Forum Post

Ari's limping =(

Last post 08-01-2008 12:09 PM by the_gopher. 14 replies.
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  • 07-25-2008 6:22 AM

    • the_gopher
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    Ari's limping =(

    She woke us up this morning early with a loud yelp (pain yelp) and was limping badly on her left front leg.  Since then she's still not walking quite right, but still slighly favoring one leg of the other.  Yesterday she did not get to take our walk in the woods, all her walks were strictly business only due to down pours of rain yesterday.  She did get in some zoomies last night and we tossed the toy for her to chase after (half carpet area half not).  She seemed just fine last night, but knowing dogs maybe she hurt herself during play and didn't show it till this morning?  She's crated at night.  

    Don't know what to do aside from call the vet and keep her relatively inactive today =(

    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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  • 07-25-2008 9:41 AM In reply to the_gopher

    Re: Ari's limping =(

    We've been thru this before too.  They will tell you to have her rest, which means no zooming, LOL--it was so hard to explain that to Willow. They always check Willow's paw pads to see if they are inflammed or hot to the touch too.  And, if needed aspirin or they might offer you something like Rimadyl or some other anti inflammatory--not sure if they give those to young dogs but that's the normal for older dogs. 

    Also, I know she's young but if she's often in the woods Lyme disease might be of concern too.  Willow's tested positive for it and we thought all the limping was due to arthritis (she's a lot older than Ari) but more likely it's from the Lyme.  But, that limping came and went for several months, it wasn't just a couple of days type thing.

    She'll be fine though either way. 

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  • 07-25-2008 10:03 AM In reply to willowchow

    • the_gopher
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    Re: Ari's limping =(

     Willow thank you.  Yes I'm concerned about Lyme.  I checked her pads to make sure they looked good and they felt normal to the touch and I couldn't see anything caught in there.  I examined her as best as possible for any ticks (did not see any, but hard to tell on a black dog unfortunately), and felt the leg she seems to not be putting her weight on.  She let me manipulate it somewhat but was not comfortable around that carpals (think that is what that spot is called - the joint in the mid part of her front leg).

    She was walking better after a little while but she's still favoring a leg over the other slightly.  Keeping a 16 week old puppy inactive is going to be brutal Confused.  We're just going to have to keep her crated otherwise it'll be impossible to keep her still!  I was thinking of baby aspirins but I won't give her anything without the vets say so (concerned about dosage and whatnot).

    Too bad because tomorrow we were going to bring her to a cookout to play with other puppers and people :(
     

     

     

    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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  • 07-25-2008 1:01 PM In reply to the_gopher

    Re: Ari's limping =(

    I think your on the right track.  It might even be a toe that's bothering her.  The vet would feel all over the leg and see where she resented it being touched or if there is any swelling.

    I would definately hold off on the aspirin.  I use that very, very sparingly and only if the pain is so much that she is limping badly, having trouble getting up, etc.  If Ari is managing to get around although limping I'd skip it. 

    Also, check her neck, the lymph nodes tend to swell with Lyme disease. 

     

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  • 07-25-2008 6:43 PM In reply to willowchow

    • the_gopher
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    Re: Ari's limping =(

    willowchow again thank you so much!  I did check her neck and it felt fine (and Ari made sure she licked my face clean lol), and she seems to be in very good spirits if twitching out due to inactivity.  Unfortunately we do need to keep her kenneled up.  I let her walk in the living room just to see how she was walking and she's still very slightly favoring one leg over the other.  THen she tried to get into a full on zoom, I caught her held her till she settled then kenneled her up with some tasty treats and an icecube (she went for the icecube first lol)!  She'll have to stay kenneled, she's too antsy to run, romp and jump.  She got no excercise yesterday (aside from toy catching in the house) due to down pours of rain, so we got a 4 month old high energy puppy on two days without expelling that energy on our hands right now!  
    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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  • 07-25-2008 10:39 PM In reply to the_gopher

    Re: Ari's limping =(

    Nothing to add, just wanted to say that I hope that Ari is feeling better quickly!  I know how hard it is to keep a high energy dog calm.Zip it!

    Amanda

    "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, throughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --- ' WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!!! ' " - Author Unknown



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  • 07-26-2008 6:29 AM In reply to BEVOLASVEGAS

    • the_gopher
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    Re: Ari's limping =(

    BEVOLASVEGAS:

    Nothing to add, just wanted to say that I hope that Ari is feeling better quickly!  I know how hard it is to keep a high energy dog calm.Zip it!

     

     

    Amanda support VERY much appreciated.  Last night was brutal.  I let her walk a bit on the carpet so I could see her walk and my SO and I had to catch her mid MAJOR zoomie.  So she was crated needless to say all day yesterday.  This morning she looks like she's walking better.  It is so hard to tell because she's starting to get really leggy and akward looking, and she walks funny to begin with b/c she's all gangly!  She's in no discernible pain that I can tell...unless you count getting really really really annoyed that we haven't gone for  walk in the woods, down to the river for a swim and romp or let her out of her crate to zoom around the kitchen table and us.   She's in her crate now till we get to the vet.  I don't want to risk anything, plus I had a vet visit this coming Monday anyway to check her ears, so maybe they can do that today and I can cancel Mondays appt. (last vet visit they found a slight yeast infection in her ears which I had been suspecting all along, since I clean her ears out daily yet they weren't getting any better!). 

    Right now she is shooting me the dirtiest look I have ever seen her throw my way.  I hope the vet gives her an OK for some activity, I think she may burst if she does not get to do something physical soon.  That and I miss our daily walks myself!  AND today is supposed to be gorgeous out!  We've had nothing but thunderstorms, heavy rain, and high winds the last couple of days.  

    Ari's been a champ about this, but I think she's reaching the end of her rope.  I am watching her in the cage and it's like every muscle in her body is electrified and awaiting release.  

    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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  • 07-26-2008 8:03 AM In reply to the_gopher

    Re: Ari's limping =(

    the_gopher:
    vet visit they found a slight yeast infection in her ears which I had been suspecting all along, since I clean her ears out daily yet they weren't getting any better!

    Check out the Blue Power Ear Treatment.

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  • 07-26-2008 8:32 PM In reply to janet_rose

    • the_gopher
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    Re: Ari's limping =(

     Well the vet checked her over and said to keep her "calm" for the next few days.  She thinks she may have slightly sprained her leg, probably catching it in her crate.  She doesn't need any medications just to rest it.  UGH, keeping her still is torture for us all.  We pretty much have to keep her crated.  She's just not the type to hang out calmly with us!  She's putting most of her weight on her leg and doesn't seem worse for the wear for it (just going nutty due to lack of excercise!)  She's really being good about this.  We're hoping she'll be all good to go for Wednesday as we have a camping trip planned, but we'll cancel if she's not up to par.  I think she will be though, she's walking nearly fine now and she reacted only slightly to the vet manipulating her leg.  Poor Ari's been a regular at the vets lately, between puppy shots, her bout with diareah, her ears (they checked them and said to finish up the medication and she'll be good to go - they look SO MUCH BETTER now), and now the leg!  One of the vet techs there is in love with Ari and made a point to stop by and say hello.  Ari needless to say LOVES going to the vet where they fawn over her, give her tasty treats and she doens't mind being examined (she's actually really good about it, stays pretty darn still and let's them just do their thing). 

    I really really really hate to see what Ari's going to be like come Tuesday night when she can come off "confinement" it's going to be scary to see a high energy breed puppy with days worth of pent up energy inside her.  I'm thinking we'll take her to the river for a swim, a low impact activity that she'll enjoy.  

    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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  • 07-26-2008 8:37 PM In reply to the_gopher

    • the_gopher
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    Re: Ari's limping =(

    Janet, I'm having trouble on this computer downloading the attachment for the blue powder treatment - but I'll try again on our other computer upstairs.  This computer runs off wireless and it's terribly slow so that's probably the issue.  Plus this computer kinda crappy to begin with :)  I know Callie gave me a recipe that we'll start using once the medication is gone, alcohol, borax, and gentian violet but I'm definately open to other suggesttions!  Ari's ears we will just need to stay on top of for the rest of her life.  So anyways to do that effectively is A-OK by me!  I'm just glad we got the yeast infection taken care of, it was such a losing battle trying to keep them clean and dry when she had the infection - and the first vet didn't do a swab test, but I made the last vet check b/c I thought she must have an infection for them to have looked the way they had (irritated, gunky and slightly warm desipte me flushing them regularly aka daily just about!).  Now they are a healthy color, no longer warm, smell better, and faaar less gunky (still some wax but we've got most of it out now, and I'll be flushing them out tomorrow to get the last of it). 
    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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  • 07-27-2008 3:36 AM In reply to the_gopher

    Re: Ari's limping =(

    the_gopher:
    I know Callie gave me a recipe that we'll start using once the medication is gone, alcohol, borax, and gentian violet but I'm definately open to other suggesttions! 

    I think that you will find that what Callie gave you and the Blue Power treatment page are exactly the same thing.  My computer is too old to display that page, so I can't tell you its formula.

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  • 07-29-2008 8:31 AM In reply to janet_rose

    • the_gopher
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    Re: Ari's limping =(

    Ari's off bed rest! Can't wait to physically exhaust her as her behavior problems have returned due to inactivity. Her biting is pretty back to what it used to be like which is disheartening, but I think will go away once she's burned off the excess energy.  We'll be hitting up the river in a bit.  Figured a swim would be a nice low impact activity we both can enjoy! 

    She seems to be 100%,. but it's so hard to tell b/c she's starting to look really leggy and awkward, and she's always walked funny.  Plus it's just hard to keep her in a walk right now.  But as far as we can tell she's putting all her weight on her leg and walking/running in the living room just fine.  But man oh man her behavior right now is atrocious.  Just waiting for a load of laundry to be done and then we're out the door!  Right now I have her entertained with a bone stuffed with frozen peanut butter and cottage cheese :)

    Oh and her ears look, smell and feel fabulous!  

    Thanks everyone for your advice and support.  I'm such a worry wort, and Ari is such a clumsy puppy.  

    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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  • 07-30-2008 12:55 PM In reply to the_gopher

    Re: Ari's limping =(

    That's great to here.  I hope she has a wonderful summer swimming and enjoying the outdoors.  NH is so beautiful.

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  • 07-30-2008 2:12 PM In reply to willowchow

    Re: Ari's limping =(

    Sorry -- I've just got more 'day' than I've got time right now.  Yes, what I gave you WAS the Blue Power ear 'recipe'.

    When it comes to keeping a pup confined **play dirty**.  It can be hard on them mentally, so just plain pull out all the stops and use some calmatives to help you -- it's easier on the dog AND you.

    Try Hylands "Calms Forte" -- most health stores carry it.  Two tablets and you can give them 3-4 times a day if need be.  They simply promote sleep (even if they aren't sleepy it just plain HELPS -- it helped Tink get all the way here from Texas with no real problems at all -- and sleeps helps healing!)  It's the same dose whether you are a baby puppy or a 500 pound Sumo Wrestler!!  serious!

    It won't make her 'drugged' -- they CAN wake up if they need to.

     Baby aspirin can cause tummy bleeding -- try some chammomile tea -- brew the tea strong and just put the soggy herbs and liquid in her dinner -- or sweeten the tea a bit or even add some bit of beef broth.  It's a good but mild NSAID but it won't upset the tummy.

    At a health store if you can't find White Flower Oil just get a good quality peppermint oil (not a flavoring -- this is the actual essential oil).  Massage it on (if you can't find one of my posts about how to 'feel' for heat/injury email me and I'll type it out for you tonight) in any likely place -- just a couple of drops.  It will help reduce the inflammation topically and really helps.

    You can *try* valerian (and yes, you can use it with the Calms) --- but it sometimes works well on pups and sometimes not.  IF you can find Oat Seed (or "milky oats" it is sometimes called) -- you'll need a real health store for that.  If they carry Herb Pharm tinctures it is a superb one.  THAT one works awesomely on pups and it's easy for them to digest.  AGain, it's ok to use it with the Calms. 

    Even Benedryl is ok -- 1-2 mg/lb body weight - given a couple of times a day.  (MAKE SURE they get all the water they want) -- it will promote sleep -- you aren't using it for the antihistamine properties but simply for the sleepy side-effect. 

    But yeah -- it's way better to mildly sedate a pup than to let them be clawing their crate apart.

    You might also want to reduce their protein and substitute veggies that are pureed or cooked/mashed instead -- it will help take the edge off the energy. 

    Keep this pup LEASHED -- you can let them out of the crate on a SHORT leash, and then just put them next to you lying down.  You can even give them some stuff to chew, etc. that way and avoid them being rambunctious.  If they insist, back into the crate.  But soon they'll get it that to be 'with' they gotta be quiet. 


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  • 08-01-2008 12:09 PM In reply to calliecritturs

    • the_gopher
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    Re: Ari's limping =(

     I am proud of Ari, while she did get bored, frozen ropes, frozen kongs, and some good chews helped her keep from going nutty in her crate.  She's very very calm in her crate.  The most we really put up with was some whining from boredom, which she didn't carrry on for too long.  Mostly she just napped.  We let her out in a very small area with us for some loving, we rearranged furniture to section off a bit of living room that was just enough room for her to walk a bit but definitely not romp.  When she got rompy we would tell her to kennel up and she would, though you could tell by the look on her face she was none too pleased!

    I don't think we could have handled more than the 5 days she was crated.  When we finally let her out, there was no limp, no discomfort at all to me rubbing her leg down and she's definitly back to normal.  Her energy level was out of control and unfortunately she seems to have regressed in her NOT BITING THE HUMANS training, but cest la vie we'll go back to square one with her on the biting behavior. 

    Ari also had her first camping trip (so glad she was healed up in time) but that's for another post...

    ~Sharon

    Proudly owned by Ari a 5 month old flat-coated retriever! Stick out tongue
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