Advice please, Dizzy may have arthritis

[Booboos]

Dizzy was a bit lame last week, nothing too severe, but we popped him to the vets. There was a bit of heat at a localised, lowed part of his front leg, so the vet diagnosed a sprain. He responded very well to the anti-inflammatories and was sound.

The anti-inflammatory course run out two days ago. Yesterday he was a bit lame again, but this morning he could not put any weight on the leg. The vet came over and this time got a reaction from manipulating the leg much higher up by the shoulder. He has given him an injection of anti-inflammatories but also antibiotics as he now thinks it's arthritis and he is worried about the joint locking and causing a lot of pain.

Considering all this was in French, is it possible we have completely misunderstood? Can a vet diagnose arthritis solely through manipulation? Do antibiotics help with arthritis (can't quite see the connection here)? Is there anything else we should be doing? Dizzy is still in a bit of pain, not as bad as this morning but not very willing to move around and we are leaving him to his little bed.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I think I'd want an x-ray to confirm or even an MRI to see exactly what is going on if your insurance is OK. Perhaps ask the vet if he has got Trocoxsil (painkiller, one tablet that lasts a month!) yet-just came out here last year and has worked wonders on Brig who has arthritis in his knuckle joint. It's seriously good stuff and not as bad as some other drugs like Rimadyl.

 

[Tinkerbee]

Some people (assume its sort of the same for dogs...) do get prescribed low doses of antibiotics for rheumatoid arthritis, although I don't think it is very common.

 

[Booboos]

Thanks guys!

I also thought you need at least an x-ray for diagnosis arthritis and find it a bit odd that an acute episode of lameness could be attributed to arthritis so quickly.

He is on a 'normal' dose of antibiotics for this weight for 7 days - still can't figure that one out.

He is no better today, so I might give them another call tomorrow and try to understand the diagnosis.