Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3558.msg39906#msg39906 date=1386422499] He just woke up from his morning snooze - time to go outside on a lead for a pee. He couldn't really walk. The vet is seeing us at 3.30pm. We'll have to carry him. So worried now. [/quote] Oh gosh just seen this ...haven't even read the rest....I will do and send you a message ,not been around much today xxx
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Oh no I missed that post too :'( Thinking of you xxxx
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Better than I expected news - the bad news is it has all flared up again / was worse than we realised while he was on the previous batch of painkillers. The good news is the vet is almost 100% sure it is not a damaged ligament, but is a damaged muscle. So there is a good chance that the flare up will subside relatively quickly. I'm to reconcile myself to 2 weeks round the block twice a day and pen rest. (He does jump round the house like the hooligan he is). She is happy for the physio to decide on Tuesday whether he can swim or not, and will give her a call to discuss. She has prescribed Tramadol in addition to the anti-inflammatory painkillers (Meloxidyl), he is already on, for 3 days. She said not least because she had to pull him around dreadfully to check there was no instability in the joints (which would indicate ligament damage) so he is even more sore now. He was as good as gold, lying still on his back while she did it though. Good puppy. He is back in his pen now with a kibble kong, and we're waiting for the Tramadol to kick in. Which will also make him sleepy - hope I'm not a bad person for being a little bit glad about that... Thanks for the support - again. You are all amazing, it makes a huge difference when worrying things happen.
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Ok,so whilst you have had another big fright ( given me one too!) it's looking ok.....think you might need to have some tramadol so you can sleep a bit of the next 2 weeks away!it will pass though and he will be sound again which is a big relief.....thank goodness you had those X-rays Julie,you probably would be taking him in tomorrow for them now if you hadn't gone ahead when you did. You aren't bad for wanting him sleepy at all....when dexter wouldn't settle for a couple of nights when his tail was bothering him I'd have given him anything to settle him down ... It's Saturday night and it's wine time again for you,pour yourself a glass and settle down with your chocolate boy x
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3558.msg39935#msg39935 date=1386433170] He is back in his pen now with a kibble kong, and we're waiting for the Tramadol to kick in. Which will also make him sleepy - hope I'm not a bad person for being a little bit glad about that... [/quote] Nope, not a bad person at all. And Charlie will be quite happy to be a little bit out of it for a while too! Hope the rest of your weekend progresses quietly! Clare
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded I know, it's looking fine. Just about everything terrible has now been ruled out, that's true. Thanks all. [quote author=Dexter link=topic=3558.msg39938#msg39938 date=1386433620] It's Saturday night and it's wine time again for you,pour yourself a glass and settle down with your chocolate boy x [/quote] I'll hang on a bit for the wine...but yes, a big glass in a couple of hours.
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3558.msg39941#msg39941 date=1386434134] I'll hang on a bit for the wine...but yes, a big glass in a couple of hours. [/quote] Whoops ,of course ,I forget the 4 hours difference sometimes
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Oh dear....so sorry that Charlie is still having problems. As Angela said, at least you can rule out joints, but the whole keeping-him-occupied thing is certainly a challenge. The puzzle toys will probably help, but not long enough, I suppose. I feel the same way a bit here....it's so cold outside that long walks are really out. But Simba has learnt the art of snoozing the bits of the day away that aren't occupied with other things....and he's older, too, which makes a difference. Yuck! Sending sympathy and hugs....
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Thank goodness things are no worse! A sleepy Charlie is a good thing for both of you and fingers crossed he gets a swim xxx
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Oh goodness what a lot of worry and difficulty. after having an over excited eevee dog after just one week i cannot imagine how difficult three or four is.
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded So sorry to hear Charlie has got worse. I hope the Tramadol helps. Must be so difficult for you keeping him calm all the time. I will keep my fingers crossed that he can do hydrotherapy on Tuesday. Big licks to Charlie to Harley
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Ach this is horrible. I absolutely feel your pain, and whilst it is easier for us as Tarka is a bit older and a little steadier trying to stop them moving about is extremely difficult and whilst carrying her to the field may sound ridiculous to some, without some sort of change of scene to occupy her she would bounce around the house like a lunatic point blank refusing to rest. I have seen her leap vertically with all four paws around 8" off the ground in boredom. At least I know she has good hips! A suggestion to occupy him is as follows. Can you do a standing stay instead of sit/down stay? If so he can stand near you on a stay, heel him three paces, hand signal for standing stay, walk off, signal to heel for a few paces and repeat. If you can teach him hand signals instead of verbal or whistle commands I find it improves steadiness and quiet behaviour anyway, and if you are only moving a few paces before signalling to heel from a stand this is very easy on the limbs but gives him something useful to learn. Actual exercise, apart from hoping hydrotherapy will be ok, is virtually impossible. Tarka has lost a lot of fitness in the last two weeks - she breathes much harder after swimming now than she used to, but I know I can rehab her in a few months. As far as soft tissue injuries in general are concerned, in many ways you are better off with a simple fracture with a quick surgical fix as they heal quicker than many soft tissue injuries. Anyway, sorry for the rambling post but I do know exactly how awful it is and you have my best wishes for a speedy recovery
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Thanks so much Lochan - yes, I can teach a standing stay (I don't have it now but can train it) then I'll be able to do a bit more. Quite a few exercises I could do with standing instead of sitting. It really seems much worse now. Best wishes to you and Tarka - it's so miserable. At least I don't have 3 months of this, although the way it's looking, I might as well start learning to cope!
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded As far as soft tissue injuries in general are concerned, in many ways you are better off with a simple fracture with a quick surgical fix as they heal quicker than many soft tissue injuries Sadly for our dogs I think you're right. My husband dislocated his collarbone and it never really healed whereas a friend of his broke his collarbone and was fixed extremely quickly. Sending massive healing vibes to Tarka and Charlie x
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded I've been doing a lot of reading in vet journals on tendon injuries in dogs recently (I'm actually a specialist dermatologist to trade so Tarka's injury is not really my field). And guess which breed is over-represented for virtually every tendon and ligament injury of front and hind limbs? And all especially seen in athletic fit dogs (although unfit portly labs over-represented in cruciate ligament injury).....my orthopaedic specialist mate who did a contrast arthrogram on Tarka for me said the last seven dogs he had seen with shoulder tendon injury had all been working strain labs, including his own dog. So we ensure our pups are health screened, we treat them with kid gloves as pups, we gradually train them for a fit, healthy and athletic life and by doing so predispose them to tendon and ligament injury - just like human athletes I suppose.
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded So Riley's pads are healing up reasonably well. The vet said not to expect it to be fast as they'll keep breaking open as he walks and I definitely can't keep him off his feet! However there is definite improvement and he's not flinching when I bathe his feet any more. The limp is very mild but that may just be the painkillers, we're on short on-lead walks for the next few days so as not to take any risks.....it's just not worth it. Hope Charlie and Tarka are doing as well as can be hoped x
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Glad Riley's pads are healing. About this time last year Hattie cut her pad and Kerryn advised cleaning and drying the cut and dabbing arrowroot into it and bandaging it, which worked a treat, no vet trip needed. You can also buy little plastic boot things in Pets at Home to keep the foot dry. Just for future reference
