Rudy Is Suddenly Lame (Update Post #98)

[MP_the4pack]

Tendonitis can take a very long time to go away. I've had tendonitis in the elbow for close to 6 months before it finally went away.

[Acadianarose]

Poor Rudy. And poor you. I know it's stressful. Sending good thoughts your way.

[Guest k9soul]

Well, thought I felt a click in Rudy's wrist last week, so got paranoid and took him in for wrist x-ray, which was clear. However, tonight I was thinking about some people talking about the back issues causing a limp, so without thinking much, I pressed his back a bit near his right shoulderblade. Nearly lost my arm.

 

Not really, but it was a shock and frightening. Rudy lunged for me and even when I ducked away came after me and grabbed at my arm but just got my sleeve. Then he let go right away (no holes even in the sleeve, so obviously he wasn't out to truly "get" me). After that, he limped even worse for awhile.

 

I have contacted my group for recommendations/advice on specialists/chiropractors... Right now my car is broke down as of Saturday and have to wait for that to get fixed.

 

Also Rudy attacked my senior girl when he got back from the vet from x-ray on Wednesday (within 10 mins of being home) and she has an open ear wound I'm treating.

 

No Christmas gifts this year from me for anyone, just hoping I can get everyone the help they need as soon as I can.

Edited December 1, 2013 by k9soul

[Batmom]

Has he had an x-ray of that area of his shoulder/back?

[XTRAWLD]

Awh, poor guy. Clearly he's uncomfortable and is now letting you really know now.

 

I feed both my boys (one is just about 11 years old, and Ryder is 6 - he's the one with limping issues) joint supplements which have helped dramatically for each of them. They take a while to start working though. I know 6 is young, but if he needs it, he needs it.

 

Hugs. Sounds like you are in a tough place. Have you tried to find any "mobile" chiros - I know they are rare, but perhaps that is an option - someone to come to you? Certainly only if all x-rays are clear and sounds like they are so far. Are you close to any universities/colleges that practice animal care? That would be ideal, generally they are cheaper too, because you have learners.

Edited December 1, 2013 by XTRAWLD

[cometdust1]

I would not schedule a chiropractic until that area was x-rayed.

[tbhounds]

I would not schedule a chiropractic until that area was x-rayed.

X's 2!

[Guest k9soul]

Has he had an x-ray of that area of his shoulder/back?

 

Shoulder/elbow, but not shoulder/back. Probably needs that I guess, first. I am just feeling so overwhelmed right now. As soon as my car is working, I will bring him back in to the vet.

[Guest k9soul]

My senior girl's ear. She went to the vet right after, got antibiotic shot, is on pain meds too.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/11156625224_75b70c43db_c.jpg

[Guest RMarie]

Ouch!!! I hope both your hounds heal up soon!

[krissn333]

If the xray doesn't show anything, ask your vet for some methocarbamol. It is a muscle relaxer and if he's just got tightness between his shoulder blade and his back, methocarbamol will definitely help.

 

In SOME cases, using prednisone instead of an NSAID like Rimadyl or Previcox helps with injuries such as this. My angel Carrie was one of them. Prednisone fixed things like that for her where NSAIDS did nothing. Then one of my others was the exact opposite.

As he relaxes a little more you might be able to massage the area and that will help. Don't mess around too much until xrays confirm he's all clear though.

[Guest k9soul]

Thanks. Believe me I won't be massaging that area for now, and not without a muzzle even later. I absolutely do not blame him for his reaction, but it frightened me a great deal for those split seconds.

Edited December 2, 2013 by k9soul

[Hawthorn]

Sunny lunged at me one time when he had his (as yet undiagnosed) neck/back problem - he was lying on his side on the floor with me stroking him and I lifted up one of his front legs a little to rub his chest. It is very scary and in fact it was what prompted me to get a second opinion for him after weeks/months of our regular vet telling me there wasn't anything wrong and that he was basically just being a wimp. He's such a good-natured boy that I knew he must be in a great deal of pain to react that way.

 

Sunny wasn't able to have NSAIDs as he has severe side effects from them, but valium (used as a muscle relaxant in this case) gave him some temporary relief. The chiropractor gave much more long-lasting relief and kept him fully functional and limp-free for several years. For the last 18 months he's been on steroids for an unrelated condition and hasn't needed any chiro in that time, so it seems that the steroids may have permanently cured his problem.

 

Incidentally, the vet I took Sunny to for his second opinion was a very experienced greyhound/track vet and found the problem within a couple of minutes of examining him. In Sunny's case this was a misaligned vertebra between his shoulder blades which was putting pressure on the nerve running down his front leg, thus causing the pain and intermittent lameness. This vet told me that this is a very common problem with greyhounds, often caused by falls or collisions, but often goes undiagnosed.

 

Hope you find someone who can help Rudy.

[fliggie]

[Guest k9soul]

Hawthorn, that sure sounds like Rudy. I am going to print off your post and take it when me when I go in.

[Hawthorn]

Let us know how you get on - I'll be watching for updates!

[XTRAWLD]

Similarly to Hawthorn, in Ryder's case, my chiro frequently treated greyhounds with limps that seemed to always favour their left side, since they run in that direction on the race track (a lot of pressure on that side of the body in the turns, while the right compensates and "lengthens"). He had YEARS of experience and found the problem promptly. A trained vet/chiro will diagnose the problem in a few minutes. In addition to shoulder issues, he also had a bit of spine out of whack.....you know how it feels when you pinch a nerve or muscle in your back and it can hurt somewhere else? Happened to Ryder. I really hope that's the case for Rudy. Good luck.

[Guest k9soul]

Rudy's is on his right side, but after his reaction yesterday I really think it may be something like that. I was kind of massaging his shoulder area, then pressed a bit between the blade and his spine (not directly on the spine) and that's when he went for me.

 

Can't get my car back until tomorrow, so hopefully I can get him in soon...it is possible it may have to wait until Friday when I get paid.

[EllenEveBaz]

[forevergrey]

I hope Rudy heals soon! It does sounds like a neck/spine issue. However I did have an experience with my hound being misdiagnosed. He was limping badly after running, x ray showed nothing wrong with the wrist. A week later we went back for a re-check and another x ray was taken of his wrist. This time I had a much more experienced vet look at the films and he was able to see an accessory carpal fracture on his right wrist. It was very small and easy to miss, which is why the first vet did not see it. I heard the wrist clink when I moved it a little and that is why I asked for another x-ray. It healed after about 4 months of very restricted activity. Connective tissue formed at that spot and my boy is totally fine, no lameness.

[carronstar]

I hope your boy feels better soon.

[Guest k9soul]

Rudy just seems to be limping worse and more intolerant to standing for long. I took him back in to the vet today who x-rayed his spine/shoulder area. Did not really see much other than possibly one vertebra a little close to another but nothing certain. They recommended physical therapy but I'm wondering if I should go to PT or a chiro.. I feel sick at heart about all of this, and extremely anxious if I can handle the cost of it all.

 

I'm not sure what to do right now. I don't live in a big city area and specialists are going to involve time and driving too

[Batmom]

:( Might be worth having the x-rays read by a board-certified radiologist.

[Hawthorn]

The chiropractor I saw with Sunny told me that issues with slightly misaligned vertebrae don't really show up on xrays. I don't know enough about PT to know if that would help, but if your vet is recommending this maybe you could start there and see if it helps? Failing that, could you look around for a chiro within a reasonable travelling distance, or maybe someone can recommend one? Was your group able to recommend anyone?

 

You will feel so much better if you can find someone who really understands what's going on, be that a chiro or PT, and is confident they can help - it will take a huge weight off your shoulders. It did with me anyway. I suppose I was fortunate in having access to a very experienced greyhound vet within a couple of hours driving. It was a 5 hour round trip but worth every minute to find someone who could say confidently that they knew exactly what was wrong and how to fix it and also to reassure me that it wasn't a serious problem. Same with the chiro. I "interviewed" him on the phone first as I was a bit nervous about it. I explained the problems Sunny was having, what the vet had said was wrong, and asked if he thought he could help. He said "it's what I do every day". You need to find a good one, though, which is why it would be good if you could get a recommendation.

 

I do hope you can find someone who can help.

 

PS: Is Rudy still on pain relief as it does sound like he's in a lot of pain?

 

 

[Guest k9soul]

I've e-mailed my group contact about chiropractor recommendations. He has been on Previcox but it is just not seeming to help him, the vet today said she thinks he would do better back on Rimadyl. I have his x-ray from today on disk too. There is a chiropractor about an hour or so away from me who does both people and animals, but I'm unsure.. Going to see what my group says, too. I will probably be less anxious once I have a plan mapped out. I do still worry about the money side of it though. I've been hit so hard lately with unexpected expenses, dogs, my car, etc. It's life I guess. Thanks again for your reassurance.