Guest ss556 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 (edited) Is there always pain with LS? Are most greys on pain meds for LS? Without being officially diagnosed I'm not really sure what goes on with Alan. He has difficulty getting up most of the time, he shuffles on occasion, he stumbles on occasion, he knuckles on occasion. Sometimes he is mopey and sometimes, like yesterday, he plays in the backyard with his stuffie. I've read articles about LS and they say pain comes with it, but would he play and run around a bit somedays? Does it come and go? Edited February 25, 2009 by ss556 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinM Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Sounds exactly like Polli. the only difference is that she is a tripod. Quote ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties. Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spencers_Greyt Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Good question because with Spencer's hindquarter weakness problems I don't see any pain. He's wobbly and shuffles too but I haven't seen any indicators of pain except right in the beginning when he was panting and pacing. Now he acts totally normal and forgets he can't run and play and trips himself up but he's his normal happy self. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I don't know anything about LS but I do know there are people here dealing with it so hopefully they'll see this and chime in. Please give Alan a very big hug from his desert fan club Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascalsmom Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Susan, as you know, Buddy has been pretty definitely diagnosed with LS. The vet says only an MRI can tell for sure, but he is pretty sure that's what Buddy has. For a long time, Buddy showed the same signs you describe: weakness, difficulty coming up stairs, shuffling, etc. It got bad very suddenly at the end of January...the hind end was sagging, he couldn't get settled, he was obviously in pain. Now, despite the pain meds, he still isn't right. He had about a week when he seemed to be the old Buddy, but since we quit the rimadyl he's regressed. He's in pain again, and he seems depressed. It could be that Alan has LS, but it hasn't progressed to the really painful part yet. I hope I am wrong about that. Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomDoggy Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 My Chancy had LS. Most of the time she was okay if a bit wobbly and shuffle-y, but she definitely had "flare-ups" of pain once in a while. Acupuncture helped tremendously with those, when meds weren't cutting it. Quote ~Aimee, with Flower, Alan, Queenie, & Spodee Odee! And forever in my heart: Tipper, Sissy, Chancy, Marla, Dazzle, Alimony, and Boo. This list is too damned long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest suzye Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 (edited) Jazz definitely had LS but I am not too sure about pain. She stopped jumping in and out of the car first and then was much slower to lay/rise. Somewhere in there she started a slight foot drag -- I heard her nails scratch the concrete sometimes. I never saw the knuckling over. She was a pretty good stair climber, though. Most days she was visibly excited to go for a walk and she continued rearing up (slightly) fairly often when I grabbed the leash. After she broke her toe I leashed her most of the time (I was too worried about her getting hurt again, and not able to take NSAIDs) but every time I didn't do that, she ran. Edited February 25, 2009 by suzye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I never saw any indication of pain in Spencer. But almost from the time we got him, he grumbled when he laid down or changed positions. And he just got grumblier over time. And I saw him lose his balance and have to sit down so as not to fall down, and I saw him take a really long time to lower himself all the way when trying to lie down. All this, and no other complaints. But after he was diagnosed with LS last summer and started acupuncture and chiropractic, the grumbling stopped entirely, which is the only reason I know it was pain related. Even another greyhound owner and former vet tech who would come over and hear this grumbling thought it was just his personality. My point? We know they're very stoic animals -- well, except for the drama queens! So just cuz we can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. That's why we just go ahead and treat him every two weeks. We pay $65 per treatment, but he doesn't require any drugs that way either. Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Missy never jumped into the car from the day we adopted her. she always got on the couch very slowly. Previous vet dx her with some shoulder injury (he said a chip of bone was missing) when she started dragging one of her bag legs I suspected LS..he was not familiar with it so I gave hm the dr. stack article. she had some symptoms (buckling when pressed on rear end of spine, dragging). We tried depo shots which didn't do much. she was already on metacam, glucosamine, chondroiten, etc. I added in Fresh Factors from Springtime. I then asked about acupuncture.. and he directed me to the woman we both use. after 3 weekly treatments I saw a nice change in her..tapered her down to once a month. now basically I try to stick to once a month, but do go longer if she is doing great. So, we never really had a dx of LS..whatever she has...acupuncture and the combo of supplements seem to help her. she is still very slow getting up and down to the floor and never jumps in the car, but overall improved. she will run in the back yard like a crazy girl. Hugs to Alan..Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 With our LS boy, Caesar, before we started medication/had a diagnosis Ken had always told me that Caesar's shakey rear was just "the way he was" and in those days he would run and didn't show pain other than being wobbly. Over time, he got grumblier and grumblier and then snappier for no apparent reason. The shaking got worse and I decided this was NOT normal for a dog. Did the research and came across the LS article from Dr. Stack. With pain, I think every dog is different. Some will deal with it better than others, just like people. Plus, dogs are naturally inclined not to show pain. By the time Caesar started showing pain signs, I think he was really in a lot of pain. And, of course, some days are better than others and some motivations for pushing through pain are better than others. Even once we started treatment and pain management, Caesar had better and worse days. Good luck with Alan. Since the test is non-invasive, I would ask your vet to do it and see what happens. There is a definitely difference. Caesar dropped like a rock when our vet pressed on that area. Grandpa, who we started to suspect might have had LS didn't drop at all. His issue ended up being related to arthritis, particularly in his toes. It caused similar symptoms (wanky/shakey back end) once he started to age and started losing his muscle tone as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) Good luck with Alan. Since the test is non-invasive, I would ask your vet to do it and see what happens. There is a definitely difference. Caesar dropped like a rock when our vet pressed on that area. Grandpa, who we started to suspect might have had LS didn't drop at all. His issue ended up being related to arthritis, particularly in his toes. It caused similar symptoms (wanky/shakey back end) once he started to age and started losing his muscle tone as well. The thumb test is amazing, isn't it? (and free!) The difference in LS and non LS dogs is very obvious. Dr. Herron diagnosed Rex and I almost fell on the floor next to him. Edited February 26, 2009 by Hubcitypam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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