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My Greyhound Is Limping On Her Back Left Leg


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I'm confused at this point which vet is handling her treatment?

 

Not always, but usually, there will be different symptoms with a heart issue - dizziness, coughing and/or wheezing, overall weakness and lethargy, vomiting, nausea. Limping isn't one of them.

 

You girl *could* have had some sort of TIA event, or spinal stroke. Dogs can and do recover from them all the time, but you need a good diagnosis to work off of first.

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

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, Lilly

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NIlla is going in for a mri on Wednesday morning. We saw a different vet at the same vet clinic that we went to last Wednesday. The vet told us that he felt the heart is not causing the pain that she is in and an ultrasound would not be a good option because he thinks that the issue is on the lumbar part of the spine and also possibly a groin ligament injury(in addition to the spinal cord injury). He is thinking either FCE or a spinal cord injury/issue of some kind. He is confused that she is in soo much pain though because a FCE almost always does not cause this amount of pain almost a week after the injury/incident. Nilla has lost 2.5 lbs and thankfully she isn't dehydrated. Also, we were given samples of CBD chews to give to her. She is almost out of Tramadol but we have found that the Gabapentin actually seems to work better for her. She is starting to adapt to being on just her three legs. She still wants me to carry her outside but then she hops really fast back inside once she is done.

Chocko, Nilla, and Comet Queen.

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Glad you are seeing a different vet, this new one sounds more like he knows what he is talking about. If he is right about possible causes, it makes sense the Gabapentin would help her pain more. I hope you get some answers and it (whatever "it" is) is treatable.

 

:candle

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NIlla has compression in her spine at the t9-t10 vertebrae. Mostly likely IVDD. The mri showed nothing abnormal about the hips. Today, she will get a stem cell injection into her spine with hopes that it will improve her condition. We will bring her home tonight. Tonight we will have spent nearly $4,000 on her diagnosis and treatment. We will not do back surgery on her. If the stem cell injection does not improve her condition and she does not start eating again we will have to let her go. It is not what we want to do but we have to be realistic about her condition and pain. I can't believe she went from acting like a normal, healthy dog to this in a just 4 days.

Chocko, Nilla, and Comet Queen.

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Hoping the injection helps your sweet girl!

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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We picked up Nilla yesterday and she is doing well. She did not eat last night but that was to be expected due to her coming off of the anesthesia. This morning she has already eaten a couple of milk bones, cesar turkey wet dog food, and a frosty paw. She is putting a small amount of weight on the bad leg and it is paw side down 90% of the time when she decides to put it down. She is still limping and her left leg muscle has atrophied a lot. The amount of muscle one can lose in just over a week is just crazy. We are so happy!

Edited by betty_joanne

Chocko, Nilla, and Comet Queen.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update: Nilla is doing well after her stem cell injection. She still is not using her back leg fully but is putting weight on it more frequently as time goes by. She still becomes a pretend three legged brindle kangaroo in the backyard though. Her eyes are bright again and she is happy and eating good.

 

We are happy she is doing well because our oldest has become sick and we are waiting on his pathology results. Our vet looked at his lymph node cells(taken from left and right side on neck) and said they look highly suspicious. Our first half of 2019 sure has been difficult. We are used to having healthy dogs and now that two of them are seniors and starting to have issues it is heartbreaking. Just two weeks ago I thought we were going to have to put Nilla down and now this. We got Chocko first and he is my husband's heart dog. He was the very first greyhound anyone in my family saw in person or touched. Yep, we went home with the big, black, and handsome office dog at the track. Best decision ever!

Chocko, Nilla, and Comet Queen.

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So glad to read that Nilla is improving. Continued positive thoughts for Nilla, and now Chocko.

Having nursed multiple geriatric Greyhounds into their mid-teens, it's remarkable how well they can pull through some medical set-backs and recover with appropriate veterinary care and quality home care.

If Nilla's traffic paths are hard surface flooring, please consider adding cheap runner rugs (with safe, rubber, rug-gripper mats placed underneath) for improved traction/mobility.

If needed, a Help Em Up harness could be very helpful when assisting a hound during potty outings. https://helpemup.com/

Thank you for keeping us updated. Hopeful thoughts for Nilla, Chocko, and family.

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  • 2 weeks later...

UPDATE: I don't even know what to say.  After doing better for almost four  weeks Nilla took a turn for the worst.  She stopped using her left  leg again and appeared to be in pain.I didn't even need the technician to explain the x-rays today. Her Left pelvis and femur have been completely destroyed by osteo sarcoma.  Amputation and/or chemo aren't even an option.  I have to say good bye tomorrow.  I feel horrible that she was in pain for so long. The difference between the x-ray last month and the one today is incredibly heartbreaking. Two cancer diagnoses in less than two weeks.  There are just no words to describe how I feel right now.

Chocko, Nilla, and Comet Queen.

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I am so sorry that it has worked out this way for you, and please don't beat yourself up over it. You and your vet did your very best to help Nilla get better... you gave her time. Sadly recovery wasn't possible and now you are carrying out the unspoken promise we all make, that when we have done all we can, pain becomes uncontrollable and all hope of recovery  is gone, then we let them go with love and compassion. Absolutely no blame here at all.:bighug

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I am so sorry for the sad up date.  I do hate cancer.  It is the thief who robs us,  everyday, of those we love.  Cancer sucks.

Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware
Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine
Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com
Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds

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14 hours ago, JohnF said:

I am so sorry that it has worked out this way for you, and please don't beat yourself up over it. You and your vet did your very best to help Nilla get better... you gave her time. Sadly recovery wasn't possible and now you are carrying out the unspoken promise we all make, that when we have done all we can, pain becomes uncontrollable and all hope of recovery  is gone, then we let them go with love and compassion. Absolutely no blame here at all.:bighug

Yes, this. These hounds are extremely stoic at times, never letting on how much they hurt.

Current Crew: Gino-Gene-Eugene! (Eastnor Rebel: Makeshift x Celtic Dream); Fuzzy the Goo-Goo Girl (BGR Fuzzy Navel: Boc's Blast Off x Superior Peace); Roman the Giant Galoot! (Imark Roman: Crossfire Clyde x Shana Wookie); Kitties Archie and Dixie

Forever Missed: K9 Sasha (2001-2015); Johnny (John Reese--Gable Dodge x O'Jays) (2011-19); the kitties Terry and Bibbi; and all the others I've had the privilege to know

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Please know that you are in our thoughts. So very sorry. :grouphug

Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. :heartThank you, campers. Current enrollees:  Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M

Angels: Pal :heart. Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie :heart:brokenheart. (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4.

:paw Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs.

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