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Help for a limping dog

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Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Feb 2, 2016
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This happened today after I took my dogs out, my ten year old Sheltie Fiona came back limping. It's her front right paw, I watched the dogs the whole time and there was nothing out of the ordinary to explain this. I checked in between her toes, pads, I can extend her leg and moved it about but when I put pressure on the top of her paw (2-3 inches from her toes) she has a little reaction.

That's the thing too, she is extremely sweet and mild mannered so she won't really react but that's the most I got was from that one spot. Of course we will bring her to the vet but in the meantime any tips on how to relieve her pain?

She is my shadow and follows me everywhere so I was thinking of crating her but she is very sensitive and I don't want to upset her if she is already in pain and make everything worse.
 
Baby aspirin is ok for dogs. Google for the dosage for her weight. I give it to my dogs for small pains and it was recommended by my vet. Absolutely no ibuprofen or Tylenol.

Hope she is better soon!
 
I am not a vet, but I do know you can't give Tylenol or NSAIDs to dogs but 81mg aspirin is ok. My dog has arthritis so she gets this sometimes.
 
Asprin is ok. I keep tramadol on hand for her. She's had the misfortune if dislocating her shoulder once, which means of course it could happen again.

I would check for signs of SLO. Its unfortunate and very painful in dogs. (its not just a greyhound thing but I'm a greyhound mom so)
http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/SLO.htm

If no signs of SLO then unless nothing can be visibly seen (a vet can tell for sure with a biopsy), definitely time for an x-ray.
 
Try not to worry too much. On a few occasions, our girl has limped, by the time the vet was open in the morning, she's been fine.
 
Wobenzym. Stress/injury dose 3 tabs several times in a 24-hour period.

CBD oil.

Assisi Loop.

Cold laser package at the vet.
 
Take a video when you see the dog walking in case you need a trip to the vet so the vet can see what you're talking about.
 
Thank you for all the helpful responses. We are going to give her overnight to see if it resolves and in the meantime give her some baby aspirin to make her more comfortable. We have been trying to keep her relatively quiet but she is an excitable one, especially at feeding time. Like owner like dog :P2

No signs of SLO, so that's good in that sense. Azstonie, thank you for those suggestions, I can get the Wobenzym at our local GNC.
 
Here's to hoping it's nothing! That's happened to our dog twice - left as quickly as it started.

And, I had no idea you could give a dog aspirin!
 
Thanks Puppmom for the good wishes, I am hoping that resting overnight will help her feel better tomorrow.
 
Wobenzym is a miracle worker. Administer 1 hour before food, or 2 hours after food(empty stomach). Store in fridge as it is heat sensitive. If you give Wobenzym, ****no aspirin or nsaids****.

Check the whole dog journal archives, they have 2 excellent write ups on Wobenzym. You can try up to 5 or 6 at a shot. The side effect would be smelling pineapple in the urine (!) or mild GI (loose stool). You can tinker with dosage based on symptoms.

Both Finn and Maggie have trashed their ACL, had knee surgeries, laser treatments, hip replacements, physical therapy, rehab, acupuncture, and they've done the best on the Assisi Loop and Wobenzym.

Good thoughts and healing dust to you and your sweet dog.
 
We're also having super success now with CBD oil and treats from Pet Releaf (Colorado). Highly recommended for pain control and anxiety.
 
Thanks AZ, I know it can be hard to discern tone online but I sincerely mean when I say you are a wealth of knowledge. I really appreciate it, I should probably have her on something anyways since she is older and prone to arthritis.

I will update you guys on how she looks in the morning. She tends to sleep on her back so that should help.

Here is a picture of my girl, she waves a paw (the good one) and thanks everyone for their help.

IMG_2455.PNG
 
Stephanie, I hope she is feeling better soon. She sure is a beautiful baby and talk about a sweet face!
 
Ahhh, such a sweet sweet face. I love her.

I never feel tone in anything you post, SL. You're a solid chick!

I have been through a lot with the Westies. Now its old age for Finn at 15 with arthritis and hearing loss; now Maggie 9-1/2 and super arthritic knee and a sensitive stomach.

So its hard to post on dog issues for me. I'm not trying to be brusque or short, just trying to be unemotional.

If you have any questions, post here, I'll watch this thread.
 
Beautiful pup! She looks like a baby - never would have guessed she's 10.
 
Hey everyone, so she is looking better today! Not 100% but a marked improvement from yesterday. Thankfully we live in a ranch so the only stairs are outside which I've been carrying her up and down. We didn't give her the aspirin last night because we wanted to see how she was walking and using it after a night of rest.

DH seems to think she has arthritis, he reminded me that she has had an episode before (can't remember which paw) a couple of years ago. So we're also going to get her started on some supplements for her joints.

Thank you so much for all the help and well wishes! Here a pic of her relaxing in my son's room this afternoon :kiss2:

IMG_2458.JPG
 
Glad she seems a bit better today. It's hard when they get old, we gave one of our oldies glucosamine and it did help. I know a lot of people recommend a supplement called Yumove - I don't know if it's available in the US, maybe try Amazon?

http://www.lintbells.com/yumove-dog
 
Okay, here's the best arthritis 'supplement' there is---100% success rate, no side effects.

Adequan. Its injectable glucosamine--->glucosamine as an oral supplement via GI tract is not especially efficacious. I've had both Westies on powdered glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM/boswellia for years. I still have horrendous arthritis in both dogs. With Adequan, 2 hours post injection it has traveled to the joints. I see Maggie and Finn at 2 hours post injection jumping around and running. There are a lot of websites and boards about the wonders of Adequan. Its been around for decades, started out with racehorses.

You buy it at the vet, it comes with syringes. Don't worry, you CAN inject your dog. You pick up the loose skin around the neck, make a tent, and with a light hand you pop the needle into the tent. ITs very fast. Ask the vet for their smallest needles, those are the least painful.

Adequan: First couple weeks its twice weekly. Then once weekly. Then every 2 weeks for my dog to keep pain at bay and keep them fully functional.

If I were to design something for you, it'd be imaging to discern if you do have arthritis going on (and its location and severity) followed by (assuming its arthritis) Adequan injections; Wobenzym daily; Assisi Loop daily.

If you have an injury, same regimen. (If she rolled her wrist, for example.) You could add cold laser therapy 2-3 x weekly.
 
Our vets (ortho surgeon and internist) have informed us they are seeing arthritis in dogs as young as 1 year old now. Inflammatory diet, congenital defects + injuries, excessive wear, etc. They believe most dogs are in pain from arthritis for years before owners and vets 'see' it.
*******************************

Finn and Maggie's Arthritis Regimen:
1. Galliprant 20 mg daily.
This is a brand new arthritis-specific NSAID that is a real blessing as it has about a 0 side effects profile. My dogs have super reactive stomachs and they've never had one problem with Galliprant.
There is a rebate out there for this medication; just google it and rebate.

2. Adequan injections every 2 weeks.
There is a rebate out there for Adequan; just google it and rebate. Same company as Galliprant.

3. Doxycycline 20 mg twice daily.
For control of inflammation in joints and pain control.

4. Gabapentin one capsule three times daily.
You want to pair the gabapentin with the Galliprant, they kind of super-juice each other.

5. Assisi Loop.
2x daily.

6. MSM and boswellia powder with lunch.

7. Swimming daily as long as pool is 82+ degrees.

8. Massage. ETA: I do the massage myself.

9. Acupuncture.
One course of acupuncture was completed for each dog. Both benefitted. About 20% of dogs see no benefit. I took those odds, worth a try.
 

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azstonie said:
Our vets (ortho surgeon and internist) have informed us they are seeing arthritis in dogs as young as 1 year old now. Inflammatory diet, congenital defects + injuries, excessive wear, etc. They believe most dogs are in pain from arthritis for years before owners and vets 'see' it.
*******************************

Finn and Maggie's Arthritis Regimen:
1. Galliprant 20 mg daily.
This is a brand new arthritis-specific NSAID that is a real blessing as it has about a 0 side effects profile. My dogs have super reactive stomachs and they've never had one problem with Galliprant.
There is a rebate out there for this medication; just google it and rebate.

2. Adequan injections every 2 weeks.
There is a rebate out there for Adequan; just google it and rebate. Same company as Galliprant.

3. Doxycycline 20 mg twice daily.
For control of inflammation in joints and pain control.

4. Gabapentin one capsule three times daily.
You want to pair the gabapentin with the Galliprant, they kind of super-juice each other.

5. Assisi Loop.
2x daily.

6. MSM and boswellia powder with lunch.

7. Swimming daily as long as pool is 82+ degrees.

8. Massage. ETA: I do the massage myself.

9. Acupuncture.
One course of acupuncture was completed for each dog. Both benefitted. About 20% of dogs see no benefit. I took those odds, worth a try.
Click to expand...

How old are Finn and Maggie and when did you start seeing symptoms the first time? If I didn't know better, I'd swear you're a vet, I'm really out of the loop because I've never had a dog with obvious arthritis.

Do you make house calls? You know my neck of the woods is a sight to behold in the Fall :Up_to_something2:
 
Hi SL: Finn is 15 in October and Maggie is 9-1\2. Maggie probably started showing symptoms of arthritis btw 2-4. Same for Finn, really.

I'm unhappy with our first vet for Finn & Maggie, had he told me about Adequan immediately we would have chosen it over Metacam, the NSAID he prescribed. Adequan helps prevent the bony damage of arthritis too.

My medical background is with the 2-leggers but with Whole Dog Journal I can harmonize what I know for dogs. WDJ just did an arthritis -focused issue during the spring, I think it was April. It's available online in the archives.

I hope she is feeling better every day and you aren't too stressed btw kids and dogs :mrgreen2:
 
PS: I'm in my way, it's still too hot here in the Phoenix metro area!!!!
 
Thanks for the info @azstonie. I'll keep it on record, unfortunately arthritis is almost inevitable in large dogs when they get old.:(

Hope your pup is feeling better @StephanieLynn
 
Quick check-in. Fiona is doing great! Me on the other hand, I might need a wine delivery service to get through the next week and a half before school. These kids :confused2:
 
Thank you for checking in, I was wondering! Yay Fiona!!
 
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