Dog limping, what to do?

[doughboyshredder]

Thursday afternoon at the dog park Chase was going crazy with one of his favorite pit bulls. They were running full speed and tackling each other as usual. He started limping ever so slightly, so we called it a day. Friday it didn't seem so bad, but by Saturday he had a real good limp going on. I checked over him real well and couldn't find anything wrong, as far as cuts, slivers, or anything obvious. Assuming it was probably just a pulled muscle or a sprain or something I gave him some nsaid's that the vet prescribed last time, and haven't been letting him run at all. Now it's Tuesday and he still has a slight limp. I just checked him out again and he seems to indicate a sore spot when I massage the tendons above his left front elbow.

Is it time to take him in, or should I let him chill for another couple days?

2 1/2 year old GSD.

He also seemed to start coughing a little bit yesterday. Probably unrelated, but figured I'd mention it. Not productive coughs at all, just like a clearing of the throat a few times a day.

Hutash ? --

[montanaskier]

i think you gave him the herp

[legallyillegal]

[Edgnar]

Fuckin assholes, give the guy a break, his dog is sick. DBS- did you check his pads? Mine tore one of hers and she was limping for few days after. Hutash is your man though.

[doughboyshredder]

yeah, I couldn't find anything wrong with the pads. Thanks, btw.

[Art Shirk]

He also seemed to start coughing a little bit yesterday. Probably unrelated, but figured I'd mention it. Not productive coughs at all, just like a clearing of the throat a few times a day.

Reminds me of Smuckers.



Good luck on gettin the pooch healthy.

[jm2e]

Sounds like he tweaked some connective tissue just like people do sometimes. Watch him for a few more days and restrict his activity. Just like in people, if he keeps moving it should help, but if he spazzes out it will hurt. This could mean no free access to the yard and only slow leash walks if you can keep him calm. If you can't keep him calm it's a long uphill road.
You're probably giving him Rimadyl (common veterinary NSAID). Biggest risk for most NSAIDs is GI bleed. See if his stool is really dark or smells different for signs of bleed. Can't hurt to given him some prilosec or pepcid as a prophylactic too.
If he's not getting better or he gets worse, take him in. Could be any of a hundred unlikely things, but things do come up and it'd be nice to know.
Good luck.

[wooley12]

I've had it happen. Sounds like he's healing. I'd go a while longer with rest and see if it fixes itself. What would you do if it was you hurting?

[stuckathuntermtn]

It's hard to watch someone (or thing) you love in pain, but he's probably fine. Is it getting better every day? He probably pulled or strained something and will be fine. Is he trying to keep weight off it, or does he seem unphased?
My lab got beat up by a deer and she was all fucked up later that night: limping, swollen eye. She was fine, like, the next day. They're quite resilient.

[The Duke of Hurl]

You have a dog named Chase?

[doughboyshredder]

Yeah, he is named after Chase from the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

Thanks for the replies, gonna let him chill for a couple more days and see how it goes.

[axebiker]

I have a Lab, and he gets all nicked up every time we hunt upland birds. He gets strains and sprains just like anyone. It usually shows up ""worse" a day or so after - just like strains in humans. I give him baby aspirin, and just have him take it easy for a few days. He's usually better in a week or so. Pad tears are a little more difficult, but it sounds like that's not the issue. My dog has lots of problems with that. Good luck, and vibes to Chase.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

You're probably giving him Rimadyl (common veterinary NSAID).

I knew a racehorse vet from Davis who claimed Rimadyl was the best hangover cure ever. He was a weirdo, he collected medieval surgical intruments and torture implements.

[irul&ublo]

Shut up and die asshole

[hutash]

Step on his other foot, that should even out the limp



I thought the maul was rather funny, in a sick TGR sort of way.


Strict rest for several days +/- NSAIDs, outside on a leash for bathroom breaks only. If no improvement, see your vet.

[newschoolerz]

Sounds like he tweaked some connective tissue just like people do sometimes. Watch him for a few more days and restrict his activity. Just like in people, if he keeps moving it should help, but if he spazzes out it will hurt. This could mean no free access to the yard and only slow leash walks if you can keep him calm. If you can't keep him calm it's a long uphill road.
You're probably giving him Rimadyl (common veterinary NSAID). Biggest risk for most NSAIDs is GI bleed. See if his stool is really dark or smells different for signs of bleed. Can't hurt to given him some prilosec or pepcid as a prophylactic too.
If he's not getting better or he gets worse, take him in. Could be any of a hundred unlikely things, but things do come up and it'd be nice to know.
Good luck.

this always scared me, good dude i know had is pup die from GI bleed as a result of Rimadyl. poor pups, its either take this to cure that but watch out for death inducing side effect. vibes to chase

[AKPogue]

Step on his other foot, that should even out the limp



I thought the maul was rather funny, in a sick TGR sort of way.


Strict rest for several days +/- NSAIDs, outside on a leash for bathroom breaks only. If no improvement, see your vet.

What kind of NSAIDs? I remember my parents getting their dog sick because they gave the dog some kind of pain med that they weren't supposed to.

[irul&ublo]

What kind of NSAIDs? I remember my parents getting their dog sick because they gave the dog some kind of pain med that they weren't supposed to.

Aspirin only for OTC. No tylenol or ibu. Ask your vet for some samples.

[cramer]

he's a young dog and a slight limp. If you grabbed his leg and felt it up and down squeezing then its not broken. Probably just strained a tendon or something. My daughter dropped a friggin bar stool on my 1 year old dog. I was like great, here we go. But i got him and checked his leg up and down, no yelps. A couple weeks later he was good to go. He didnt use his leg a couple days. Then he used it for a couple. 5th day, he thought he was good to go and kinda tweaked it again trying to play with me (runs wild around my kitchen island in circles). After another 5 days he was tearing the yard up and tearing around the house like a 1 year old puppy. If it was an older dog i would have probably taken him in to vet. Or if he had a break in his bone. strained tendons and ligamants, suck it up a couple weeks doggy.

[Captain Anal]

Vibes to the pup, hope he heals up soon. Gotta be frustrating as hell not being able to go out and play.

Yeah, he is named after Chase from the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

Thanks for the replies, gonna let him chill for a couple more days and see how it goes.

Were you able to finish that series? They started off well but once I got to book 8 or so I was so sick of Goodkind's preachy bullshit that I gave up on them.

[doughboyshredder]

Yeah, I finished it. I agree with you though that he got a little too preachy. You think he had a little influence from Ayn Rand? Faith of the Fallen was an incredible story though, and I found it really motivational when I was starting my business.

Rule of Nines (his newest) was pretty decent without the preachy political overtones.

[hutash]

Aspirin is okay for a few days, but is the most likely to cause GI bleeding. A dose or two of ibuprofen (no more) is okay, but I don't really recommend it. There are no studies that I am aware of, though people use it. Same with aspirin, but at least we used a lot of it prior to safer better NSAIDs, so I am more comfortable with it rather then Vitamin I.

[Pimpin Panda]

Thursday afternoon at the dog park Chase was going crazy with one of his favorite pit bulls. They were running full speed and tackling each other as usual. He started limping ever so slightly, so we called it a day. Friday it didn't seem so bad, but by Saturday he had a real good limp going on. I checked over him real well and couldn't find anything wrong, as far as cuts, slivers, or anything obvious. Assuming it was probably just a pulled muscle or a sprain or something I gave him some nsaid's that the vet prescribed last time, and haven't been letting him run at all. Now it's Tuesday and he still has a slight limp. I just checked him out again and he seems to indicate a sore spot when I massage the tendons above his left front elbow.

Is it time to take him in, or should I let him chill for another couple days?

2 1/2 year old GSD.

He also seemed to start coughing a little bit yesterday. Probably unrelated, but figured I'd mention it. Not productive coughs at all, just like a clearing of the throat a few times a day.

Hutash ? --

Be compassionate. Put him out of his misery. PM Iceman and he can tell you the kind of maul to use and give you some pointers.

[axebiker]

Oh the hilarity.

Dipshit.

[mtaylor]

Be compassionate. Put him out of his misery. PM Iceman and he can tell you the kind of maul to use and give you some pointers.

Good to know I'm not the only one with this thought.

I would give him a few days to heal, it's quite possibly just overuse making it a bit tender. If there is no improvement, a trip to the vet may be in order.