Leg issues

[FabulouslyFierce]

I'll try to make a long story short. Basically, it seems there is always something wrong with my dog Henry. We've taken that poor dog to the vet so many times in the past two years including a couple middle of the night trips to the emergency vet.

Most recently, a couple weeks ago we were in the vets office getting the dog's vaccines and while we were in the waiting room Henry jumped off my husband's lap, landed weird and started crying and limping on his back left leg. The vet took him back and looked at it and didn't see anything majorly wrong, so they gave him an anti-inflammatory shot and sent us on our way.

He was limping for a couple hours but then he started to walk on it again and seemed ok. Over the next couple weeks though, he would occasionally do something weird, start crying, not walk on it for a few minutes...but he always seemed to work it out.

Last night at dinner time he got super excited (as always when he knows food is coming) and slipped on the kitchen floor. He started screaming, limped into his crate and refused to come out and eat We called the vet and got him in there this morning.

The vet poked and pulled at his leg, checked his knee joint, felt his hips and couldn't find anything. They did x-rays...nothing. Basically they just told us to go home with no answers.

It's breaking my heart, he still won't walk on his back leg, he can't jump up on anything and I'm just so frustrated I could cry. I asked the vet if it could be muscle or tendon damage and he just wouldn't give me a straight answer.

Any thoughts on what it could be?

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I was thinking that maybe a joint keeps popping out or something but I would think that a vet would be able to detect this. Do you keep seeing the same vet or have you seen many different vets? If you're seeing the same vet then I'd take him to another one for a second opinion.

I know you said that you live in Northern CA so I'm going to recommend Adobe Animal Hospital to you.This is where I take my cats and all of their vets are wonderful. Here's there website:http://www.adobe-animal.com/index.htm. They will be moving towards the end of summer to a new location because they've outgrown the building that they're in. My doctor is Dr. Rachel Boltz and she specializes in cats. On her page of info about her she says: Though I am a feline specialist, I also have an interest in orthopedics in both feline and canine patients. I have spent a great deal of time developing skill in invasive and non-invasive fracture repair, TPLO, extra capsular cruciate repair, and patellar surgery. As well, I am both interested and skilled in advanced diagnostic imaging modalities such as ultrasound, echocardiography, endoscopy and rhinoscopy. Maybe she could at least help you diagnose Henry's problem. She works Sun.-Wed. and does surgeries on Mondays. She is very popular so she's usually booked well in advance though. Good luck.

[Karen]

Cinder and Smoke's Smokey has a luxating patella - maybe it is something like that? It'll pop in and out of place, it's a pretty common problem. You might do a search for that here on Pet Talk, and see if it matches what you are experiencing.

[MonicanHonda]

I would definitely see another vet... I mean, that's basically your final answer unless you want a dog who is in pain for the rest of it's life, right? I hope you find out what is wrong... if he keeps hurting it, something must be wrong and I'm sorry your vet won't find out what's wrong. Prayers for your pup!

[FabulouslyFierce]

Thanks everyone. I go to the same pet hospital, but the vet we saw yesterday was new, I really like the other doctors we have seen and I guess we'll take him back and ask to not see the same doctor again.

He said it may be luxating patella, but he messed around with Henry's knee joint a lot and said if that were an issue he would be able to pop it in and out with his hands and that Henry's joint felt very stable.

Henry woke up crying again in the middle of the night So we'll probably take him back in. My poor little baby boy.

[pomtzu]

Luxating patella is what came to mind here. Both of my pups have them, and Myndi's is the worst. She can't jump up on the bed or furniture, or go up stairs anymore, and I have to make her settle down if she gets a little too rambunctious, or it will go out on her again. She absolutely screams when it does, so I try to keep her out of situations that would tend to pop it out of the joint. Both of them have managed quite well tho, and they both get glucosamin/chrondritan (sp??) daily, and Myndi a baby aspirin if she appears to be somewhat uncomfortable.

Hoping you find out soon, what is ailing Henry. Sending good vibes and positive thoughts!

[FabulouslyFierce]

Thanks Ellie.

So it's ok to give a dog a baby asprin if he is in pain? He's about 15 lbs.

[ginalovesfelines]

I would certainly see about a second opinion if they can't find anything wrong, it would be horrible if your dog lived the rest of his life in pain if he didn't have to. I would also look into starting him on a glucosamine supplement either way. To answer the asprin question, I sometimes give my arthritic girl excel asprin bc it is made for dogs and i feel safer using it. Good luck, and best wishes coming your way!

[Seravieve]

I'd definitely get a 2nd opinion.

Our original vet told us Eli's leg was fine.. 2nd vet said he DEFINITELY tore his ACL and it required surgery. Muscle/tissue stuff doesnt show up on Xrays well, so a knowledgeable vet is a good way to go.

If you're not sure where to go, call around and see who will talk to you over the phone and discuss different options. We found our 2nd opinion that way. They guy was willing to talk on the phone for 45 min about what he could have done to his knee. It was awesome.

Dasaquin is the glucos/chon/msm supplement Eli gets from now on. After a couple weeks, you can definitely tell a difference. We found it on Amazon cheaper than the Vet's office, and it the exact same bottle.

[Freedom]

I can't add anything: luxating patella, torn ACL, another vet opinion.

That is all that came to my mind as well.

[Sher.Fla]

Isn't any kind of human aspirin toxic to dogs?

[pomtzu]

Any drug in the wrong dose, can be toxic to pets and humans alike. A baby aspirin is only 80mg and that is safe for a 15 pound. I just drop a chewable into Myndi's food, and she never even knows it's in there, and she gets one twice per day. You can Google aspirin for dogs and can read more about it, but administered properly will give your dog pain relief. Of course I would check with your vet also, before giving any med. My dog's vet is the one who advised me to use baby aspirin for the pups as needed.