Little Lulu Is Limping

[Guest GentleHugs]

This might be a little long and I apologize but here goes:

 

Yesterday:

LuLu wasn't limping when I let them out at 1pm yesterday but all three decided to run around and play like crazy dogs since it got up to a balmy 47 degrees outside (the day before yesterday it was 19). She was fine when she came back in. But when I went to let the dogs out again around 3 yesterday afternoon, she was very slow in getting up from her bed and started to limp. When she came over to me, she was limping and it was her left rear leg - her bad leg - the one with the previously broken hip.

 

I massaged it thinking maybe she had a cramp or it was just stiff which made her feel a little better and she started walking on it. But when she went down the deck steps to the yard, she started limping again in the yard.

 

She went pee while I picked up poop but she was sticking her left rear leg and paw in front of her a little. When I went to put everything away - all three dogs were back up on the deck. I was going to help her up the steps because she has a tendency to jump and clear all 3 steps and I didn't want her jumping. Apparently, she had other ideas. She jumped and cleared all 3 steps to the deck.

 

Anyway, she limped into the house, ate her cookie and then I helped her get settled down on a bed. She didn't yelp, cry out or anything but I can tell her leg is bothering her. I covered her hip and leg with her blankie to keep the warmth in. I've checked her from the bottom of her foot on up 3 times now and there's nothing that I can see on the outside that would cause her to limp. No swelling, no bruising, no warm spots, no obvious sign of a fracture, etc.

 

Every once in a while, the cold weather gets to her leg and it gets stiff on her or if she runs and plays too much, it starts bothering her. It's happened before but it doesn't last this long. I have some rimadyl I can give her and I'll bump her up on her glucosamine, too, just in case and if I have to - I'll use my heat pack on her for a little bit but I can't leave her alone with it - she tries to eat it (it has herbs in it).

 

I know you all share the same sentiment as I do when it comes to limping. Limping scares me and worries me to death but I don't want to panic either.

 

I brought out the ramp last night so she could use it instead of jumping and clearing the 3 deck steps like she usually does. She was still limping more than using her leg. Brought her back in, passed out bedtime cookies and got her tucked into bed.

 

Today:

I got up extra early this morning because I didn't want her getting up and trying to move around a whole lot like she normally does. Plus I wanted to get completely dressed so I could help her outside. She's still limping but she's doing better and using it more than she was last night.

 

Anyway, I got dressed and as I was putting on my coat, she stretched and started playing with one of her toys. She was playbowing and tossing it.

 

I got her outside and down the ramp and she went to the back corner on 3 legs to go potty. She is walking on it with a little more of a limp than what she normally limps (remember - this is her leg that is shorter than the other by about 1/2 inch or so so she normally limps but her leg isn't stiff like it is today). If she trots, she does so on 3 legs - not 4 but I'm trying to keep her from running or trotting period. Walking or hopping on 3 legs is fine but no running. She went potty, walked around the yard for a little bit and then I helped her back up the ramp to go inside. She ate breakfast, got a drink of water laid down somewhat cockroached.

 

I believe its her knee that is bothering her. I was rubbing the outside of her leg this morning along the muscle outside and above near her knee and she flinched just a little tiny bit. Not much but enough to let me know thats where it hurts. There's no swelling, no lumps, no visual signs of bruising, no real warm spots, can't feel any obvious fractures so I think she might have tweaked her knee when she was playing outside yesterday and it's probably a soft tissue injury. If its a soft tissue injury, the only thing we can do for that is what I'm doing now - keep her quiet, limit activity, give her something for pain and inflammation if necessary and let her rest.

 

She seems to be a bit better this afternoon but she is still limping. I'm going to just keep her quiet (limited activity) and keep up with the regimen I have going now see how she does. If it gets worse, it will be vet time. My vet is a greyt ortho vet that I've had for 10 years now and if its a soft tissue injury, I know what he will say. He's not the type of vet that wants to do a whole bunch of unnecessary tests unless the dog is just not improving at all. He usually says give it a day or two and keep them quiet before panicking unless its obviously serious (like fracture, swelling, screaming in pain, gaping wound, bleeding, etc). I trust him - he kept Heisman going for 3 1/2 years when the prognosis for a large dog with Wobbler's is usually about a year if that.

 

So, if everyone can say a few prayers and send some good thoughts - I'd appreciate it and I'm sure LuLu would, too. She's my high energy, crazy little black girl that is always doing something to get herself into trouble but not like this.

 

TIA.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Having just gone through this with Lenny, I sure do understand your concern. Good that you have Rimadyl on hand.

 

Many many prayers for that little angel and Ekko wants to send her best and has offered to come and be her full time nurse

[Guest Energy11]

I agree with Claudia. Just give the Rimadyl for a while and see how it goes. Old injuries often become arthritic, and this can cause pain. My baby boy, Curfew, was walking today, and his toe left distal toe became dislocated. I popped it back in," and HE is also on Deramaxx (*close cousin to Rimadyl), I hope your baby feels better SOON! Sending you a lot of love and prayers!

[Remolacha]

[nyGreys]

Sending prayers.

[Guest GentleHugs]

Having just gone through this with Lenny, I sure do understand your concern. Good that you have Rimadyl on hand.

 

Many many prayers for that little angel and Ekko wants to send her best and has offered to come and be her full time nurse

 

Awwww.... that's who I need here....Ekko.....

 

 

I gave her part of a rimadyl just a little while ago. She's only 60 lbs so I want to make sure she doesn't get too much and think she's all better. She's the type of dog that if she thinks there's no pain, she's up and getting into trouble!

 

I let them out about 3pm (my time) and she is doing a bit better. She's walking more on her leg this afternoon than she was this morning. She's pretty stiff when she first gets up but as she walks along, she looks like she is doing better. From what I can tell its the thigh muscle on the outer part of her hip/leg so she probably pulled it a bit yesterday playing in the yard. She's my kid who does fast spins, too, and scares the heck out of me when she does them. She raced around the yard the other day cutting corners so sharp that I was about to pass out watching her.

 

She's been playing with her toys, stretching, playbowing and all that stuff so I don't think it's quite panic time yet. Anyway, she's cockroached and passed out currently.

 

Not to hijack my own thread or anything but I kept up on reading about sweet LLenny. I was going to post but thought you had enough to handle at the time. Glad to hear he is doing better and was such a good boy at the vets, too. I don't want to ask about Ekko at the vets.... I think I already know the answer and she'd probably lie to me anyway!

 

 

I'm just praying we don't get snow tomorrow like they are predicting. Although they said the temps will be in the low 30's (manageable), snow + dog limping is not a good mix.

[brandimom]

Oh Theresa I am sorry to hear that she is limping. Little precious Lulu! Sending prayers and good thoughts your way. I know how you worry about Lulu. Please continue to keep us posted. Hugs to you.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Okay, so on the docket....prayers for NO snow!

 

Today is day 12 for Lenny and he is just now showing more improvement so it can take awhile

[Guest Energy11]

YOU can send the SNOW here!!!!!!!!!! WE are scheduled to get RAIN, again! :-( I WANT SNOW!

[Guest GentleHugs]

Oh Theresa I am sorry to hear that she is limping. Little precious Lulu! Sending prayers and good thoughts your way. I know how you worry about Lulu. Please continue to keep us posted. Hugs to you.

 

Yes, the little brat does worry me. She's on her 3rd life now that is - if she has 9 lives like kitties have. And she just started firming up those butt and thigh muscles, too..... when she came to me, she hardly had any muscle to speak of on her hind end and rear legs.

 

Last week, it was Ashley who was not doing too well. She was having problems with her hind end (she'll be 12 on Monday) because the bitter cold finally got to her.

 

This past weekend, it was my right shoulder. When I had that cold/flu, I had to sleep sitting up so I could breathe. I sneezed and not only did it pop my shoulder out of place - it popped my upper back out, too. Finally had to go to the chiro to get that fixed (although he said he was afraid to touch me because of my neck issues). So my shoulder and back is doing better in case she needs to be lifted.

 

Now, it's LuLu and her hind leg. I'm hoping she is better by next week although 12 days like LLenny's limping sounds more like what I'm in for.

 

And yes, pray for NO snow here but send it all to Energy11 please. Our weather guy just told us to get prepared for Christmas Eve, Christmas and the day after Christmas. Temps will go back down to 12 degrees and lower again.... just what I need. It takes me about 10 minutes to get suited up to go outside when temps get that low. My body can't handle the cold anymore. By that time, LuLu will be having a cow.

[CaliforniaGreys]

It takes me about 10 minutes to get suited up to go outside when temps get that low. My body can't handle the cold anymore

.

 

Now you know I have a solution for that

[carronstar]

Adding my prayers.

[iluvgreys]

Limping is always worrisome. Sending lots of prayers and light to Miss Lulu for full healing.

[Guest GentleHugs]

She is doing a tiny bit better this evening although she is still limping and she is "under the influence" of rimadyl, too. In fact, the little brat slipped past me this evening and did her usual jumping off the deck to go to the yard. About scared me to death because that's one thing I do NOT want her doing right now.

 

So, when she was ready to come back in, she met mom at the bottom of the steps and mom made her use the ramp.

 

She's playing with her toys, playbowing, stretching and all that but she's not playing with her toys as much as she normally does.

 

She's resting now but I will turn them out one more time tonight before going to bed and I'll probably give her a little more rimadyl so she can rest easy tonight.

 

and no, cbudshome - I'm not moving to the desert either. Heat is worse on my MS than the cold is!

 

I'll try and update on LuLu tomorrow.... I sure hope she gets better. I hate seeing her like this. Breaks my heart because she's such an active little brat.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

No advice; just hoping she gets better soon and it's nothing serious.

[Guest vahoundlover]

Sending prayers it's nothing serious!

[CaliforniaGreys]

How's the beautiful little girl this morning? Glad the Rimadyl is helping, and hopefully she'll get a little better each day.

 

Ekko sends her best to her little friend and she's sorry to hear you won't be moving to the desert

[Guest GentleHugs]

FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE:

 

Well, woke up this morning a little late but as soon as I sat up on the bed - LuLu was racing around playing with her toys!

 

I gave her some more rimadyl last night before bed and then we all crashed.

 

This morning, the little wild thing was happy, playing, playbowing, acting like Ms Kitty, tossing toys everywhere - you name it. I was trying to keep her from pogoing and racing around while getting their muzzles on to go out.

 

I got my coat and hat on, let Ashley out first, then Patrick and I walked the wild one down the ramp. The moment her paws hit the ground - she was off running. I forgot to hook her lead to her to keep her from running. Note to self: grab leash and attach it to her even if my eyes are half open.

 

Then she started limping a little again.

 

She did her business and I got her back up the ramp and inside the house.

 

Got their breakfast ready - the wild one got hers topped with some rimadyl and now........

 

She's cockroached and out like a light on her bed.

 

Sounds to me like she's getting better. This morning was a huge improvement compared to how she was doing 2 days ago.

 

Now comes the hard part - keeping her still since she's feeling better. She's very active and very high energy normally so I guess I better keep her "under the influence" for a few more days!

 

But all in all - I'm so glad to see her much better this morning even if she drives me insane! Really made me stop and think what life would be without her if something would have happened to her. She's a huge presence in our lives although she can be a little PITA sometimes.

 

I'd hate to see what the meeting would have been like between Ekko and little LuLu.

 

I really think she tweaked what would be the equivalent to our ham string muscle because before her morning dose of rimadyl kicked in, she was licking that muscle a bit. She is, however, getting up and down better from her bed. She doesn't have furniture privileges because she doesn't know how to behave on them. She runs on the couch, jumps over an end table to land on the love seat and then repeats her acrobats all over again.

 

When we first got her about 2 1/2 years ago, she had no manners. Since she's been wth us, she's been learning manners sloooooowly. She even has a "color coded behavior chart" on our refrigerator thanks to my grand daughters. Most of the days have been yellow or red sprinkled with a few green here and there.

 

We will see how the day goes but I think we are on the mend.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Therese, I had trouble keeping Lenny down and it really had nothing to do with Ekko. He's a wild crazy boy all on his own.

All that did was slow down the healing process a little so don't stress yourself out too much trying to keep her quiet.

Obviously you don't want her to re injure herself but you can only do so much to keep her quiet

[Guest GentleHugs]

Therese, I had trouble keeping Lenny down and it really had nothing to do with Ekko. He's a wild crazy boy all on his own.

All that did was slow down the healing process a little so don't stress yourself out too much trying to keep her quiet.

Obviously you don't want her to re injure herself but you can only do so much to keep her quiet

 

I'm not as stressed as I was a couple of days ago about it. The first thing that always pops into your mind is that word we don't want to hear and since LuLu is 7 - there's always that possibility. I know it's hard to keep a high energy dog quiet unless you duct tape them still!

 

I thought about digging out the crate but Ashley gets stressed when she sees a crate and Patrick would try and take it over if we have a thunderstorm so I am just keeping her quiet as much as I can without it. She's managing the hard wood floors just fine and I have runners down anyway. The only stress is making sure she uses the ramp instead of hurdling the steps like she normally does and running in the yard. I bought my ramp initially for Heisman since he could not manage steps with his Wobbler's.

 

My biggest stress, though, was my SIL coming in from Florida on Monday for the holidays and we don't get along very well. She's afraid of large dogs - especially black ones and LuLu (black) is an "in your face up your butt" dog. But, that stress was relieved when my SIL procrastinated and didn't get her plane tickets before the prices went up! She's not coming in for the holidays now!

 

My SIL became afraid of large black dogs when a foster of mine bit her on the boob trying to get to her little Chihuahua (Chico) she had in her arms. Thunder (my old black English foster brood mama) startled my SIL when she walked in my house, turned around and saw Thunder standing there. Out of being startled by Thunder, my SIL screamed, threw little Chico up in the air and I caught him in mid air. At the same time, Thunder grabbed my SIL's boob and chomped down! Thunder wasn't anything safe. SIL knew better. I warned her about entering my house with Chico in her arms since Thunder was not small dog safe and not crated. Luckily no damage was done to her boob or to Chico except now my SIL is afraid to walk in my house if there's a large dog present - especially black ones. Thunder got adopted after that to a wonderful family.

[Guest Energy11]

Good news about the SIL! Some people JUST do NOT listen! Good Grief :-( Good luck with all of this. Curfew has a dislocated toe, and our turnout pen is total mudd and water ... constant rains here. Hard for him to not use the toe. Take care! Hope it all works out well!

[Guest GentleHugs]

Good news about the SIL! Some people JUST do NOT listen! Good Grief :-( Good luck with all of this. Curfew has a dislocated toe, and our turnout pen is total mudd and water ... constant rains here. Hard for him to not use the toe. Take care! Hope it all works out well!

 

 

Well, if you knew my SIL you would understand. She thinks she knows it all but when it comes to dogs - she's not the brightest bulb on the tree. She brought poor little Chico over to me one time to remove a "tick". She had been trying to remove it for 4 hours. Come to find out - it wasn't a tick. It was his little NIPPLE! She had it bleeding, too! Poor baby - I had to dig out my emergency kit and doctor it. She didn't know that male dogs had nipples, too. and she said she never noticed them either. She had Chico for over 10 years!

 

Chico was a little long coated Chihuahua and was the cutest little thing. He also nipped and bit a lot of people, too. I'm not a small dog person per say but Chico and I had a very special bond. He went to the bridge a week after I lost Heisman. Chico was 12 1/2 but he had bad seizures (from a prior head injury he received when he was younger) that just could not be controlled.

 

Been there done that with the total mud thing just a few weeks ago, too. The mud pond was at the end of my deck steps so I put down concrete patio blocks over it and my 2 girls - Ashley and LuLu thought they were evil! They would NOT step on those things for anything. I finally got a roll of sod and covered the mud pond up with that. That worked but my area was only a 4ft x 4ft area - not a turn out pen.

 

Is there any way that maybe you could put some sand down or maybe even straw to help absorb some of the mud and water?

 

Well, I gotta go - I have a little girl who is looking at me like she needs to go potty but she still looks a little "out of it" from the rimadyl. Guess I better put on my coat and take her out - on lead this time!

[CaliforniaGreys]

Big bad scary LuLu that's as funny as big black scary Wayne!

Or even better, big scary Ekko

[Guest GentleHugs]

Quick update:

 

LuLu is doing better this afternoon - she's almost back to her normal limping. Her left rear leg is shorter than her right by 1/2 inch or more from her broken hip so she limps anyway. However, she doesn't hold her leg up with her "normal" limping like she started doing 3 days ago.

 

She's playing, tossing toys all over, trying to pounce on me while I was on the phone, talking to me and just plain being a little PITA again.

 

I think she will continue to limp some for a while but I think she will be ok unless she just flat out doesn't mind like she's supposed to. With LuLu - that's a possibility.

 

Telling her that Ekko would like to be her full time nurse I think is what did it.

 

I'm going to hold off on her rimadyl until bedtime and see how she does without being under the influence this afternoon/evening. I've been giving her about 20 mg of rimadyl each time (which isn't much I know) and it's been zonking her out for awhile. I feel uncomfortable about giving her more than that so we will stick with the 20 mg for now. She only weighs 60 lbs soaking wet.

 

Anyway, if she relapses, I will post but for now - I think all the prayers, good thoughts and Ekko's nursing skills helped. Thanks everyone. I really appreciate it.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Hoping LuLu is doing even better today. If not, Ekko's bags are packed