Limping lurcher

Jingleballs

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Looking for a bit of advice. My 4 1/2 year old lurcher has been limping for a few months now. It's only when she first gets up after resting and is always a bit worse if she's been lying on the floor vs. on a raised bed.

I took her to the vet in early August and there was no sign of the limp during the appointment. Vet said she had good range of motion, no tenderness/inflamation - nothing obvious but said to keep an eye on it as lameness in a young dog is a worry. I'd suggested it might be linked to an injury she sustained in May - she was attacked by another dog and had to have an operation to stitch together the muscle on her left shoulder although I think it's her front right she's limping on (although I'm crap at identifying the source of lameness!)

Since that appointment I'd say the limp has lessened in that she still limps but only for a few steps after getting up whereas previously she was limping for a bit longer.

I've booked another appointment for tomorrow after finally managing to catch some video footage of it. My worry is that they still won't find any obvious cause I'll be sent away with some metacalm and told to keep an eye on it ( personally I don't think vets are brilliant and dealing with musculoskeletal issues).

So I'm considering the options as I do have some concerns due to her breed - bone cancer is pretty common and can first show itself as mild, intermittent lameness.

Can I request x rays or does the vet need to agree with this? Would x raying the leg require the dog to be sedated/put under anesthetic? Would it be better to get an appointment with a canine physio to see if they can find anything?

I'm keen to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later even just to put my mind at ease that it's not something like bone cancer or arthritis.
 

Jingleballs

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Thanks Amymay - the thought of putting her under anesthetic unecessarily worries me so I will push for heavy sedation if x rays are the way forward.
 

Chiffy

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A touch of arthritis can show in a few lame steps when getting up after rest but I had a dog with bone cancer and she went suddenly lame and it really hurt her. I thought she had damaged a ligament and was really surprised how scared she was of the vet examination. The vet had his suspicions from moment one and it was confirmed by X-ray.
Hope this means your dog does not have bone cancer.
 

planete

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I would try an animal physio with experience of racing dogs first. If it is a front leg lameness she could have over extended at full gallop or otherwise strained a muscle in the shoulder area. This a common injury with running dogs. It is extremely difficult to diagnose and the only treatment is rest, no galloping, ball chasing or jumping for a few weeks coupled with body work. Obviously have it investigated if it gets worse. An animal physio should also be able to tell if the dog is still suffering the consequences of the attack in May.
 

Jingleballs

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Thanks Chiffy - so sorry to hear your dog had bone cancer - it's one of my biggest fears having a sight hound.

Planete - thanks for that - she does love to gallop and chase and will often do a sliding stop which can't be good for her front legs or shoulders. She's got lovely slender legs but her body is quite chunky so I imagine it does put strain on her joints when she does this.

Will see what the vets says but I think a physio might be able to help me more.
 

Chiffy

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Jingle balls, I had no idea sight hounds were prone to bone cancer, I have owned loads and never encountered it. The dog I lost was my first Flatcoated retriever at the age of eight. Never had it happen again and all the others have lived to a good age.
Let us know if you get a diagnosis.
 

Leo Walker

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When we had an issue with my middle aged lurcher girl not being right, as in bilaterally lame behind, probably only 2/10ths, two vets couldnt see it, and actually looked at me like I was speaking in tongues when I said about bilateral lameness etc. They did some hip rotations and palpated her and told me she was fine. I then got fed up and had a chiro/bodyworker look at her. She found all sorts of issues and the difference after one treatment was dramatic. She had 4 treatments over 3 months ish I think and was a different dog after that :)

Its common with people who race them to have a "bone man" look at them. A bone man is just a chiro, so its not uncommon. In future I would probably use a physio, but thats becasue I have now moved and know a really good one.
 

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Jingle balls, I had no idea sight hounds were prone to bone cancer, I have owned loads and never encountered it. The dog I lost was my first Flatcoated retriever at the age of eight. Never had it happen again and all the others have lived to a good age.
Let us know if you get a diagnosis.

Chiffy, sighthounds are chronically prone to bone cancer :( I know it will be when rather than if for me, I pray that I will recognise the signs quickly and allow a humane end as I know it is an excruciatingly painful illness for the poor dog.... I cannot contemplate it happening to any of my gorgeous Greyhound Gang :( :(
 

Jingleballs

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Wee update - not much further forward after seeing the vet. They could no find no obvious cause (pain, stiffness, swelling or muscle wastage) but from the video said they think it is the front left causing the issue - higher up possibly shoulder or elbow (it was her left shoulder she had surgery on).

Suggested xrays may provide clarity but also may not if it was muscular. Didn't think physio would help at all (???) but were open to the possibility of referring for accupuncture.

I've booked an appointment with a physio/mctimoney corley therapist as I think they could help and I'm not sure why the vet was so against it!
 

Leo Walker

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I've booked an appointment with a physio/mctimoney corley therapist as I think they could help and I'm not sure why the vet was so against it!

I've always found small animal vets a bit iffy about stuff like that. A good therapist will know if they can hep you or not. If not nothing lost other than a few quid and then you can go down the xray etc route. Fingers crossed it helps your dog like it did my girl :)
 
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