Sprain?

[Guest ladybugz19]

I am a new greyhound owner and shortly after I adopted my dog he started limping on one of his front legs and yelping. I have taken him to the vet several times and had a lyme test and x-rays done. Nothing showed up, the only thing they could find was that the pain was definitly in his shoulder. He is 4 years old and there wasn't anything on his previous records to indicate a problem. I was with him the whole time between when I adopted him to when the limping started. The only thing I can think of is that I have slippery floors (which now have rugs) and he slipped and either sprained it or aggrivated a racing injury that we didn't know about. He has been on Tramadol for 2-3 weeks and has another week then he is supposed to go back for a recheck. He was doing really well on it, but today he seems to be in more pain then usual. He is limping a little and has yelped several times. Any suggestions about sprains and how long they usually take to heal or any one have a similar situation?

[Batmom]

A soft tissue injury can take 6-8 weeks or longer to heal.

 

That said ... I would check the foot for corns, cracked toenails, etc. Your vet might not be familiar with corns or no what to look for, but possibly somebody from your adoption group could help.

 

Good luck!

[joejoesmom]

I am a new greyhound owner and shortly after I adopted my dog he started limping on one of his front legs and yelping. I have taken him to the vet several times and had a lyme test and x-rays done. Nothing showed up, the only thing they could find was that the pain was definitly in his shoulder. He is 4 years old and there wasn't anything on his previous records to indicate a problem. I was with him the whole time between when I adopted him to when the limping started. The only thing I can think of is that I have slippery floors (which now have rugs) and he slipped and either sprained it or aggrivated a racing injury that we didn't know about. He has been on Tramadol for 2-3 weeks and has another week then he is supposed to go back for a recheck. He was doing really well on it, but today he seems to be in more pain then usual. He is limping a little and has yelped several times. Any suggestions about sprains and how long they usually take to heal or any one have a similar situation?

 

I am so glad your vet checked his bones on x-ray. Although it would be unusual for a 4 year old dog to develop bone cancer, it is possible. So the xray was a good call to rule out this horrible disease. The shoulder (actually the proximal humerous) is a common site. If your dog doesn't improve and you would like a second opinion as to the possibility of cancer, OSU will review his xray at no charge. Just have your vet email the digital xray or mail it to them. Contact info is here:

 

http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/4366.htm

 

 

Soft-tissue injury can take as long as a bone break to heal, if it were severe enough.

 

Corns are common in greyhounds (not so much in other dogs) and can be very painful. They are often not noticed on basic inspection. Here is a link to OSU's FAQ on greyhounds. Question 5 deals with corns and contains links to Grassmere's site. OSU is often able to hull the corn without sedation or a local. Although you said that the vet isolated the problem to his shoulder, I would ask them to check for corns. It is simple for them to do.

 

http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/2376.htm

 

I don't really have anything else to add. Just hope that your boy feels better.

 

Jane

Edited March 7, 2010 by joejoesmom

[Hawthorn]

I had a similar situation with Sunny a while back. Our vet didn't really know what was causing his pain/limping, but thought it was in his shoulder. We tried rest, painkillers and muscle-relaxants, but although this did improve the symptoms at the time, as soon as he returned to normal activity the symptoms would return. Eventually we took him to see a very experienced greyhound vet, who found that the problem was a slight misalignment of one of the bones at the base of his neck between the shoulder blades. He told me that this injury is very common in greyhounds, often after a fall, and would not usually be visible in an xray. After a few sessions with a chiropractor, Sunny was virtually back to normal, although he does still need occasional treatments. IMO it would be worth getting a second opinion from an experienced greyhound vet and/or a chiropractor. Not everyone agrees about chiropractic, and I was quite apprehensive myself before I took Sunny, but I have to say that I found the chiropractor very knowledgeable and the treatments definitely helped Sunny.

[PatricksMom]

I'm a big fan of tramadol, but if you think there's a sprain or other soft tissue injury you might want to talk to your vet about switching to/adding an anti-inflamatory.

[Guest ladybugz19]

Thanks for all the help. He had been on Rimadyl but it upset his stomach, he is doing well on the Tramadol. I am going to probably talk to my vet about seeing a chiropractor or getting a second opinion. I don't think they are a greyhound vet, so I will look into going to someone who is more experienced with greys. He is just the most wonderful dog, it will be nice to take him for long walks when he is feeling better and where the weather is getting warmer here.