Wincing when walking..

[Marie Szychowski]

Hello all, Oscar is almost 3 years, for a couple of months I noticed he "winces" when walking - I'm not sure if it's the right word but it's the closest I could think of to describe - it's like if you have a sore foot but can weight bear so take it in stride and continue to walk. It's evident in both front legs. He stretches both front and back legs-a lot. This has not deterred him from exuberant behaviour eg jumping.

The vet diagnosed cellulitis and he's had a couple of courses of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.

I've kept him on lead for walks so no running except in the back yard.

Yesterday we saw the vet again, his temperature was at the upper range of normal but he mentioned Oscar was stiff in the legs. We are waiting for blood test results for rheumatoid arthritis to return, overall I think there's been a slight improvement, it's hard to tell because sometimes it's really evident other times it's almost imperceptible.

In the beginning I thought it - the cellutis - may have been caused by a grass seed that I missed, the vet said he will look for any if he does a x-ray. I found a tiny wound which has healed but the vet doesn't think this is the cause.

I'm stabbing in the dark here - he sleeps on a Purina thick padded dog bed, underneath is a folded blanket. The floor is tiled, perhaps it's still too cold? He can't be on the couch because he got too territorial about it, I'm wondering has anyone had similar or the same medical problem?   Any problems with bedding?

Thankyou for any input,

Marie

      

[Sue Paterson]

Hi Marie. Sorry I have no experience of this to help you. If Oscar had been younger I would have thought of panosteitis, but that is usually seen in pups 6 to 18 months, and they appear quite lame. 2 of mine had it in the past.

One of my boys had a grass seed that travelled up his hind leg and he started favouring his leg slightly when walking. It was when he licked himself raw that they X rayed and found it...I still have it in a plastic container some 15 years on!!

None of this is helping I know, but I do hope Oscar is diagnosed and receives appropriate treatment soon.

I don't think the bedding is an issue by the sound of it. You could always try a memory foam bed of course or a raised bed. I've found Kuranda beds to be brilliant...a bit expensive but they are virtually indestructible.

Good luck.

[Marie Szychowski]

Hi Sue, I'll see what the vet says but thanks for answering, I definitely look into the Kuranda - never heard of it:) (except when we did the skyrail and the train and oh yeah they have a great lolly shop)-

Marie

[susan clemence]

The symptoms you describe are exactly the same as my 5 year old setter has had since she was about 2, apart from the temperature.  She does exactly the same stretching and has stiff front legs.  My observations over the years are that it seems to make no difference to the stiffness whether she has had gentle lead walks for a week or been hunting pheasants for 2 hours or had a 10 mile hike.  She has always moved very differently from my older setter, she bears most of her weight on her front legs and when she runs it is like a fast bunny hop movement, nothing like the way my other setter moves.  I felt a bit guilty when I read your post because I have done nothing about it.  She has glucosamine and evening primrose oil but I haven't discussed this with a vet because she doesn't seem to be in pain and I am a believer in leave well alone unless they are in distress.  She may well need medication in the future but I'll just keep observing.  I'll be interested see what happens with Oscar and hope all goes well with him.

[Marie Szychowski]

Hi Susan, Oscar does do a really fast bunny hop but that's when he's super excited or needs to burn off energy - it doesn't last long, the blood tests are all normal - I'll let you know when I have more info,

With thanks, Marie

[Rosie Dudley]

Hello Marie and Susan, on reading about both of your dogs, I would suggest that both have  musculoskeletal problems, possibly through injury, which you may or may not have witnessed. Have a look a this website and video

http://mctimoneychiropractic.org/index.php?option=com_content&v...

I have used McTimoney for my own dogs with success and would recommend it, you need to get your dogs checked, if they ever moved correctly it is unlikely they have faulty conformation, skeletal misalignment is usually the reason they move badly, I hope you have success, please let us know. Best wishes, Rosie

[Marie Szychowski]

Hi, Rosie I took Oscar to see a different vet is not at my usual clinic, he's more like a country vet who sees a lot of farm animals and he listened and examined Oscar thoroughly, watching while I walked him and could find little wrong, saying it did not warrant any x-rays at this point.

He did give an initial Pentosan injection which is a four week treatment - to me he is already not so stiff on getting up and walks much freer, he also was happy for Oscar to see a chiropractor( says he has used a particular one himself ) so I'll see how that goes too, thankyou, Marie        

[susan clemence]

Hello Maria and Rosie, since my last reply I had a think if I should go and see my vet but still not keen on any intervention which involves medication.  Although both the dogs are allowed on the furniture and sleep on the sofa, Lexi does follow me everywhere and therefore spends a fair amount of time lying on the kitchen floor which is hard so  I have purchased a memory foam dog bed for the kitchen.  Since she had it she doesn't stretch nearly as much when she stands up but this could just be down to the warmer weather I'll just have to wait and see.  One other thing I didn't mention last time is that she has always hated walking over rocky ground, gravel, newly ploughed fields.  I have also put her on a diet to see if this helps her joints as she is at the upper end of what she should weigh.  I would certainly consider a chiroprator (I wasn't aware of animal practitioners in this field)  as I have used one on several occasions and they cured my neck and back problem .  Thanks for all the suggestions very informative as usual from this great site.  Very best wishes.  Susan, Luca and Lexi