Is this because of hip dysplasia?

Spiritedly

Spiritedly

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I posted a while ago that my GSD was showing signs that seemed to point to DM but X-rays showed that she had dysplasia in both hips. She was put on 4 weekly Cartrophen injections as well as Glucosamine.

It's now been about seven months and she has got a fair bit worse! She struggles with stairs...our house is on a hill and a strange layout and you have to go downstairs to get to our kitchen and garden...she can no longer get in the car, this evening she fell whilst attempting to stand and couldn't get back to her feet and whilst lying down her left...worse...back leg is almost constantly kicking/scraping along the floor....similar to when dogs 'run' in their sleep. She is also whining a lot which for her is a sign she is hurting and she only had her injection last Monday.

The weakness I know can be a symptom of dysplasia but I haven't heard of the kicking legs being a symptom? Has anyone experience of it? My worry is that it is a sign of DM and that maybe the hip dyplasia has masked the fact that she also has DM and I may have to make a decision I really don't want to make yet :'(
 
It sounds more like DM to be honest :( have you spoken to your vet about that possibility?
Paws knuckling over and scuffing the ground is a big red flag.

DM doesn't hurt but she may be whining because of confusion/stress.

I know it's hard but with severe HD I would keep her on one floor and not expect her to jump in and out of a car.

To me HD symptoms would be visible lameness/stiffness/inability to get up from lying down, obvious discomfort on impact from a raised height and the John Wayne waddle.
 
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CorvusCorax said:
It sounds more like DM to be honest :( have you spoken to your vet about that possibility?
Paws knuckling over and scuffing the ground is a big red flag.

DM doesn't hurt but she may be whining because of confusion/stress.

I know it's hard but with severe HD I would keep her on one floor and not expect her to jump in and out of a car.

To me HD symptoms would be visible lameness/stiffness/inability to get up from lying down, obvious discomfort on impact from a raised height and the John Wayne waddle.
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It's only been over the last few days that the restless leg has started and that she was unable to get back to her feet without help, although she has managed to since, so I am ringing the vet tomorrow to have a chat.

The only reason she was going in the car was so she could go to the field so she didn't have to go downstairs to go to the garden as the other alternative is having to walk up a steep hill.

It's so hard because we know she has HD as it was visible on the X-rays but not all her symptoms seem to fit the HD 'box' , her left hip is the worse and that is the one she exhibits the restlessness with and also the one that knuckles under the most but both of those are signs of DM rather than HD.
 
I think it sounds more like DM although I must say I have no experience of HD. I have had 2 with DM and both had the kicking legs. DM is a degeneration of the nerve endings and I was told they possibly feel the sensation of pins&needles/tingling. My first one was originally misdiagnosed with a prolapsed disc after x-ray and myelogram, she had spinal surgery but it turned out it was DM.
I have found hydrotherapy really helps and being shepherds they loved water and thoroughly enjoyed it.
 
the shadster said:
I have found hydrotherapy really helps and being shepherds they loved water and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Unfortunately hydrotherapy isn't any help to her as she gets too wound up and upset when people attempt to take her from me and as a result they can't even get her in the water.
 
CorvusCorax said:
Did you see the plates or the digital x rays and did the vet talk it through with you? Remind me what age she is?
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I saw the digital X-rays and the vet explained it all. She is 7 years. I spoke to the vet today and am taking her in next week so the vet can assess her current range of motion and see if it has deteriorated and to discuss what action we take next dependant on the results.
 
Spiritedly said:
Unfortunately hydrotherapy isn't any help to her as she gets too wound up and upset when people attempt to take her from me and as a result they can't even get her in the water.
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If it is an option to reconsider they can probably 'train' you to go with? Vets have some flexibility... I've been the one to hold my animal still for staples etc on occasion so they should be able to show what you need to do to go with for a spot of swimming?

Sounds as though you may be a bit beyond therapy though. :-( Hoping for you this is just temporary and wishing you strength if not.
 
Had the vets yesterday but haven't been able to post until today. The vet is as sure as she can be that my girl has DM as well as the dysplasia :(

I'm pretty gutted but we were expecting the diagnosis but were hoping for the best. We really thought we were going to be lucky when the X-rays showed the dysplasia back in December but it now seems she has had both all along. She's now having Tramadol as well as the Cartrophen so we can assess which of her symptoms are due to an increase of pain in her hips and which are down to the DM.

The only positive that came out of the visit was that although we know we are going to have to make a decision sooner rather than later we didn't have to make it yesterday and we get to have a bit longer with her.
 
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