Guest Krizzy Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 We have had our Hammer for about 8 months and he is a broken leg. I take him on a daily walk and he absolutely loves them. Usually the walks are about 15 minutes but since it has been getting warmer, they are more like 30 minutes. One thing I have noticed he has been doing lately is the leg that was broken, it seems like it gives out and it drops....if that makes any sense. He doesn't limp on it or it doesn't seem like it is hurting but also he seems to be getting more tired very fast. He turns 4 years old in a week. It's been getting warmer but not that warm where the heat would make him get tired faster. Maybe I am wrong but has this happened to anyone else before? Or something similar? I just took him on a walk earlier and he lasted like 15 minutes and he was walking behind me, panting heavier than usual. Thanks for your input :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudiav Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I don't know about the broken leg, but my Remy doesn't do well at all in temps above 70. he suffers greatly in humid weather so we leave the A/C on for the pups all day long during the summer, and even hot/humid spring/fall days. Good luck with the broken leg healing/walking. My Remy had a very tough, and long, recovery from an Achilles Tendon tear surgery. It's been almost 6 months and he's just now back to normal. Of course, now we find out he has bone cancer.... poor boy can't catch a break.... Quote Image removed, not within Signature Guidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Krizzy, PM me and I will give you Dorothy's phone number (foster mom that takes care of the broken leg hounds). Hammer came from GO right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Could be a combination of things - the increased temps, getting tired faster, the muscle in that leg not being as well-conditioned. The panting could also be a sign of pain, which you may want to address with your vet with an NSAID. Anything over 70 degrees can affect some greyhounds. Quote Chris - Mom to: Lilly, Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tammara Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Our Bear had a broken leg and the surgery to repair it. How long ago was Hammer's leg broken and did he have surgery? Bear had some trouble with one of the screws backing out of the plate and at that point his gait seemed to change. I think he was also licking at the leg because it was bothering him. We live in the cooler weather here but the only time Bear would drop back on a walk/hike was if he didn't feel well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiesMom15 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Sweet Pea has a badly healed right front leg. She broke both the ulna and radius. For some reason (Don't ask why, I don't know) the break was not treated correctly, and both lower leg bones slid over the joint and fused to her humerus. Amputation was considered, but she uses the leg for balance. Mitty Pea can't walk worth a hoot, but boy, she can run like the wind! Quote You! Out of the gene pool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Krizzy Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Krizzy, PM me and I will give you Dorothy's phone number (foster mom that takes care of the broken leg hounds). Hammer came from GO right? Thank you. Yes, I actually got Hammer from Dorothy (CIGA) but I thought I would just see if anyone had any of the same experiences. I will give her a call :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Dorothy will be happy to hear from you, she is wonderful. Has Hammer gained weight? That could be a factor. The weather as others have said could be a factor. Dorothy will be very helpful, she has had hundreds, if not over a thousand broken leg hounds that she has worked through rehab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Krizzy Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Dorothy IS great :-) she still sees Hammer from time to time when she dog sits him. I talked to her today. She said it can likely be the warmer weather that is slowing him down. Hammer has only gained 4 lbs since we had him- he still looks like he came right off the track- very in shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3vagreys Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 My Idol had a broken hock with a screw to repair it. He sometimes limps and his hip is a bit lower on that side but he never hangs back. He also has a tendency to have a corn on that foot. I'm having good luck with keeping it under control so it usually doesn't bother him much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytHoundPoet Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 My Timmy broke his hock racing. It healed crooked so he has a permanent limp and a funky looking hock. I get him x-rayed every year since he limps all the time to keep an eye on that area. He has horrible arthritis and the bone is nearly eaten up. The only time it seems to bother him (his limp gets more pronounced than normal) is when it is cold and rainy or if he overdoes it. One thing that several vets recommended to me, and I personally have found helps, is to keep him fit and active. Timmy runs every single day and, as a result, he has strengthened that area. He is very fit and has not gained any weight since he got off the track 5 years ago. Keeping them fit really helps. Quote Masquerade Hounds & The Hounds of East Fairhaven & Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Krizzy Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 My Timmy broke his hock racing. It healed crooked so he has a permanent limp and a funky looking hock. I get him x-rayed every year since he limps all the time to keep an eye on that area. He has horrible arthritis and the bone is nearly eaten up. The only time it seems to bother him (his limp gets more pronounced than normal) is when it is cold and rainy or if he overdoes it. One thing that several vets recommended to me, and I personally have found helps, is to keep him fit and active. Timmy runs every single day and, as a result, he has strengthened that area. He is very fit and has not gained any weight since he got off the track 5 years ago. Keeping them fit really helps. This is great to hear because we are very active. That makes me feel a lot better. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 The bone is "eaten up"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytHoundPoet Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 The bone is "eaten up"? Basically, there is very little solid looking bone on an xray. He has a whole lot of arthritis and it looks like the arthritis has taken over or "eaten up" the bone. (It may be a regional dialect term.) Quote Masquerade Hounds & The Hounds of East Fairhaven & Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Could he have osteo? That sounds very much like osteo, dont want to worry you, but... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytHoundPoet Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 (edited) No. Like I said, I get X-Rays done every single year (to watch for that) and it has looked the same since he was 2 (he is 7 now). I do worry he'll get it someday though, which is why we do yearly x-rays and keep a super close eye on it. Edited May 6, 2013 by GreytHoundPoet Quote Masquerade Hounds & The Hounds of East Fairhaven & Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OPointyDog Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Our Zoe had a broken hock - pin and screw were put in, and the leg healed. Then the pin and screw came out of the bone, and had to be removed. As a result she was lame for almost 8 months, getting around mostly on 3 legs. Even after the surgery, she was still limping a lot, and would do very much what you described, when the bad leg would seemingly just give way. The orthopedic surgeon determined the ankle was structurally solid after the 2nd surgery, and sent us to a physical therapist because he thought the problem was with the muscles in her leg. Sure enough, the physical therapist found she was having muscle spasms and had significant atrophy in that leg. She did 3 months of laser therapy, ultrasound, massage, exercises, underwater treadmill.... About 2-3 months later she was good as new and now runs and walks normally. We have exercises we can do with her if she gets stiff, and that seems to help. Here she is on the underwater treadmill: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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