Back Legs Collapsing ?

[Guest blueberri]

Sorry to be posting again... But this has me really freaked out!

 

We've tried to keep Sparky fit, encouraging runs with the local greyhound group, fetch at the park, 2x daily walks, btwn 10-120 minutes long. He occasionally yelps when turning or landing after a jump, but walks/runs happily immediately after.

 

We're on holiday at the beach, and have kept up the routine. On perhaps 5 occasions over the last 3 days I have seen him have his back legs collapse, resulting in him looking confused and trying to get up again. It has happened when he was just walking around the house, once while walking out of the water to bring his ball back, walking along the beach etc.

 

I've run my hands firmly down his legs (due to one yelp) - no sensitive areas apparent.

 

The only other thing that *might* be linked is he has a spot at the base of his spine (btwn hip bones) where if we scratch, he has his legs collapse kinda mid-bliss. I didn't think anything of it as my cat has a spot that makes him go all cuckoo if you scratch it.

 

I've booked him in with his vet, who is lovely and more greyhound-aware than most here, but I'd appreciate if anyone has any ideas, that I could then run them past her.

 

Sorry for the novel, and any typos. Typing on cellphones suck!

[macoduck]

http://www.greythealth.com/lumbosacral.html This article might help.

[4My2Greys]

Check him for corns. I have a grey that started doing the same thing a few months ago and it worsened with time. Even though I didn't think a corn was his problem it turned out to be the case. He's going in this morning to have his teeth cleaned and the corn surgically removed.

[Guest Downtownhoundz]

Hope it's nothing serious and you come back with a good report! Let us know !

[Charlies_Dad]

Could be LS as per Macoduck's post. Have your vet test Sparky out for this. Hope it's nothing serious though.

[Guest blueberri]

Thanks guys. I think you may be right macoduck. I hate to think it though, I mean he's only just turned 4! Poor little man

 

We're returning home tomorrow, so have booked in to his vet at 5. Apparently there's a grey specialist an hour away, so can go there if needed.

 

I can't help but think, we've just found Sparks, it's too early for him to get taken away

[Guest mld]

Sending positive thoughts your way! Keep us posted on what the vet says

[Hubcitypam]

Rex had LS at 4. Hugs to you and Sparky.

[Charlies_Dad]

Thanks guys. I think you may be right macoduck. I hate to think it though, I mean he's only just turned 4! Poor little man

 

We're returning home tomorrow, so have booked in to his vet at 5. Apparently there's a grey specialist an hour away, so can go there if needed.

 

I can't help but think, we've just found Sparks, it's too early for him to get taken away

Please try not to worry yet! There are options if it is LS and it could be something else. Our senior girl Shelby came to us a few yeyears ago with a very weak back-end and would collapse if you touch a certain place on her rear. She is on Gabapentin and had some shots early in 2012 and has been doing very well on it. Your boy will be around for some time to come! Please keep us updated.

[greyhead]

LS is entirely workable. We have one grey who displayed symptoms from age 5, was diagnosed at 8, and is still with us at 12. Treatment was acupuncture and chiropractic by a vet certified in those practices, and only recently have we had to add tramadol and gabapentin to the mix, along with Adequan. Although the Adequan is pricey, it's amazing! Good luck to you and Sparky. Please update us.

[Guest blueberri]

Vet was lovely Sparks was happy after all the poking and prodding because she gave him treats

 

It's looking orthopaedic rather than cardiac or neurological (boney rather than heart or brain). He has some ?spondylisis in his lower spine, as tail won't lift. Nothing obvious, but tender in lower vertebrae. The specialist is off til mid-Jan, so in meantime have anti-inflammatory, as vet felt the increased incidence may be due to increasing inflammation from skeletal abnormality... Reducing inflammation should reduce incidence. And we have few wks to consider x-rays, myelogram, or see specialist before imaging (in the off-chance that he diagnoses without imaging).

 

So the crux is: looking like LS, with other skeletal issues apparent.

 

She's on board with early & gentle intervention if it is, so happy about that!

[Guest blueberri]

And after all that, my poor boy had a strong adverse reaction to the first dose of Rimadyl. Was so sedated that he hadn't moved in 4 hours (we'd been out). Wasn't responding to calling his name (normally very upbeat and keen for pats!!), and on waking/patting he was struggling to open his eyes before falling back asleep. Tried the kibble test, and he staggered and walked very awkwardly to his bowl... was horribly dry in his mouth, but managed to convince him to drink, and supported him outside to pee. He's so flat and miserable not my happy little man at all.

[Batmom]

Oh no! There are other anti-inflammatories you and your vet can try, but you have to wait several days after stopping the Rimadyl.

 

Hugs and hopes your boy feels much better in a few hours.

[4My2Greys]

Please don't discount corns as being a possibility for what is causing his lameness. My grey Nadir spent 2 yrs in pain because I was told from one vet that it was diskospondylosis, another vet that the problem was in his knee and two other vets that had no answer. I at one point even had him examined by the orthopedics dept and had a MRI and spinal tap done at a veterinary teaching hospital with no answers to why he was walking like a 90 year old crippled man. I finally found a vet that diagnosed a corn as the problem (this was prior to being on GT and learning about corns). I had the corn surgically removed and once the toe healed he not only walked more spryley, but even started moving at a trot on our walks. I spent about $6000 in taking him to different vets for testing and treatments and more importantly he spent 2 yrs in terrible pain because neither the vets or I knew to consider corns as a cause for lameness. On top of that we have to deal with the stomach problems he developed from taking the meloxicam he was prescribed when he was diagnosed in the beginning with diskospondylosis.

[Guest blueberri]

Not discounting corns. I gave his paws a thorough check when I did his nails, and there is nothing that resembles a corn thank goodness. The vet appeared to as she was checking his joints...

 

The vet wants us to try one more time with the Rimadyl. I'm dreading it... I said to DH last night (all teary) "never again". He has recovered beautifully, is about 90% his usual self, grinning and being his cheeky lovely self. DH is away for the evening, and I have to give it with his dinner, and potentially have a very zonky unhappy baby tonight

 

For now, he's being a goober as he rubs his face on his blankies and makes monster noises

 

Dear lord, how I love this dog

[greyhead]

I think you're right to say "never again." No way would I give him Rimadyl again after that kind of reaction!

 

Batmom has posted elsewhere, I believe, that you don't need a wash-out period if you give Tramadol instead. You only have to wait to give another NSAID. I'm sure she'll correct me if that's wrong.

[JJNg]

And after all that, my poor boy had a strong adverse reaction to the first dose of Rimadyl. Was so sedated that he hadn't moved in 4 hours (we'd been out). Wasn't responding to calling his name (normally very upbeat and keen for pats!!), and on waking/patting he was struggling to open his eyes before falling back asleep. Tried the kibble test, and he staggered and walked very awkwardly to his bowl... was horribly dry in his mouth, but managed to convince him to drink, and supported him outside to pee. He's so flat and miserable not my happy little man at all.

 

This would be a very rare side effect of Rimadyl. While "lethargy" is listed as a possible adverse reaction to Rimadyl, I honestly don't remember ever seeing or even hearing about any cases, especially to the extent that you describe. This may be an odd question, and a very unlikely possibility, but are you 100% sure that the pills are Rimadyl? It's not unheard of, in both human and veterinary medicine, for prescriptions to be filled improperly. And when I get a really unusual reaction, that's one of the first things I would check.

[Guest blueberri]

JJNg: have checked, and it is right tablet. I know the reaction is uncommon, but I know what I saw.

 

We're going with the vet's advice to try one more time. He had it with dinner (45 min ago), and is acting weird, less coordinated, glazed and staring blankly. At least we know now, and can just nurse him through this.

[kudzu]

Did he have any blood work done before starting Rimadyl?

[Batmom]

you don't need a wash-out period if you give Tramadol instead. You only have to wait to give another NSAID.

 

Correct! And thank you for pointing this out for OP. The tramadol won't reduce inflammation but would certainly address any pain that your pup is having, and that could be a big help over the "washout" days.

 

Note that you also need a washout period of several days between any NSAID and prednisone.

[Guest blueberri]

kudzu: no, no bloodwork was done.

 

He again got very sedated last night, and uncoordinated, at one point was snapping at flies that weren't there...but it wasn't as bad as the previous night. Even a visitor here commented "what's wrong with Sparky? Is he stoned or something?"

 

He's back to his cheeky self today. was trying to mooch food off the baby (banana and strawberry custard, can't blame him!), and the little rat just ate my lunch while I was putting the baby down.

 

The vets have called, prescribed something starting with M, it's a liquid... will pick it up when little J wakes.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Liquid starting with an M sounds like Metacam, an NSAID. There's a page here that lists various NSAIDs and contains links to their product prescription sheets (which not all vets provide to their patients). Metacam's sheet advises the following:

 

 

Metacam oral suspension should not be administered concurrently with steroidal or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aminoglycoside antibiotics or anti-coagulant agents.

 

Pre-treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs may result in additional or increased adverse effects and accordingly a treatment-free period with such drugs should be observed for at least 24 hours before commencement with Metacam oral suspension. The treatment-free period, however, should take into account the pharmacokinetic properties of the drugs used previously.

 

The Carprofen PDF located here (page 6) advises a washout period for NSAIDS of a minimum of 48 to 72 hours.

[greyhead]

Snapping at flies that aren't there could have been seizure activity. The vet should definitely be told about all the specifics of these incidents.

[kudzu]

Your dog has had a really strange reaction that has happened twice now. To be quite honest I would get some blood work run before giving another NSAID.

 

The M drug is probably Metacam or meloxicam, the generic. My dogs have done quite well on it.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Your dog has had a really strange reaction that has happened twice now. To be quite honest I would get some blood work run before giving another NSAID.

 

The M drug is probably Metacam or meloxicam, the generic. My dogs have done quite well on it.

 

Yeah, I was thinking that too. I just hope the vet prescribed a washout period after the rimadyl, especially since the dog hasn't responded well to rimadyl.