Your opinions on this diagnosis

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emalou2

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My 11 yo cross breed dog whom I've had since 1 is lame on his near foreleg.
He literally has gone from being fine (a little stiff on all legs that I put down to age) to being reluctant to use the leg and when he does he sort of hops along.

I take him to the vet who examines him and says "he has osteoarthritis" we are prescribed loxicam and tramadol and advised to go back in a few weeks.

Now.. My issue is this.

Firstly I know my dog, and I know that this has literally happened having been sat in the kitchen and being ok to coming in from the garden and being lame. In fact I even said to my dog "oh what have you done"!? When I saw him like this.

Secondly the vet seemed to dismiss that he could of possibly strained or sprained the shoulder joint or muscle when I suggested that hed gone out and come in with the injury.

I've had horses with arthritis and as I understand its a gradual thing that gets worse and worse till eventually they can't get up and down without being in pain.
I can't see how this can be any different for dogs or humans in that case?
Does anyone have any experience of dogs with arthritis and if so did they suddenly become hopping lame and never became sound again?
What are people's thoughts on loxicam? Did it work for their dog or did tramadol work?
And finally your views on hydrotherapy and what was the outcome of treatment?

Any replies gratefully welcome. Thanks.
 
If he hass been stiff he may have aggravated and existing OA which can cause an acute lamenes- rest and pain relief are the treatment anyway.
Hydrotherapy should only be undertaken when the vet is happy for it to take place.
 
SusieT said:
If he hass been stiff he may have aggravated and existing OA which can cause an acute lamenes- rest and pain relief are the treatment anyway.
Hydrotherapy should only be undertaken when the vet is happy for it to take place.
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Thanks, I was aiming do this this in 2-3 weeks so I'm hoping that this has improved by then. I'm looking at treadmill as opposed to swimming straight away as he's not very keen on water.
 
Sounds like its a a correct diagnosis.The grinding he showed you is the arthritis. Normal joints should have a smooth motion.its not unusual for a stiff dog to suffer a knock or strain and end up in more pain that usual with arthritis.the reason hes acting stiff is down to age....wear and tear on the joints is the cause for arthritis.early arthritis shows as stiffness and slight changes that get more severe over time.if things change swiftly in the joint or extra stress..ie twisting an unusual way or a fall on the damaged joint can cause flares of pain.so a coping dog turns into a lame dog.

rest and painkillers can control these flare ups.once it settles down the management of arthritis can involve hydrotheraphy and varying degrees of antinflams and painkillers.These days there are many ways to manage old dogs to relive pain and stiffness. An xray can be used to show severity but generally feeling a joint grinding in an older stiff dog is enough to call it.
 
Thanks Aru that's really helpful. I've no doubt it's arthritis in the joint I was just bemused as to why he's gone from a bit stiff to really lame. I guess that makes sense that it happened so quick. I still feel that he has twisted or jarred in such a way that it's made it worse. I just hope he improves over time and treatment.
 
my girl is severely arthritic in her hips and if she trips or something she'll be much more lame for a while.
Meds wise she has been on metacam but we just had to switch to another nsai cause her liver function has started to go. She is also on codiene which I've found more effective than the tramadol and less sedating
 
mynutmeg said:
my girl is severely arthritic in her hips and if she trips or something she'll be much more lame for a while.
Meds wise she has been on metacam but we just had to switch to another nsai cause her liver function has started to go. She is also on codiene which I've found more effective than the tramadol and less sedating
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Thanks
I've been researching Cartrophen injections too as I've heard they are very effective in dogs. My pal has had them for her horse with great results and our YO had them for their lab which also had excellent results. I think it does differ on how advanced the arthritis is but it's something I'm suggesting when back at the vets. In the meantime hydrotherapy sessions are booked so I'm hoping this will help him using it a bit more.
Did you find tramadol didn't make much difference
.?
 
I didn't find Cartrophen very effective. I had big dog on Trocoxil, but you can't add anything except Tramadol, I think, once the dog is on this. Have you heard of using turmeric, which apparently is as effective as a prescribed NSAID? I've got Zak on it currently and he's definitely not in discomfort, wuss dog!
 
cinnamontoast said:
I didn't find Cartrophen very effective. I had big dog on Trocoxil, but you can't add anything except Tramadol, I think, once the dog is on this. Have you heard of using turmeric, which apparently is as effective as a prescribed NSAID? I've got Zak on it currently and he's definitely not in discomfort, wuss dog!
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How do you feed Tumeric?

I took him back to the vets the other day and saw a different vet. He examined him far more thoroughly than the other two vets did.
He has given him further meds to try but suggested X-ray and suggested might be bone cancer. If that's the correct diagnosis I then have to decide the possible of having his leg amputated.. Depending on where the cancer is if it that. He's 11-12 years old, fit otherwise and very bright. I just don't know if I could put him through such an operation although I've heard the recovery time is weeks?
Maybe jumping the gun a little here. He seems slightly better but is still lame. The X-ray I feel is a food idea as it will give us an indication of whats happened and rule out any fractures. My poor boy :-(
 
If you are not happy with the first diagnosis, see another Vets for a second opinion,
Go for the Xray,
My boy, my best boy, he had bone cancer, he had a very slight lameness, some days he would improve, others he wouldn't be able to move, this was over the space of about a month, thought he had tweaked it on a walk (he liked to chase the trains) came to Xray day, he had bone cancer that had spread, I had him put to sleep, at 11, Id never dream of putting him through amputation, My loyal boy deserved to have that decision made for him.
 
Just to say I know of a dog presenting similar to yours and he was x-rayed, nothing showed up. Lameness got worse, back to vets, referred to specialist vet who diagnosed broken elbow! Apparently the X-ray should have shown hairline fracture, but dogs leg not put into right position, so it was missed...dog recovering well after op!
 
Zero00000 said:
If you are not happy with the first diagnosis, see another Vets for a second opinion,
Go for the Xray,
My boy, my best boy, he had bone cancer, he had a very slight lameness, some days he would improve, others he wouldn't be able to move, this was over the space of about a month, thought he had tweaked it on a walk (he liked to chase the trains) came to Xray day, he had bone cancer that had spread, I had him put to sleep, at 11, Id never dream of putting him through amputation, My loyal boy deserved to have that decision made for him.
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I'm sorry to hear that.
I'm of the same opinion. It wouldn't put him through an amputation. Not at his age.
I guess I'll see what the X-Ray says and pray he's just arthritic. :-(
 
Zero00000 said:
If you are not happy with the first diagnosis, see another Vets for a second opinion,
Go for the Xray,
My boy, my best boy, he had bone cancer, he had a very slight lameness, some days he would improve, others he wouldn't be able to move, this was over the space of about a month, thought he had tweaked it on a walk (he liked to chase the trains) came to Xray day, he had bone cancer that had spread, I had him put to sleep, at 11, Id never dream of putting him through amputation, My loyal boy deserved to have that decision made for him.
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Agree totally with this - once the bone cancer has manifested itself through lameness then it is usually pretty widespread.

I have had an amputee dog, she recovered from the operation incredibly quickly (she was racing around the garden with the others the following day!) but she was young and healthy - I personally wouldn't put a dog of that age through such an operation
 
Saneta said:
Just to say I know of a dog presenting similar to yours and he was x-rayed, nothing showed up. Lameness got worse, back to vets, referred to specialist vet who diagnosed broken elbow! Apparently the X-ray should have shown hairline fracture, but dogs leg not put into right position, so it was missed...dog recovering well after op!
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Thank you. I've seen 3 vets now. I'll see what the X-ray shows up if anything and as stated above hope that it's not the dreaded c word :-(
 
Lévrier;12608358 said:
Sorry emalou2, we cross-posted - keeping my fingers crossed for your boy xx
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Thanks. He's a rescue dog from Birmingham dogs home. I've had him 10-11 years so he's 11-12
He's great. Loyal, devoted and very loving. He's had to cope with our other dog who is 5 now plus a husband coming into our lives but he's always been my number one boy. Devastating to think he won't be here one day and often thought he'd be well into his teens when he died. However I'm realistic and his health and happiness is paramount. Fingers crossed for X-rays.. X
 
So now 4 weeks on from first taking Oscar to the vet I have a very nearly back to normal doggy! We went back last week and after slight improvement gave him rest and carprieve tablets. Discussed cartrophen and X-Ray but as he'd made progress I decided to leave him another couple of weeks to see how he improved. Pleased to say my instinct was right and that it was a soft tissue injury that had caused the lameness. He's back to walking normally and his usual trot along now whilst out walking. I am going to persevere with hydro to help his arthritis but I have a fun, happy 11 year old chasing his younger pal Archie around once more. I cannot begin to tell you how good it is to see him like this after fearing the worst. Thank you for those who posted. I thought I'd update you! Emma and Oscar xx
 
Easy enough to say now, I realise, but reading through your opening post, and considering that it sounds like you 'know' your animals, I was going to say, Never deny your gut instincts when it comes to an animal that you know.

Alec.
 
Glad to hear he's improved.

My 9yr old greyhound is on cartrophen injections, he's had initial 4xweekly set accompanied with carprieve for 1st fortnight and now monthly & gradually increasing time between. For him its made a big difference, put a spring back in his step and also his character Is much more cheeky like his younger days, I feel a bit crap that what we assumed was him aging must've been discomfort.
Its been an affordable treatment at £13 per injection, we go to our local vet for them and then back to see canine sports vet Richard Torr for the check up & he did a thorough lameness examination initially to try locate cause of limp.
 
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