Guest verthib Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Here's another question, sorry.... My female grey has always had a little skip or drag in one of her rear legs periodically. I've noticed it while going on walks. Lately it's gotten a bit more frequent (happens two or three times per walk), and a little worse (her hip seems to give out and her whole back end goes down). Anyone ever hear of this? It seems to happen either when she's trotting or walking. I've never seen it happen in the yard when she's running fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meandmy Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I started a thread just like this a few weeks ago (here) asking pretty much the same question. After being urged by GTers to take Tori to the vet, I did and he examined her thoroughly. He didn't find any issues, but suggested putting her on glucosamine (in addition to the Fresh Factors and Joint Health she was already taking) just in case it is the beginnings of arthritis. And, of course, to keep an eye out and let him know if it gets any worse. It hasn't, so we're leaving things as-is for now. I don't think it would hurt to take Gracie in for a check-up, just in case. Quote Jenn, missing Shadow (Wickford Big Tom), Pretty Girl (C's Pretty) and Tori (Santoria) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest verthib Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 (edited) I started a thread just like this a few weeks ago (here) asking pretty much the same question. After being urged by GTers to take Tori to the vet, I did and he examined her thoroughly. He didn't find any issues, but suggested putting her on glucosamine (in addition to the Fresh Factors and Joint Health she was already taking) just in case it is the beginnings of arthritis. And, of course, to keep an eye out and let him know if it gets any worse. It hasn't, so we're leaving things as-is for now. I don't think it would hurt to take Gracie in for a check-up, just in case. I think I will take her in as well. How old is yours? Mine is 6. (Just read your older posts, and noticed that yours is 12. - Six seems young to have it start, but I think we'll still get her checked.) Edited November 28, 2011 by verthib Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meandmy Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Tori is 12, but if it's arthritis it can hit at any age. My bridge-boy Shadow started showing signs of arthritis at 7. Fingers crossed that it's nothing in your case, too, but I'm glad you're taking Gracie in to be looked at. Quote Jenn, missing Shadow (Wickford Big Tom), Pretty Girl (C's Pretty) and Tori (Santoria) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Your hound is young but, I wonder if it's the beginnings of LS??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Your hound is young but, I wonder if it's the beginnings of LS??? I agree. Those are the exact things that drove me to take George to the vet. After rulling out osteo, she sent me to a specialist who took a million films of his spine and told me it was "probably" LS. I opted not to have an MRI done, so I don't have a 100% "it's LS" diagnosis, but the treatment for suspected LS is exactly the same as for confirmed LS (unless you opt for surgery, which I would not do). Suggest you ask for some spinal x-rays. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Pain, weakness, sensory difficulties can all cause this. What causes those are quite varied. I'd get a vet appointment to check for any obvious cause & work from there. Have had several dogs with this or similar problems. The causes have ranged from orthopedic, like hip, leg or spine, to weakness from Cushing's, polyneuropathy, kidney failure, etc. And then there was the one who seemed to simply be a klutz & the other who couldn't walk & watch squirrels at the same time. My first guess though would be some sort of arthritis or other ortho condition involving pain. If so, treating to slow or halt progression while managing pain can work so well as to appear to reverse time. Hope things go well for your pup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest verthib Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 LS is lumbar stenosis? I googled the symptoms and she doesn't have all the symptoms. I will still get her checked though. I hope it's simply a little arthritis and that glucosamine would help. Keeping fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GordonInTo Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 You may want to check her pads for a corn. My guy skipped once and a while for a long time. Once he began limping i brought him to his vet and he thought it was a torn ligament. I got a second opinion before heading to the "specialist" and the second vet disagreed with the ligament tear but couldn't suggest a solution. She recommended keeping him inactive for a week. So I just kept poking and prodding, sort to speak at his legs and toes for a few weeks and finally he flinched. It was a toe. I would press on each toe and squeeze them slightly. As soon as i got to the sensitive toe he would put his head over it to block me. One time he got up and walked away. He wasn't impressed!!!! Hehe I noticed the pad looked a little different from the others in texture so researched here on gretalk and assumed it was a corn. After reading home remedies on the internet i opted for trying garlic. I used a garlic press and took the juices and fine sediments and placed it on a his toe and then applied a small piece of duct tape. I changed it every 2-4 days depending how long the tape stayed on. The result was freakish. Within a week he was not limping on soft surfaces and actual ran in the park like old times. Once in a while he still limps but i slacked off on the garlic. Also this limp is mostly on hard surfaces like the sidewalk. Interesting note is his pad started to become pink again. I guess the garlic cleans the black grime or staining. I was thinking of cleaning all his toes with garlic..haha Anyways that's my 2 cents....I would like to know if anyone with corns would yield the same results. G and Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 LS is lumbar stenosis? I googled the symptoms and she doesn't have all the symptoms. I will still get her checked though. I hope it's simply a little arthritis and that glucosamine would help. Keeping fingers crossed. Arthritis would not cause her to knuckle over. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest verthib Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 You may want to check her pads for a corn. My guy skipped once and a while for a long time. Once he began limping i brought him to his vet and he thought it was a torn ligament. I got a second opinion before heading to the "specialist" and the second vet disagreed with the ligament tear but couldn't suggest a solution. She recommended keeping him inactive for a week. So I just kept poking and prodding, sort to speak at his legs and toes for a few weeks and finally he flinched. It was a toe. I would press on each toe and squeeze them slightly. As soon as i got to the sensitive toe he would put his head over it to block me. One time he got up and walked away. He wasn't impressed!!!! Hehe I noticed the pad looked a little different from the others in texture so researched here on gretalk and assumed it was a corn. After reading home remedies on the internet i opted for trying garlic. I used a garlic press and took the juices and fine sediments and placed it on a his toe and then applied a small piece of duct tape. I changed it every 2-4 days depending how long the tape stayed on. The result was freakish. Within a week he was not limping on soft surfaces and actual ran in the park like old times. Once in a while he still limps but i slacked off on the garlic. Also this limp is mostly on hard surfaces like the sidewalk. Interesting note is his pad started to become pink again. I guess the garlic cleans the black grime or staining. I was thinking of cleaning all his toes with garlic..haha Anyways that's my 2 cents....I would like to know if anyone with corns would yield the same results. G and Jack I will definitely check for a corn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) Arthritis would not cause her to knuckle over. I tend to agree with you but it would depend on what is being referred to as knuckle over. Is the dog losing proprioception & actually putting his foot down on the knuckles? Is he losing motor function in the foot so that when he lifts his leg the foot droops a bit, toes are dragged & then flipped over onto the knuckles? Is the dog just avoiding certain painful movements resulting in not lifting his leg high enough, even if function in the foot is normal, with a similar knuckle dragging result? Answers to some of the above questions can point to a neurological cause but others could be from orthopedic related pain. Though admittedly LS has an original orthopedic cause the symptoms we see are neurologically based. LS & a variety of other spinal conditions including spinal arthritis can cause radiculopathy & later neuropathy. But simply avoiding certain painful movements can cause a damaging cascade of effects, the results of which produce a look that can make it hard for us to differentiate simply from observation. ETA: I don't see where the OP referred to her dog knuckling over. Perhaps I missed it? Edited November 30, 2011 by kudzu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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