We had an odd occurrence after training on Saturday. It was a very cold, wet day. The training went on for over three hours, with five dogs. There was necessarily quite a lot of waiting around, and the wind was blowing... I kept an eye on Poppy and mostly she was fine. Some of the other dogs had coats for when they were waiting, but her fur is so thick that the rain doesn't go through. I kept feeling under her fur, and she felt warm and dry. However, towards the end I noticed her shivering - her ears were cold and wet, and of course underneath her belly and legs she doesn't have thick fur. I didn't even have a blanket or towel with me, but once I noticed she was getting chilled I made sure she could keep moving to keep warm. All was well; after training was finished the dogs ran around a bit to let off steam, and we walked back through the woods to our cars. Poppy was fine, no limping at all, but later that afternoon when she got up from her bed she couldn't put weight on one of her back feet. I couldn't find anything wrong with her paw, and she didnt seem to be in pain, but she simply couldn't put her foot down. I made sure she was nice and warm and gave her some doggy ibuprofen. By the evening it seemed better, but the next morning she was limping again a little bit. Doggy ibuprofen again, and a day of rest with only two short lead walks. Today all seems fine; no problems at all. Any ideas what could have caused this? Could she have pulled a muscle? I am sure it had something to do with the cold and wet - a bit like cold tail syndrome, only in her leg.
Re: Limping after training I think a pulled or sprained muscle would have taken longer to heal Karen , but it could well have been the cold just affecting that leg , was it the leg that was outside to the elements ?
Re: Limping after training A similar thing happened to scout a few weeks ago but with his front leg. He was fine training and then a race around after Scott. I didn't notice anything when we went in until he got up from lying down when he had a really obvious limp. He could put his foot down and weight bare on it but like poppy it lasted a couple of days, mainly obvious when he first used it, and then he was fine. That's not much help to you I know but I put it down to muscle strain, rested him for a couple of days, just walks for the rest of the week and then slowly built up his training again. I don't really know what it was though. :-\
Re: Limping after training My doggie biology and ailment knowledge is live and learn as you know Karen but if cold tail is muscular then it's not unreasonable that other muscles could be affected too?im glad she's back to form quite quickly though.....maybe a coat for Poppy from the man in red?x
Re: Limping after training hmmmm - don't know. It might be the cold though - or working in the cold. Ever since working with the physio with Charlie, I've had it drummed into me the importance of dogs warming up their muscles before working. If she got very cold, then was working maybe she hurt herself in a minor way? Or a minor joint thing (I don't mean anything serious, but just like us dogs have their bits that ache time to time)? Always made worse by cold.
Re: Limping after training I hope it's a one-off. It could be like cold tail! My vet at first thought Harley had hurt her back legs before realising it was her tail. Hope Poppy continues to be ok x
Re: Limping after training I never thought I'd do. It - but I really think Santa may be bringing Pops a fleece coat for Christmas...
Re: Limping after training Cant do any harm to keep her warm hopefully just a combo of cold, exercise then hanging around.
Re: Limping after training [quote author=Karen link=topic=9116.msg130688#msg130688 date=1418672899] I never thought I'd do. It - but I really think Santa may be bringing Pops a fleece coat for Christmas... [/quote] I absolutely love the equafleeces I have got for all of mine. They go on straight after training or work and by the time we are home the dogs are cosy and warm and dry. Caddie is prone to getting stiff after work, and she really benefits from having the jumper on after strenuous exercise in the wet and cold.
Re: Limping after training What size does Ziggy wear Heidrun? Am thinking of ordering one for the small man to grow into
Re: Limping after training I have fleeces for Charlie - never needed them in anger though (although of course we're not working like Poppy or Heidrun's dogs). He can be soaking wet after diving in the river at training, and absolutely covered in mud, but I rub him off with a towel and 10 minutes later after he's been in his car crate on his scrunched up blanket fleeces (so he can snuggle in) he is always dry and toasty, sleepy warm...even last Sunday, when the temp was barely above freezing, and the boot lid was up....
Re: Limping after training [quote author=bbrown link=topic=9116.msg130727#msg130727 date=1418679897] What size does Ziggy wear Heidrun? Am thinking of ordering one for the small man to grow into [/quote] Ziggy's is a Hotterdog fleece jumper made by the same company that make Equafleece. It is slightly thinner fleece but still very good quality and the sizing is more straight forward than the Equafleece jumpers. I think it is a medium size but I will double check tomorrow.
Re: Limping after training I have a fleece for Lady that I use in the back of the car if she's wet and muddy. I does the double job of taking most of the water and mud out of her coat and limiting the damage when I get home before I can clean her up properly.
Re: Limping after training Glad lady is feeling better. This is the exact reason I got an equafleece for Penny (she actually has two! ) - I worry about her getting cold and wet especially with her hip dysplasia. As others have said; if limber tail is a muscular thing it would make sense that it can happen in other muscles such as the legs too.
Re: Limping after training - update, nasty boil on foot! So - it seems Poppy's limp may have been caused by a thorn or other foreign body in her paw. Day before yesterday we noticed a kind of boil between her pads, red coloured and looking as though it was infected. Our German vet put ointment on it to draw out the pus, and bound it up. Yesterday evening (after a long car journey from Frankfurt to West Sussex in a full car, four people plus dog plus all our luggage) I took the bandage off and the boil was looking awful. Really red and sore, but it seemed it had opened and the pus had seeped out. This morning we went to the local vet, who had a good look and came to the same conclusion - probably a small thorn or similar got into her foot during training, and caused the boil and infection. She thinks it is probably gone now, and has prescribed anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. If the swelling comes back after the course of antibiotics is over, then the offending thorn may still be in there and she will need to be sedated to have it cut out. But hopefully not. She also said Poppy is in perfect condition - slim yet muscly. Sadly, she said she does not get to say that often about the Labradors she sees; they are mostly overweight, with the corresponding heart and joint problems. Anyway, hopefully this will sort Poppy's foot problem!
Re: Limping after training Ooh sounds nasty, hope it clears up soon. Good girl for being slim Poppy xx
Re: Limping after training Poor love, fingers crossed its gone now Karen, bless her and great re the slim lady
