. Examine her pads thoroughly. Any rough spots or cuts can cause distress, they have very sensitive pads. Aslo check for any embedded thorns, etc.

[Jiffer]

Sending positive thoughts, white light and prayers.

 

I'd look into the acupuncture, barring any other issue (like corns). Corns look like a small raised bump on the paw pad. They can have a white or yellowish tinge to them.

This is what Atlas' looks like after I've "hulled" it.

Before the hulling. It's nearly the same colour as the pad, except it's raised and feels rock hard (unlike the pad skin that feels soft).

Edited January 6, 2009 by Jiffer

[duncan41]

Could be my story. No answers. Just prayers that all of our limping babies will be spared the big "O".

[GreyPoopon]

Cora hurt something deep in her hip in November '07. She didn't limp, but she couldn't do anything that required pushing with that leg, including stairs, getting up, lying down... It was a nightmare.

 

The x-rays were negative. I thought (I may have heard incorrectly) that the vet said it would heal in 6 weeks. Around the third re-visit, we saw one of her more experienced colleagues, and she said 16 weeks. I think Cora finally started to do stairs again around the 12 or 14 week mark, and was pretty solid by 16 weeks.

 

Soft tissue injuries can take a long long time to heal, and can be re-injured very easily.