Poodle-dog Down! (kinda)

The family dog is an 11-year-old toy poodle - she's been the perfect dog for our family as she thinks she's a cross between an old huntin' dog and a Doberman poodle. Soon as we get her home from getting trimmed and all prettied up, she runs outside and finds something dead to roll in.

About 5 days ago we let her out to chase after squirrels she's seen through the window. When we let her back in, she was limping. Not putting any weight on her right back leg. When we felt around and moved her leg around, it seemed okay. She didn't yelp or act like she was in pain. Just wouldn't put any weight on it. So we figured she might have slipped coming up the deck stairs and bruised her thigh or something.

That was Sunday - it's now Thursday and she's still not putting weight on it. She's still not able to jump up on the bed or couch. Still doesn't exhibit any pain - doesn't act like it hurts when we gently feel along the bones and move the leg all around. I'm concerned she's not getting better. We called a couple of vets - we're in a suburban area - and they're talking in terms of thousands of dollars to look at her and figure out what's wrong.

Anybody out there have any thoughts? We can't afford to spend that much money. Since she doesn't seem to be in pain, I figure we just wait and see. I guess I'm looking for reassurance. I don't know. Please share your wisdom, Rabbit Talkers!! My thanks in advance.

It sounds like a luxated patella (dislocated kneecap) to me. You can try to pop it back into place if the tissue isn't swollen.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/he ... -dogs.aspx

:yeahthat: would definitely do it. The other thing that can is lameness in the foot. Check the pads of her feet and in between the toes very, very carefully. The tiniest sliver can cause enough pain to make her stay off that foot without anything being broken or painful in the leg.

I've felt all around her pads on that foot, she's picked up stuff before. Doesn't seem to be it. Don't know if the knee is swollen but will look and try to manipulate that around. I was thinking that if something were dislocated, there'd be lots of pain. I'll go check out her knee and let you know.

In the meantime, any other suggestions are very very welcome. Thanks!!

An injury I found on my Shepard was a cracked toenail. She had managed to split it vertically. It was a tough injury to locate, but it was easy to fix.

*fingers crossed for your furry friend*

I don't know if it's actually painful.

One of my friends had a pet store dog years ago. He was supposedly a shih-tzu with papers, but that poor dog was something else too and had joint issues among other things. He had luxated patellas in both hind legs and his front legs had serious club foot. He'd be trotting along on a walk, suddenly have a weird diagonal movement with a hitch in his step for a couple strides, and then be perfectly fine again. Limping could be a few steps, a few hours, or a few days on one leg or the other. He never held a leg up completely... but maybe that's because his issue was from birth. I don't remember what supplements he took to help it, but I was with her at the vets when they looked at x-rays of his legs. She said it could be surgically improved if it became painful but didn't want to risk anesthesia unless it was effecting his quality of life. He was the happiest little thing I ever saw. Not a single whimper or sign of pain until the day he had a stroke and had to be put down.

Sounds like a torn cruciate ligament to me

- http://dogs.about.com/od/caninediseases/p/cruciate.htm

- https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/crani ... nt-disease

Physiotherapy after surgery is crucial to get full mobility of the knee.

I had the surgery done on my 10 year old dog even though my family thought it be a waste of money and I did regular physiotherapy and water exercises - within a year the vet couldn't tell which knee had been damaged and my pup continued going on hikes and doing agility for 5 more years

Okay - here's an update: Took the dog to a vet that came highly recommended by nearly all of our neighbors. His diagnosis is a torn ACL. Yeah, like the football players get.

He's prescribed some pill that will help with inflammation and maybe let her rest a little. Told us to limit her activity as much as possible, carry her up and down stairs, etc. At two weeks, we'll go back and see if there's any improvement on its own. If not, he may recommend surgery.

(BTW - cost for the exam and two weeks of pills came to just over $70. Said surgery with two days of boarding would be between $1000 and $1250. Not nearly as bad as what we were told by others.)

One of the neighbors had the surgery done to her little dog and it only helped some. She says there are still periods when the leg bothers her dog.

Anyway, so now we know which helps a lot. I've voted in favor of surgery, if needed. The rest of the family is still in the "it's not so bad" camp. I imagine that if the old gal actually starts showing signs of pain, they'll change their minds.

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts, ideas, and input. Just one more reason why I really love this site!

My rottie growing up had torn an ACL, our vet suggested we could let it heal over on its own or get it fixed surgically. As we couldn't afford the surgury, we chose to give it time. Not three weeks later, she tore the other too. (We think she may have been pretty heavily inbred since we saw no incident where she could have torn either, so poor genetics? She had 3 duclaws on each foot when we got her so something had to be amiss) We definately couldn't afford the $1200 surgury for one side, let alone both, though we would have opted for it if we could have afforded it.

They did scar over after a few months, and she's been fairly mobile since (she was about 2 when it happened). I had to leave her with my mom when I moved out because she can't go pee without my mom's lab they're so bonded. She's nine now, she does have some trouble with getting up and sitting down, but she doesn't seem to be in any pain and still runs and bounces to come say hi and bark at people walking by. She can't go for long hikes anymore like she used to (she could after the ACLs healed, but I assume its a combination of that and age now), but is more than happy to go for short walks still. She does get food for older/larger dogs with glucosamine chondroitin in it,which very well may be helping her get along so well, but she's definately handling it well.

Just thought I'd mention it incase you can't afford the surgury. Sometimes they do quite well still, though it does take a while to scar over.

ACL = anterior cruciate ligament or "cruciate" for short

I'm glad you got it figured out and put her on some pain meds. The actual torn ligament doesn't hurt but the surrounding muscles are pulled in odd directions due to the instability in the joint and THAT hurts like heck.

In heavy breeds surgery is almost always recommended as they favour the injured knee and the extra weight on the good knee often causes it to blow

A slight tear can heal with a lot of rest but if it is completely torn then it must be stitched togeather.

Sorry to hear about your neighbours experience but like I said - physiotherapy after surgery is VITAL to get full mobility back. A lot of people dont to the stretching and/or water exercises for 6+ months and then complain that the surgery didn't work - remember the muscles are going to atrophy and tendons and ligaments seize up from a lack of use and you must help them maintain form and get them back into shape with twice daily exercises.

My dog was 35 pounds and for the water work I moved a horse water trough into the basement and filled it with water. Twice a day I'd carry her down and hold her in the tub so she was treading water I started at 5 minute sessions and worked her up to 20 then started taking her on hikes with a lot of hill work and after a year she was competing in agility again

Just a thought about the $: is there a veterinary college that might do the surgery for less $? Anyone have experience doing this, and how is the quality?

Thanks, folks! I really appreciate the ideas and support. I'm in favor of the surgery - I can scrape up the money somehow. I'm concerned that the other leg will give out now that it's doing all the work. She's only 15 pounds but I'm still worried the other leg will give out. She doesn't seem to be in any pain but I can't imagine what will happen if both back legs go out.

This critter belongs to my folks, so the decision isn't really mine to make. (Although I did sneak her off to see the vet.) My folks come from old farming roots going way back. Their idea of a vet is the type that comes to your place in a pickup, usually pulling a trailer. Just the concept of a house dog didn't happen until my mom was in her 70's. She's in her 80's now and still a serious force to be reckoned with.

Oh well, wish me luck. And thanks again for all your help!

Hopefully they'll let you take her for the surgery.