Little limp...or big problem? *UPDATE*
Over the weekend kiyoshi somehow ended up hurting his shoulder. At first we though it was from when he tripped himself up and fell off the couch saturday night. He was fine sunday when we first got to the dp to meet @Shikoku but after about 15mins he started limping. We thought maybe it was just the night before catching up with him but were worried. We took him home and he seemed a little better. Monday morning he was stiff and limpy so I tried ice and rest,he was the same yesterday so this morning we went to the vet. It obviously wasn't broken and the vet felt him over. He didn't show any kind of discomfort until he got to his shoulder and even then it was only slight. It just didn't add up. He was limping waaaay worse than the pain seemed to be. And he was holding his paw up as though there was pain in his foot not just his shoulder.He checked the rest of his body and got nothing, there were no foreign bodies in his paw, no cracks or anything. Its his front left shoulder btw.
He prescribed him an anti inflammatory and said he'd like to give it a bit more time instead of jumping on xrays. He didn't appear to be in much pain, despite his obviously bad limp. I agreed. He said if we didn't see improvements by friday then to bring him back for xrays. He also said that if he improved on the meds but appeared to relapse then it very well might be Panosteitis. He said that sometimes it can develop from a diet with too much protein and growing too fast. Im very guilty of feeding him protein, if its too much...idk. I've never held kiyoshi back on his food because he NEVER appeared to eat too much or exceed his fill. He's always been a skimpy eater, but this past month its been really bad...so the real amount of protein he gets everyday can't possibly be too much. He hardly eats as it is! He's stayed at about 28-30lbs for the past month although I can tell that he's grown longer and taller. Now I'm worried I did this to him
( I just don't know what to do with him anymore...
I guess only time will tell. I want to do what's best for him, no matter what it is. I was up all night worrying over him and making sure he was comfortable while he slept. I woke up sick with worry. I hoped the vet would have a more clear answer to ease my mind but if anything I'm even more worried for him. I just hate to see him hurt
Any thoughts in the matter? Suggestions or ideas?
He prescribed him an anti inflammatory and said he'd like to give it a bit more time instead of jumping on xrays. He didn't appear to be in much pain, despite his obviously bad limp. I agreed. He said if we didn't see improvements by friday then to bring him back for xrays. He also said that if he improved on the meds but appeared to relapse then it very well might be Panosteitis. He said that sometimes it can develop from a diet with too much protein and growing too fast. Im very guilty of feeding him protein, if its too much...idk. I've never held kiyoshi back on his food because he NEVER appeared to eat too much or exceed his fill. He's always been a skimpy eater, but this past month its been really bad...so the real amount of protein he gets everyday can't possibly be too much. He hardly eats as it is! He's stayed at about 28-30lbs for the past month although I can tell that he's grown longer and taller. Now I'm worried I did this to him
( I just don't know what to do with him anymore...I guess only time will tell. I want to do what's best for him, no matter what it is. I was up all night worrying over him and making sure he was comfortable while he slept. I woke up sick with worry. I hoped the vet would have a more clear answer to ease my mind but if anything I'm even more worried for him. I just hate to see him hurt
Any thoughts in the matter? Suggestions or ideas?
Comments
Pano has been reported a few times before, even recently
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/comment/168474#Comment_168474
And then there is the mysterious Shikoku leg pain
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/5469/shikoku-health-leg-pain/p1
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/comment/137746#Comment_137746
I want to stress that YOU remain Calm. You don't want your dog to sense that you are worried or scared etc. He will sense that and become more uneasy. Until there is an official illness and prognosis determined there is nothing you can do but wait, and help ease his pain mentally. Keep him happy and his tail wagging ( non exerting games etc) . Since we're dealing with a rare breed we don't know all the potential problems. Even the breeders are still learning.
As far as feeding, I know there is a big push for raw, but until you have the portions correct, you may want to consider either premade raw. Or kibble. Just in case there is a protein surplus issue.
Sprained leg: Let him rest and not jump around so much for 2-3 days. Carry him up and down stairs for the time being so as not to put too much strain. Do some t-touch exercises to massage that area of his leg.
Migrated chip causing discomfort maybe?: When I had Kurama scanned his chip was more over his left shoulder blade than dead center towards the back of his neck. My vet pointed out to me that it shouldn't be a problem and that I should be aware that some shelters may miss it in a scan should he get lost because the chip has moved so far over.
Some others people have mentioned are growing pains.
Jesse
@Shikoku - That's a good point. When he looks at me I can see the worry in his eyes and it just breaks my heart. I was really nervous this morning when we went to the vet and he was just as nervous as a result. When the Dr. finally came in he was shaking like a leaf and scared to death. It wasn't like him at all...he gave the dr. kisses afterwards though so it was alright. I use a mix for the raw, it's something I've used for previous dogs. Portion wise I'm at a loss though, with his appetite so off kilter I can't portion anything right
@CrimsonO2. He will put pressure on it when he walks and he'll even try and run with it though still lame. When he's sitting he holds his paw up. The Dr. said it seemed to be more in the joint, he could have torqued (?) it a little. I'll have to bring up the chip idea to him if it doesn't get better.
We have him on bed rest. He's been sleeping more I think. We only take him outside to do his business and then he comes right back inside, no stairs. Sometimes we even carry him outside and inside, he's a bit heavy for me so I don't do it when I'm home by myself, I can't get a good grip on him. We also stop him from playing when he tries to hop around and sprint through the kitchen with his toys (we took them all away except for 1). I got my canine massage therapy certification over the summer so I've been massaging him everyday. It doesn't seem to help but I do it anyway. It makes ME feel better.
Regarding the food issue, I'm sure you will figure it out with time. I've had a fair few picky eaters here, but we've gotten through it. While there is definitely all sorts of advice out there, I would try to find something that works even nominally, and then just stick with that. Changing things around all the time will not help the dog's digestive system.
Hugs to you. I know what it feels like to try to do everything perfectly, and then to experience issues like this. Just relax, breathe, and realize that he is a living creature so there will be ups and downs.
His meds seemed to be working last night as he felt much better, and wanted to run around when we went out to potty. It was like tackling a wild bear! He did sleep most all of yesterday, or lay calmly on the floor and just look around which is unusual for him. Today it only seems mildly better with still the obvious limp just not as bad and he's putting more pressure on it when just standing/sitting.
If it doesn't go away, gets worse, or comes back I will get to the bottom of it. If that means a full work up then so be it. There has to be a reason for it! That's what makes it all so strange. When you touch it he doesn't seem to flinch away from anything, so where is the pain coming from? He only somewhat got uncomfortable when he stretched his shoulder forward. But even then it didn't seem to pain him horribly. The severity of the limp and the pain he is responding to just doesn't seem to add up to me.
I'm probably gonna get hell for this from the people who think dogs are humans lol but: a lot of times we will not see when our dog is in pain. In the wild pain was considered weakness and sometimes a dog/wolf would be kicked out of the pack. So when you touch him and he doesn't seem to wince or be in pain, that doesn't mean they aren't hurting... It could be that he just isn't showing that pain.
I have said it before, but due to your even deepened and unresolved concerned for his leg , do you think an internal look at it would help ease your worries? X-ray , sonogram etc? Something to help assure you that it only requires time to heal. Maybe ask the breeder if they have experienced this before.
I understand the pain/weakness concept, but it STILL doesn't add up!
BUT last night he was up from 2am-8am going outside every hour with bad diarrhea. I thought maybe it was from a piece of a burger that my roommate dropped in his bowl when I wasn't looking XD and he ate a couple noodles I dropped from some pasta so who knows.
But this morning he threw up this crap!
WTF?????????????????????
It looks like it might be plastic, it's bendable and flexible. Doesn't look digestible at all! I suppose this stuff could be why he's not feeling so well. He heaved up some more bile about an hour after he chocked this stuff up but nothing since. He hasn't eaten today...
Funny thing is I was so proud of him yesterday, he ate VERY well at every meal. I was with him all day and I didn't see him eat anything funny, he hasn't before...and I can't figure out what he could have found that would look like that stuff up there ^ Pretty gross.
So we're moving from one delima to the next lol I'm hoping that he threw up all of it and starts feeling better by tonight..
Hope he starts feeling better soon!
Glad to hear that he's recovering from his pains.
Jesse
These are hard yet flexible, not mushy. Sort of waxy like on the outside but not wax. I'll probably never know what they are, but it would be nice to at least know where he might have gotten it or if there's more so it doesn't happen again..
I'm gonna try and get him out of the house for a bit today. He's been cooped up too much and some fresh air and a new enviornment with friendly faces would do him some good I think.
Glad he is doing better?! Maybe the inside of a toy he may have chewed?
What are you giving him now? My,con artist, but wonderful vet always recommends chicken broth for 2-3 days and then boiled rice 2 days after to help him cleanse and settle a dogs tummy. Especially after eating something from a ghost busters movie!! ( lol)
I have done my fair share of worrying myself sick over her limps, and now I've just come to accept it. She's perfectly happy and it doesn't slow her down, so we just leave it be.
Hopefully that was all of it and he is eating normally and having normal bowel movements.
He's not eating anything right now. Ironically I did give him some chicken broth, he lost a lot of fluid and hasn't had much to drink but the broth he really enjoyed.
@hondru - That sounds frustrating, I feel for you. I'm hoping this was a one time thing for him...but I have my doubts
@sunyata - It is very unusual isn't it..
@jenn - Thanks for asking! He's doing ok, sleeping right now. I've noticed the last couple days he's slept a lot more than he normally does. Hasn't eaten yet but I have hope that he'll eat a meal tonight maybe...
Not to scare you but, I'm from the bay area and there have been couple stories where dog haters would purposely put rat poison/nails into tasty cheese or meats and leave them at dog parks....There is even one incident where one resident found it in their back yard...Their neighbor threw it over...but they didn't have any hard evidence.
So be careful!
I've scavanged the floors for any trace of what it was or where it came from and I came up empty handed. He's been inside the house most all of this week, only out to potty so it had to come from inside somewhere.
People in my bulding get really upset if you don't pick up your dogs poop (which is understandable, I always pick mine up) but I know there have been threats to some who don't do it. Last night when he had diarrhea really bad it came out like water and I couldn't pick it up at all...so I just kicked some dirt over it to soak it up a little, I felt bad but what can you do!? Now there's like 10 dirt spots down there and I'm sure someone will notice XD With as much rain as we get here it'll be washed away in a couple days anyway. Oh well...
I find that after a stomach upset Rigby will sleep more than usual too. As long as he's staying hydrated, he's interested in eating somewhat, his abdomen isn't swollen/painful, and he's not acting completely lethargic I wouldn't be too worried about it. Obviously if the diarrhea and vomiting continues though, it wouldn't be a bad idea to call/go to the vet.
@jenn - He's eating and drinking normally now. He's been cooped up in the house all week so I woke him up, dragged him out of bed, and took him to the pet store to be loved on by his admirers.
If you haven't given him any bones in a while, that's probably not what they are. However, I have heard of things hanging out in a dog's stomach for a while and getting thrown up later...
Oh I just remembered that Katana ate one of Conker's toys (Bad Cuz) and was pooping out orange rubber bits for two weeks afterwards. I hadn't seen any pieces of it anywhere else during that time, so I suspect it just took forever to get through him.
I never did figure out what that was that he ate but he's been fine since then and eating better than he has in a while. He hasn't had anymore problems with limping. He was better after only about 4 days and back to normal by the end of the week. He's been running and playing like normal with no problems and we went on that hike a couple weeks ago and he did great! No soreness or limping.
So I'm gonna assume that for now, with no way to tell otherwise, that it was probably just a sprain/bruise or something similar. Hope I don't jinx myself LOL