Your thoughts on this one…

[P3LH]

Disclaimer, I am not an idiot seeking online vets advice. We have consulted with our vets who are stumped too.

Pembroke corgi, bitch, intact, 2 years 6 months. Generally a very active and fit dog. Gained a fair bit of wait during the summer after we lost one of our other dogs and she became less active, and we inevitably over compensated and probably coaxed too much with food to do things.

About seven weeks ago, she went lame - not fully lame, only lame after she would lay down and in one back leg. She would hobble for around thirty seconds after getting up from lying down for extended periods, not all the time but on occasion. Anti inflammatories and crate rest, no more limp. Both legs checked, no concerns re cruciate ligament. Good movement. Good flex. Vet happy.

She has been on a diet since August and lost a good amount of weight. Back to a healthy size now. Is abruptly more active since getting pup.

No more lameness on legs. Great.

Then, a couple of occasions where, again only after lying down for an extended period, she appears to really have to give a good heave ho to get up. This isn’t all the time. This isn’t ever day. This has happened just a small number of times and there isn’t anything in particular that has proceeded it eg it’s not after an exceptionally long walk for example.

Vet can’t find anything following this. Vet is also confused as to why there is no consistency/why it isn’t every time.

She moves fairly soundly. She’s still active. She shows no sign of pain or discomfort even when checked over by the vet and really being tugged around. Vet is stumped. Vet doesn’t want to x-ray as it would stress the dog out more just because of then nature of dog she is, so we would as a last resort but as she shows no sign of pain or discomfort or reduced energy levels vet has basically sent me on my way.

Any ideas? I know this is a rather broad ask!

I am wondering if it’s a bit of stiffness in her hips, possibly from packing on the pounds and then suddenly being more active with pup whilst initially carrying the extra flag. As she has lost a lot of weight and is now more consistently active I am hoping it’ll right itself. Started supplementing with yumove but that’s more for my piece of mind I think.

Vet really didn’t seem too concerned. The rationale part of my brain says it’s probably nothing but as HHO is such a font of knowledge I thought it was worth asking if anyone had gone through anything similar…

She really is fine in herself. Still enjoys walks. Still jumps on the sofa (via a footstool, as corgi’s are strange). Still playful. Still her normal self.

 

[Annette4]

Jack had similar issues at about the same age. He piled on the weight at a year old (I didn't know better about food) then lost it all and kept it off for the rest of his life but had intermittent stiffness on and off for the rest of his life but we never found the cause. I was careful with him, built up exercise gently if he'd had a period of reduced exercise, had a ramp to get in and out of the car, didn't jump on and off furniture etc but he never had any issues outside of the stiffness.

 

[AmyMay]

My Jack (Shitsu) had a similar issue prior to coming to us (grossly overweight). He’s now more or less at his optimum weight, on Yumove and we’ve had no more issues. His was initially diagnosed as early onset arthritis (he was four at diagnosis).

 

[P3LH]

Thank you both. I think it’s confirmed what my gut is telling me. I feel terribly guilty as it certainly has been a learning curve as to how rapidly pembrokes as a breed can gain weight with not much intervention. Her breeder told me it really doesn’t take much and once they start ‘expanding’ they just keep going unless you drastically put them on a diet and strict exercise. She was weighed today and is back down to the smaller end of the scale for bitch weight.

Think we will stay vigilant and just try keep exercise steady as she likes to tear around especially with the pup. We generally lift her in and out of the car, the dogs aren’t allowed to do the stairs (as I am horrible and don’t generally like them up there), and hopping on the sofa is done via a footstool.

As always, the users here are very helpful!

 

[P3LH]

Jack had similar issues at about the same age. He piled on the weight at a year old (I didn't know better about food) then lost it all and kept it off for the rest of his life but had intermittent stiffness on and off for the rest of his life but we never found the cause. I was careful with him, built up exercise gently if he'd had a period of reduced exercise, had a ramp to get in and out of the car, didn't jump on and off furniture etc but he never had any issues outside of the stiffness.

Interestingly did you find that even with ‘recommended’ amounts he still gained weight? I’ll admit she was having a few more treats a week, and was more sedate at home after losing Cooper but her food portions were as it ‘should’ be. She just got huge with it. We feed a fraction of what many leading brands suggest, and supplant with raw veg and she seems to be able to maintain a better weight.

 

[Annette4]

Interestingly did you find that even with ‘recommended’ amounts he still gained weight? I’ll admit she was having a few more treats a week, and was more sedate at home after losing Cooper but her food portions were as it ‘should’ be. She just got huge with it. We feed a fraction of what many leading brands suggest, and supplant with raw veg and she seems to be able to maintain a better weight.

He was on a crap supermarket brand that my mum had fed our family dog when I was growing up and I didn't know better and fed the RDA. Once he finished the prescription diet to get his weight down I did lots of reading and research, popped him on a better quality but low fat diet and weighed his food religiously and weighed him every 2-3 months. He only ever changed by 1/4kg seasonally after that (he was a fair weather dog so our walks were shorter in the winter ?)

 

[P3LH]

He was on a crap supermarket brand that my mum had fed our family dog when I was growing up and I didn't know better and fed the RDA. Once he finished the prescription diet to get his weight down I did lots of reading and research, popped him on a better quality but low fat diet and weighed his food religiously and weighed him every 2-3 months. He only ever changed by 1/4kg seasonally after that (he was a fair weather dog so our walks were shorter in the winter ?)

I think it must be a corgi thing as even on a decent dry brand, the RDA makes her weight go mental and quite rapidly. We’ve tried a variety of different brands now and appear to have found something that works.

Fairweather dogs here too - including with the garden!

 

[misst]

One of mine gained weight massively due to steroids and a leg problem (small JRT almost doubled her weight!). Once she could excercise again and was being weaned off the steroids our vet suggested weighing her food religiously. We had not increased her intake but probably gave more treats than previously and the steroids in high doses affected her metabolism. Once we knew how much we were giving her he suggested we reduce it by 10% - this would help weight loss without making her too hungry. It took a year but we got the weight off and it never went back on. We did not change her food as it was already a good quality not high in calories. Hope she does well for you.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Has she been x-rayed all over?

 

[P3LH]

Has she been x-rayed all over?

Rear legs when they thought possible cruciate ligament. All looked fine according to vet. I’m not sure how much of the rest of the rear end would have been encompassed in terms of to be able to rule out something like HD. Vet very reluctant to do it again due to how much sedation she had and still fought/how stressed she was by the whole sitch, unless the problem became more regular/notable/serious or she appeared in pain or discomfort.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Bit late now but if it's affordable I would always check hips, elbows, stifle, spine. Just to make sure it's not coming from an unexpected source or the result of overcompensating for same.