Jump to content

Splaying Of Back Legs


Guest kar

Recommended Posts

As you know snow is on adequen injections. Last week her back legs splayed on the tile floor after my son spooked her. Now it is becoming more frequent. Should I continue adequen? She was doing well in this until this incident happened. Now it is more frequent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 126
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I can't advise on the Adequen, having no experience of that, but - would she benefit from exercises you can do to strengthen/ maintain her muscles? After my old boy, Doc, developed a wobbly back end he benefited from regular visits from an animal physiotherapist. She massaged and manipulated him but she also gave me exercises to do with him every day between times. Check with your vet but they were simple to do, and definitely helpful. E.g. one was for me to pick up a back paw and place it on the ground, but knuckles down, for him to right (this is also a test used by vets to ascertain nerve sensation). We repeated a few times for each back paw. Gentle walks uphill were also good to keep the back end working.

Clare with Tiger (Snapper Gar, b. 18/05/2015), and remembering Ken (Boomtown Ken, 01/05/2011-21/02/2020) and Doc (Barefoot Doctor, 20/08/2001-15/04/2015).

"It is also to be noted of every species, that the handsomest of each move best ... and beasts of the most elegant form, always excel in speed; of this, the horse and greyhound are beautiful examples."----Wiliam Hogarth, The Analysis of Beauty, 1753.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This happened to Kasey a few times. I upped his gabapentin.

 

Totally agree with exercises as well as walking up hills. I actually laid 6 full paper towel rolls on the floor (with spaces) to make him pick up his feet and made him walk a row of these about 10 times once a day.

Edited by XTRAWLD

Proudly owned by:
10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 2010
12.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son keeps pushing her backwards and then both of her legs splay. I finally screamed at him to stop doing that. What would cause that? Does she get nervous? I keep tormenting myself with what if I have to put her down. I don't think I'll be able to.

Edited by kar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What did you do for it? Or is there anything that can be done? I know she does have hip dysplasia

Edited by kar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gabapentin really helped Rainy's legs be less shaky. But if she gets pushed or bumped on tile she'll go down. We just have to be careful. She's 13 now. Her harness really helps us steady her before she goes down. It's the ruff wear one with a handle.

------

 

Jessica

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Look up lumbosacral stenosis. Gabapentin essentially lets the brain tell the back legs to stand up, because the nerves in the back of the spine are pinched and aren't responding.

Edited by XTRAWLD

Proudly owned by:
10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 2010
12.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will call vet and ask her to switch to gabepentin tomorrow. This really did not happen until my son spooked her on the tile. That's when it all started .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Put carpet tiles or rugs on your floors so she stops slipping. Keep your son separated from her for the time being. Get her on Gabapentin and get a PT program for her. There are a lot of things you could try - cold laser, acupuncture, underwater treadmill, massage. It depends on the dog but you need a consult with a physical therapist or someone knowledgeable about those modalities to help you.

gallery_12662_3351_862.jpg

Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When Colin started to loose weight and getting insecure on the tile floor I put paths of rugs throughout the house for him to move from room to room. In additon I spoke with his physiotherapist and she recommended to feed rice bran oil and give him 5 globules of conium c30 once a week. It helped really well.

And I would keep a tight rein on that son of yours. Everyone who would scare one of my dogs or just knowingly makes him uncomfortable would get introduced to the scarier side of my personality.

Sorry for butchering the english language. I try to keep the mistakes to a minimum.

 

Nadine with Paddy (Zippy Mullane), Saoirse (Lizzie Be Nice), Abu (Cillowen Abu) and bridge angels Colin (Dessies Hero) and Andy (Riot Officer).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Conner is on two 100 mg of gabapentin twice a day. My understanding is that is a fairly low dose. I have rugs down everywhere, but he still manages to get a foot down on a slippery spot when he gets excited, sigh. Not much you can do about that but watch carefully. My first grey had back issues that sound more like Snow's than Conner's. Acupuncture really helped her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont think 100 twice a day is enough, you wont see a noticeable difference and it would be a waste. What does she weigh? The lowest I ever used was 250 twice to three times a day when the LS is bad and he teetered around the 60lb mark. Ryder is on 300mg twice a day and he's 75lbs.

 

On a other note, are you stopping adequen?

Edited by XTRAWLD

Proudly owned by:
10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 2010
12.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015

Link to comment
Share on other sites

She did not have a good day today. Had to cut the walk really short. I'm not very happy. I feel she does not have long. No interest in walk at all.

Does it make your dog sleepy? She just is not herself. The change came really fast. I'm afraid it just might be her time. I thought adequen was really working. Initially there was a big change I thought. I will try it a little longer, but maybe it was just my wishful thinking.

Edited by kar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When we started the Gabapentin, it was 300mg once a day. We can increase up to 3 times a day if needed, but at that point we may want to look at other options that may work better. 300mg in the morning gave us a brand new instant pup. Rainy is 65lbs

------

 

Jessica

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dosing Gabapentin once a day makes no sense to me. It has a short half life in greyhounds. Dosing should be 2-4 times per day. It can cause drowsiness but I wouldn't expect much (if any) from a single 100 mg dose. It will also go away as they adjust to the meds. If she seems that uncomfortable I would just give 200 mg twice a day to start and see if you notice improvement and then you can increase from there. If the alternative is euthanizing her it doesnt really seem like the time to be uber conservative about a medication that has a HUGE safety range (Violet, at 60 lbs has taken as much as 500 mg in a dose, Zuro at 70 lbs was taking 500-600 3-4x/day when he has cancer).

gallery_12662_3351_862.jpg

Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm supposed to start 100 mg twice a day and then up it.i will try it. It's just she's all I have left. I can't even imagine life without her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sleepy. It completely revitalized both my boys.

 

I would up it to 300mg 2x day for that weight. It has a huge range. What else is she taking?

Edited by XTRAWLD

Proudly owned by:
10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 2010
12.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...