The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: shygirl on June 23, 2013, 06:43:16 pm
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our labrador is going downhill at the moment. he is only 8.
he has always had sore elbows since he was 18mths old, now his hips are hurting him too.
the vet has checked him over and adviced him losing another kilo of bodyweight - which he has done - but he looks in poor condition now with a dull coat. i understand being lighter will help his joints.
he is on caprieve. we read on-line about giving dogs aspirin so have introduced that too. i am considering glucosamine too.
he is always lame and limping, he can still gallop and swim but suffers more the next day when he does. sometimes he cries in pain and shakes and cant get up which is distressing for everyone - this has happened 4 times this year so far. by the next day he is usually alot better tho.
we dont want to go down the surgery route but are looking to keep him as happy and pain-free as long as possible. if you bend his front legs he cries and if you pat his bottom he cries so im thinking he might be lame on every leg now.
he used to be on the barf diet but now is on regular dog meal plus sardines. exercise wise he just potters around the farm and chooses whether to come with us on walks or not.
any advice please?
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We have a 9yr old Great Dane who has suffered from arthritis for years he has been on everything glucosamine, metacam. previcox, tramadol and pts and none have really worked.
However we do administer previcox and tramadol if he over does it running around, and this does take the edge off his discomfort the following day.
We were back at the vets with him this week as he is still too full of life to realise he's not a puppy anymore and euthanasia is not the right option for him just yet. Our vet has decided to trial him on injections of Dexafort.
The injections normally last 10 days at a time but to start him off we are doing weekly injections. It has only been 3 days and already he stands better and is more spritely in himself.
We know that there are side effects (increased food intake, increased water intake and obviously with these come the increase waste however we were advised that if he starts eating more, to feed him the same daily amount but to split it into several portions).
If you are comfortable injecting your dog then your vet may give you a months worth of injections at a time (which save the cost of the vet trips each week).
I know it is only early days but already we can see an improvement in the old boy.
I hope you find the right meds for your dog and I hope this has been some help.
Lea
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My Retriever (puppy farm rescue) has been on Rimadyl from the vets, since she was 1. It makes life possible for her, she would be in the sort of pain you're describing without it, and far too miserable as a result. Rimadyl's an antiinflammatory and a painkiller (a bit like ibuprofen for us)
I gather the feed supplement Synoquin is good, a friend uses it for his arthritic Labrador and I'll about to get some for my creaky collie. It's basically glucosamine with chondroitin.
I think, given it's as bad as you're describing, he needs proper painkillers, as well as the other things like glucosamine.
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I had a large dog became arthritic; the vet recommended glucosamine and I did see a difference.
I also had Rimadyl for him; he didn't have it every day, just if he had a bad day, or if I knew he would have a hard day the next (a long walk, or something.) That really eased things for him.
It really helped him to have a good comfy bed, raised out of the way of drafts, and in cold weather a duvet and a hot water bottle! You could see a big difference if he had to sleep on a hard floor.
I also had to be sure to get him dried off if he got wet on a walk - as a younger dog I'd leave him to dry off himself, but once he became arthritic it was definitely best to get him dried off properly and promptly.
If it's worse than that regime can handle, then the vet should be able to prescribe Metacam, I would have thought? Beyond that it would be phenobarb - but really once it gets to that stage... A previous dog did get to that stage; we pumped him full of drugs and gave him one last weekend running about in Exmoor (he was so drugged he thought he could fly, and didn't feel any pain when he fell, bless him), then took him in. :'(
I hope you can find a regime that gives your boy a few more years of quality life; 8 isn't much of an age, really, is it. :hug:
crossposted with jaykay :wave:
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he is on capreive from the vets which i believe is a painkiller? this visibly takes the edge off of the pain but doesnt stop him limping. its does make him more active but then he feels it the next day.
thanks
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Yes - sorry missed that! It is a painkiller and anti-inflammatory.
What does the vet say? Worth trying a different med?
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I am so sorry for you and your much loved pet but it truly illustrates what I keep banging on about - get the recognized health tests done before breeding.
I would guess if you look up the KC website for your poor lad's parents you'll find no tests done. If I am wrong and they have zero elbows and less than 10 hips I will be very surprised.
You can only do what you are doing now - the best you can for him, and to try to keep him as pain free as possible.
I'm so sorry, I could weep fro you and others like you :'(
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You're probably right, Annie, but sometimes there's a big component from the dog's temperament too.
We had two young large dogs, one incredibly agile and flexible, the other seemed to be more stiff and reticent. (Both rescues, both mongrels.) We had the opportunity to get them both x-rayed and assessed, so took it.
The vet called us to come and see the x-rays. He said, "Here are the x-rays. As you can see, one dog has near perfect hips. The other has terrible hips; frankly it's a miracle that dog can walk let alone run and jump. Now... guess which dog is which."
You can probably guess too - the stiffer dog had near perfect hips, the very agile dog shouldn't in fact have been able to walk. ::) We were glad we'd had the x-rays, as it informed us about a potential problem with the very active dog, so we didn't do agility with him as we'd planned. He did become arthritic when he was older - but I mean much older, 11 years old. I think with him he was stoic to pain because he was part collie, plus he had a lot of muscle which the vet said must be holding the joints together. Only when he got older and his muscles thinned and weakened did he begin to have problems and feel it.
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These sort of threads always makes me think of my own dislocated hip and joint stiffness, I was a very agile and sporty younger person, walked miles, now even the physio said I was too stiff to do much with, :innocent: .
I suppose like humans, some get joint problems some don't.
We used to give a dog we had glucosamine, I think it helped as it certainly helps me......
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I am so sorry for you and your much loved pet but it truly illustrates what I keep banging on about - get the recognized health tests done before breeding.
I would guess if you look up the KC website for your poor lad's parents you'll find no tests done. If I am wrong and they have zero elbows and less than 10 hips I will be very surprised.
i just had a look -
the parents were eye tested clear.
sire was a hip test 10 and dam was hip test 14. unfortunately i dont know if that is good or bad.
they werent tested for elbows which is where the main problem is as he has been lame infront since 18mths. we got him at 4 mths old due to his owners divorcing. (i think he was an unwanted guilt present)
the vets havent really said anything except its obviously elbow displacia and lose another kilo and he then gets his meds.
the sore hips has just started in the last month really. hes getting weighed at the vets tomorrow.
thanks
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PleasePlease stop the asprin!!! You are running the risk of stomach ulcers by double dosing with a non steroidal! !!
Go back to the vet. Or go for a second opinion. There are a lot of different combo of drugs that can be used. Different ones work for different dogs.
Pardale-v is better I my experience as vet nurse than metacam etc in severe arthritis. Also tramadol can e used to help with a flare up. Short gentle walks on soft flat surfaces can help. Physio and acupuncture are very very good.
Do not just accept that your dog has arthritis and there for is in pain. Thats not good enough! !! Pardale and tramadol are quite cheap really and can keep dogs comfortable.
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I had my old springer on Rhus Tox. That seemed to do the trick.
Helen
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A previous post mentioned how wonderful hydro therapy is for dogs and us humans, it builds the muscles so they take most of the strain instead of the hip or elbow joint, I was prescribed hydrotherapy too!!!!
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he swims alot and loves it though it makes him bad the next day. this is when he gets a bad day. the vet said it would be the cold water that affects him tho at the moment it is literally quite warm as he swims in our pond/lake.
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he swims alot and loves it though it makes him bad the next day. this is when he gets a bad day. the vet said it would be the cold water that affects him tho at the moment it is literally quite warm as he swims in our pond/lake.
I've been going to a hydrotherapy pool with Allez - just because he lacks confidence taking his feet off the ground. (I MAY live to regret this mind you! :innocent:) But as it's warm - about 80 F , it's been helping with my joints too. I think cold water would definitely be detrimental.
Elbow dysplasia is common in Labs and they should be tested for that as well as HD and eyes. Elbows should be zero or 1, and ideally, breeders should choose breeding stock with hip scores well below the Breed Mean Score (BMS) of 14; and better still below the Median for their breed (10)
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Free swimming is a big no no for elbow probs. It needs to be hydro via a water treadmill. The water is tepid. Free swimming puts a lot of strain on the back and elbows and should be avoided at all costs. Most qualified hydro therapists are moving away from pools as they can do more harm than good.
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I am suprised funkyfish, mind you, ours do not have a problem.......
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wev been trying different meds but not much difference really. hes about to start injections to see if that helps.
the vet saw him again today and thinks by his muscle wastage and poor flexibility he is lame on all legs, severely in one front and very severely in the other front. i had a feeling he was saying to put him to sleep but i wasnt sure.
he said we should get 5 xrays just to see whats what - has anyone idea how much 5 xrays would cost?
i think he is diagnosed already so not sure if xrays are needed, except to confirm what we already know.
i dread the thought i having to put him to sleep, i hate crying infront of people and id never manage to carry him back out to the car. :gloomy: :gloomy:
fingers crossed the injections will make him happier as mentally hes loving life.
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Try getting some turmeric into his food, I used it on one of ours - she's so greedy she'll eat anything - the results were amazing. I was actually testing it to see if I was imagining the improvement in my own pain, the theory being that the dog wouldn't know it was supposed to help her so any result would prove the theory.
Turmeric has been used in ayurvedic medicine for centuries as an anti-inflammatory and as a bonus, it helps protect the stomach from ulcers if you are using NSAIDs.
It might help augment the pain relief he is getting from his meds but even if it doesn't help, it won't do him any harm.
Good luck to him and you anyway, hope the treatment makes his life better.
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I'd get a physio assessment ASAP, they can do a lot to help with range of movement etc. I've found acupuncture to work really well for arthritis pain. Have you tried Pardale- V and or Tramadol?
X-rays at this stage would only tell you how bad and where, academic at this stage really. At my practice it would be £300-400 ish for an hours anaesthetic and set of x-rays for lameness- ie 2 legs and one to two joints (2 views of each joint)- 4-5 x-rays. I'd save your £ for physio personally.
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Did you try the glucosamine and chondroitin?
It really can make an amazing difference. You have to give enough and give it a few weeks to start working, but it can turn around bad, painful joints (ask my mum!). For a fraction of the cost of x-rays.....
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Did you try the glucosamine and chondroitin?
hes just gone onto them, plus Cod liver oil, and green lipped mussell, as mentioned by the vet. i think we will try everything for 3 mths and see how things are. will try turmeric too, thankyou.
hes been on loxicom and carprieve but neither is better than the other so hes going to start regular injections of something aswell but i cant remember what its called.
the vet came and saw him at the farm so he could see genuinely how lame he is as in the surgery he acts like a daft puppy and rolls over. he was quite taken aback at how sore he was. i wish he could speak as hes soo happy with life but he must be in pain with every step. the vet did say there is no chance of him being pain free for the rest of his days. there is alot of muscle wastage that i didnt really notice before but i cant feel it now - on his diagonal pair of hip and elbow and alot of thickening on his joints. plus his thighs are too small for his build which probably means his hips hurt, and therefore is lame in every leg.
he does gallop and swim etc so how do you know when enough is enough? hes only 8. its so young.
where do you start with looking for physio? we are in aberdeenshire.
thanks
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I think there is a place at Newmachar
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I think there is a place at Newmachar
what is it called please?
i dont quite understand how physio will help a bone/joint problem as surely the bones are grating together etc and the damage is done? the vet did say if he had an operation at 18mths old, he wouldnt be so bad now but now its too late. although he was lame at 18mths - it was more a stiffness and unsoundness rather than limping.
i think we have 3 months to improve things as much as we can and then see.
thanks for everyones advice
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A physio will give you exercises to do that will build up the muscles to support the joints- so the muscles do more work and the joints less. Because he will be walking abnormally due to the pain ,it puts strain on to muscles not normally used and can cause them to spasm etc causing more pain. Physio relieves the spasm, and can help with improving the range of movement for the joint.
They also use hot and cold therapies and lasers for pain relief.
As a vet nurse, I don't fine NSAIDs like Meloxicam and carprophen )the drugs you have tried) work well for arthritis pain, a paracetamol and codine based drug like pardale-v seems to help a lot of dogs when the others do not. Also Tramadol is an opiod (like morphine, but not as strong), it is very good for moderate to severe arthritis pain. another new NSAID Trocoxcil works a bit differently and we have had very good results with it- it is just a tablet a month.
You need to get on top of the pain wind up- hit it hard with strong drugs for a week or two, then you can taper them off and use a mild drug as maintenance unless you have a flair up etc.
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Your vet can refer you to a physio- try the ACPAT physio website -should be a list.
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Try getting some turmeric into his food, I used it on one of ours - she's so greedy she'll eat anything - the results were amazing. I was actually testing it to see if I was imagining the improvement in my own pain, the theory being that the dog wouldn't know it was supposed to help her so any result would prove the theory.
Turmeric has been used in ayurvedic medicine for centuries as an anti-inflammatory and as a bonus, it helps protect the stomach from ulcers if you are using NSAIDs.
It might help augment the pain relief he is getting from his meds but even if it doesn't help, it won't do him any harm.
Good luck to him and you anyway, hope the treatment makes his life better.
Do you just sprinkle the powder on food?
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Our black lab is pretty crocked - elbow dysplasia and suffered all his continuing life. He loves swimming but can get into trouble easily through tiring so now we have to keep him on lead by the rivers etc. We've controlled it well with Tramadol and Metacam up to now. I have only heard wonderful things about canine hydrotherapy though. I am considering it for Horsley. Warm water - they wear life jackets and are on raised floors and treadmills.
Acupuncture is a consideration too for temporary relief? Again, not tried it first hand but have seen the effects in other friends dogs (not big breeds however)
Best of luck
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Last time I was in Buchan vets in Fraserburgh, they had a flyer on their wall for a hydrotherapy centre. Can't remember where it was but I'm sure if you gave them a call they could tell you.
I once had a GSD with hip dysplaysia and I used to take her swimming to a dog pool once a week. It worked wonders for her.
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Oh dear - why oh why do people not ask to see the health test results - For Labradors it is ALWAYS Hips and elbows and eyes!
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Oh dear - why oh why do people not ask to see the health test results - For Labradors it is ALWAYS Hips and elbows and eyes!
i know. we got this dog 2nd hand as his owners were getting divorced, and he was from a friend of a friend :innocent: :innocent:
tonight he was jumping up like a puppy so maybe he isnt at deaths door just yet. i sure the vet was hinting that if it was his dog then he'd put him to sleep. a friend told me if he was feeling that bad he wouldnt want to eat.
iv no idea no idea but he starts his injections next week. i cant remember what they are called but they are regular ones.
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And will no doubt cost the earth. Well done you for taking him on in the first place. But the soap box is out again. If there was a proper breeding licence(as opposed to an unregulated money maker for councils) and the conditions were that all recommended health tests were done prior to breeding, the dog world would be a far happier and healthier place. :rant:
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Try getting some turmeric into his food, I used it on one of ours - she's so greedy she'll eat anything - the results were amazing. I was actually testing it to see if I was imagining the improvement in my own pain, the theory being that the dog wouldn't know it was supposed to help her so any result would prove the theory.
Turmeric has been used in ayurvedic medicine for centuries as an anti-inflammatory and as a bonus, it helps protect the stomach from ulcers if you are using NSAIDs.
It might help augment the pain relief he is getting from his meds but even if it doesn't help, it won't do him any harm.
Good luck to him and you anyway, hope the treatment makes his life better.
Do you just sprinkle the powder on food?
I mixed it with cream cheese initially as it tends to suck the moisture out of your mouth and make you gag. I think in the end I was just mixing it with the gravy in her food, once it became apparent that the greedy madam would eat it no matter what I thought it tasted like :yum:
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just a quick update incase anyone is going through the same -
things are 100% better at the moment, although he is till lame. he is exuberant, shiny coat and looks fit and well so what he is on is definitely making him happier.
he is still lame, id say 2 out of 5 rather 3 out of 5 (if 5 was most painful) but its look more bearable now, not quite so nippy.
he is still on loxicom.
hes also on Cod liver oil capsules, glucosamine and chondroitin, and green lipped mussell capsules too. this are doing some good as he is glowing, shiny coat and acting like a puppy. hes 32kg so not fat for the big boned dog he is.
he is getting Cartrophen injections every week for 4 weeks (they are £13 each (so not ridiculous price - phew) and there is a marked difference with the first week. hopefully after the 4 week course, he may last 6-12mths before he needs a top up.
fingers crossed.
what im concerned about is when we move, we are highly likely to end up on one of scotlands islands, so weekly vet visits are not a possibilty. we will have to cross that bridge when we come to it (no pun intended) ::)
im seeing other dogs are on metacam for arthritis so im wondering why we havent been offered that?
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Loxicom and metacam do much the same job - like Ibuprofen for humans. Pain killer and anti-inflammatory
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That's great shygirl :thumbsup: ;D
Had loads of old labs and flatties (dad's retired gundogs). Arthritis came to most of them sooner or later but most were kept quite comfortable with drugs. Ours were often treated with Metacam but also remember giving them PLT. Could be that PLT isn't given anymore ..... about 8 years since my last oldie.
I kept the weight off them .... more strain on those legs! And also was told to exercise little but often .... so lots of short walks each day. Made sure I always dried them well if they got wet and good soft beds.
If it comes to it, when you move, maybe you could give the injections. My neighbour injects his collies when their vaccinations are due (boosters). Vet supplies the drug and he injects in the comfort of his own farmyard ;D .... less stressful than 20 collies to the practice ..... probably true for the dogs, the owner and the vet. ;D
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:thumbsup:
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Oooooo, just thought shygirl. Does this mean you're back to hiding the shoes and wellies? ;D
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yes, all our shoes are kept up high in the kitchen - it looks very strange but it costs fortune to keep replacing them ::). the time someone forgets it will be be chewed, the terrier has took the place of the labrador tho for chewing. he chewed my remote controller today - very bad boy :rant: :-J
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Glad to hear the old boy is improved.
The advice about exercise little and often is right - and gentle, too - your boy sounds like he wouldn't be trying to run or jump, but sometimes they still do. When arthritics, it's crucial that they warm up with gentle exercise - walking or slow trot - for 15 mins before doing anything more strenuous. (Why oh why can't I make myself do this??? ::))
I used to have Rimadyl (spelling prob wrong) on hand for my old boy. I'd give him that if I knew we had a heavy day coming up, and/or if he'd overdone it.
The other thing I was told was to cut out the cod liver oil when they were on glucosamine. Wish I could remember why, something to do with blood - thickening or something?
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:wave:how much turmeric to give?
Also, my vet dissed glaucosamine and said there was no scientific evidence but there was for evening primrose oil...
I've just bought Fred Dene's green tablet after a recommendation from a friend with a really arthritic Labrador.
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Also, my vet dissed glaucosamine and said there was no scientific evidence but there was for evening primrose oil...
There may be no scientific evidence that glucosamine works but there is also no scientific evidence that it doesn't, and a whole host of people, myself included, who have seen improvements in their dogs when using it. Incidentally, I started my old boy on it on the recommendation of my vet ;)
Oh, and a whole host of doctors tell their aging patients to use it too.
But clearly your vet knows best, with his/her degree and all. ::)
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Also, my vet dissed glaucosamine and said there was no scientific evidence but there was for evening primrose oil...
I've just bought Fred Dene's green tablet after a recommendation from a friend with a really arthritic Labrador.
Old Infantry saying: "If it's stupid and it works...... it's not stupid" ;D ;D
What's the scientific evidence for Fred Dene's green tablet???
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i added the cod liver oil but the vet recommended everything else.
he is exuberant and copies our terrier by jumping up 5ft with all 4 legs off the ground when its walk time, but he only goes around the farm /pond and misses the 5 mile beach walks.
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We give our lab no bute everyday on her food that seems to help.
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Stall the digger!
I didn't say my vet is right.... I was actually asking for opinion on whether EPO is good for dogs and better.... oh and, he's in his 50's and does dogs all his life, including breeding and showing, so yes, I do value his opinion, experience and education.
jebus
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Have never tried EPO. In hummins, it's used to stabilise menstrual cycles rather than joints I think. Maybe it does both?
Can vouch for glucosamine and chondroitin, on my mum, myself and the dogs :thumbsup:
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Essential fatty acids are good for joints. Help with keeping the joint fluid healthy. So yes epo is good.
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things have gone downhill again this last week so im wondering whether it is kinder to put him to sleep.
he is noticibly lame on all legs but his back is looking sore too. he tends to scoot along all hunched up when he runs, and seems to be unable to lift his tail. his tail is kept permanently tucked under his legs including when he is trying to poo. when he poops he screams and if you try to lift his tail he cries.
he is messing in his bed which he had never ever done and is not wanting to go outside at all, he just shivers and sits hunched up.
im sure his eyes are saying hes in pain, where as 2 months ago he was looking alot better.
this will be the 5th time this year that his back has given him trouble. never at all in any time previously.
does it seem kinder to put him to sleep? or move up to tramadol, which will apparently numb his brain aswell?
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I wou try some tramadol. It won't numb his brain. He may be a bit sleepy on the first few doses. It also has a positive effect on brain chemistry so it makes them feel happy as well. If it doesn't have much of an effect it may be time...
Have you tried wheat bags or a towel warmed on the radiator? May help ease his muscles.
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He is not an old dog. Have you had an acpat physio assessment? He may have a sore back from walking oddly guarding his sore bits and his back may need realignment. I'm sure that there is more you can do for him to keep him better.
I'd keep a coat on him in the cold weather to keep his joints warm and get him as skinny as you can with a very strict diet even the new hills metabolic diet which will get quick weight loss it will help a lot.
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he doesnt like you to touch his back. he has always been a wriggly lab - likely to sit / roll over if you stroked him, but now he is wriggly and spins in a circle to avoid you touching his back / tail.
is it common for a dog to be unable to round his back to do a poop? i think thats whats distressing him so much at the minute. he cries everytime he tries to poop. when it hurts he wants to go to his bed, so ends up pooing in his bed. hes not constipated or anything.
he is slim, infact we had to fatten him a bit as friends were commenting on how thin he was - hes 31kg atm but has a chunky/big head body. just see his ribs, tho skinny hips due to muscle waste etc.
not had any physio but to be honest i couldnt afford it either.
hes on loxicom, garlic, cod liver oil, chrondrotin/glucosamine. he had weekly injections for a month which were good but now hes gone right down hill again.
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Think it's difficult unless you can see the dog but he is not very old really so thinking it would be worth trying all reasonable options. We have had dogs older than him that looked as though there time had come but they picked up again with change in treatments.
Is he a house dog or outdoors? Harder for them if living outdoors in the winter and may sway any decision.
Back to the vet for advise maybe. :bouquet: :hug:
Crossposted shygirl. Sorry to ask but is his actual anus okay? We had a lab that developed growths in that area and caused some of the problems you describe.
Some of our oldies did develop odd postures when pooing ..... due to stiffness etc.
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his anus seems ok by sight. if you lift his tail he cries.
the dogs sleep in the conservatory. he has a tuffie.
thanks
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If he was mine I'd give him peace. What does your vet advise?
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i had the boss vet round to the farm so he could see him in his natural environment (rather than surgery where he acts daft - dog not vet) and he agreed he was lame in every leg, severely in one, lots of muscle wastage etc
he recommended the course of injections which he has had, which is suppose to last 6 mths, then onto tramadol if he gets worse. im sure the vet implied if it was his dog he would put him to sleep, but he never actually said those words so now wondering if i misinterpreted.
when the dog has been into the surgery he has seen a different vet each time, often his visit is a minute long, ie injection then home.
he hasnt had the xrays we were told to have as money is tight, but the vet said xrays confirm the original diagnosis 99% of the time in this situation anyway. surgery isnt a possibilty as wev left it too late.
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Shygirl, I think I would ask the vet outright ...... what is best for the dog and what would he do if he were his. May help you to make up your mind.
Is he eating?
Does he still want to go out most of the time?
Wag his tail?
Always really difficult. You will know inside when enough is enough.
You might feel more content in your decision if you at least give the tramadol a try. :hug:
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he is eating.
he is following on a walk but alot slower than normal. he is running with his tail clamped under, he is running to catch up rather than running ahead. he is the sort of dog who would do anything to be with you anyway, whether it hurt or not. he acts like he is 14, not 8. his eyes look worried too, which i havent noticed before.
he cant wag his tail much at the moment, as he doesnt want to lift it.
i think we will go back to vet monday and ask what to do. he hates car journeys so wont be fun.
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If it were me I would have to find the money for the x-ray because I would have to know. Do it all in one visit - x-ray and wait while the vet analyses it, then you can have whatever treatment it indicates, or give him peace.
Each of us is different, but if it were me, it would haunt me forever if I didn't find out for sure what is the problem and end his suffering promptly, one way or another.
You used to be able to take animals to the PDSA if they needed treatment that the owner couldn't afford - is that still the case?
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A lot of Vets would let you pay in instalments ....I feel for you, none of us like to face that choice!
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hes alot better again today. obviously still lame but jumping up again and pooing without crying.
maybe he pulled his back again - thats 5 times this year.
what would cause a sore back ? im wondering if our mule maybe stamped on him without me seeing (she does chase the dogs with an aim to trample then), as hes only had steady walks this last fortnight.
i was very close to putting him to sleep now not sure what to do.
i think xrays are the way to go as not knowing is the difficult bit.
thanks for the advice
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Could it be his hips or one hip? So glad. things appear to have improved :fc:
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Was so wary of looking at the latest entry by you SG. So so relieved he's got a second wind. :relief:
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Years ago I had a Great Dane in bad pain crying and lying down. The vets were involved for over a week with no response (I had the one vet out 3 times in one night!!!)
Suddenly I realized it was his back that was the problem. At the time I had back troubles (cow had jumped on me) and was visiting a McTimoney chiropractor. Asked his to check the dog. There were some vertebrae out in her back. He sorted it and she was jumping fences again before long.
Over the years she often put it back out again and I took her back to the McTimoney Chiropractor to be sorted.
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Sounds like a back problem to me. I use turmeric on Pitstop who is a 10 year old Shetland pony. he did the splits one winter a few years ago and its now a long term injury. Vets just give bute but after hearing about turmeric on facebook ( there is a group ) I thought I would give it a go. Started with a small teaspoon in his feed now has 2. the improvement in his well being is amazing so much so that I am going to try it for myself. people also use it on their dogs. pitstop only had to have a roll in the field and he was back to being crippled with pain. Not only does can he roll but canters and bucks.
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Turmeric ? as in the spice? That sounds promising...I have loads of that too!!!
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hes definitely back to his old bouncy self now. i was so close to putting him to sleep its scary cos i hate seeing something suffering.
apart from this year, his only symptoms have been lameness, but hes been in pain with his back (i imagine) 5 times in 11 mths. i wonder if he he is walking funny to compensate his lameness and that is triggering it off.
whats the best plan now, as my head is a bit in a spin.?
xrays? or find an alternative therapy?
im off to physio for my daughters sore back today......the irony.
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I was going to ask about your daughter...so much going on in your life no wonder your heads in a spin...good luck and glad the dog is better!!
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Having spent money on a chiropractor for my 8yr old setter, who told me she had bad hips, I eventually took her to the vets for x-rays. Vet said her hips were some of the best he'd seen on a setter - but she had a boney bridge forming between 2 vertebra. So for me the alternative therapy was a waste of money and still had to get xrays done, but I'm sure some chiro's are worth it. This chap was highly recommended too!
Hope your daughter's ok, and glad the dog is more comfortable.
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Hi - I know it sounds wacky, but have a look at TTouch - I think it relaxes them and helps them when in pain - it is basically you with your fingers doing a circle and a quarter gently all over the body - I know if I was in pain and someone spent some time gently massaging, i would feel better!
http://www.ttouchtteam.co.uk/ (http://www.ttouchtteam.co.uk/) for the info on TTouch and if you want to have a chat with someone who is brilliant with animal problems, then contact Fiona habershon - I'm sure she would be happy to give you some advice over the phone - www.fionahabershon.com (http://www.fionahabershon.com)
With the medication - my dog is on metacam and it definitely helps.
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thanks
ref my daughter back - physio reckons it down to bad posture, so thats easily resolved - i wish they had said that 5 months ago as i studied alexander technique for a while. but its all good.
finally got some rent off my dodgy tenant so i can book the dog in for xrays now. will let you know the results once its done.
:thumbsup: :excited:
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:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: ALL GOOD :wave: There is a farmer after buying our house who has not had rent from some of his land since 1989..... :innocent:
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Yes Happygolucky it is the spice.
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I am so interested as many herbs and spices are great as an alternative medicine, shall look into that!!