Back from the vet

[gsdlover4ever]

I took Zara to the vet today, as her gait seems a bit different from normal.

It all seemed to happen after she turned 7. On her birthday I took her for a good run, we were out atleast 4 hours. When we got back, she rarely moved from her bed... I asumed she had pulled a muscle or something so she has minimal exercise for a few days. But after a lot of exercise she seemed to have a weekness of her back legs. I also gave her some joint supplments, which seemed to help.

She was hip scored by her previous owners and her hip score is a total of 15. The vet today that examined Zara said her hips felt good for a GSD.

The vet extended her legs and it was quite clear Zara was very uncomfortable, she didn't make a sound though.

The vet said she has arthritis of the knee's, her left knee seemed worse then the right.

She has been put on carprofen 1.5 50mg tablets for 2 weeks and has to have low amounts of exercise.

I'm gutted, Zara is not a dog that gets ill really, she has hardly been to the vet apart for getting speyed, vacs and a lump checked and removed.

She seems to still me sore after the vet extending her legs, actually worse than when she went in.

[Bonniesmummy]

Aww poor Zara I'm sorry to hear this hunni.
She is probably worse with all the pulling and prodding and will feel better soon xxx

[LOVEGSD]

Aww bless her heart Robyn, I hope the meds help make her more comfy.

Keep us posted hun...xxx

[gsdlover4ever]

Another thing that is at the back of my mind is that I know her sire and at least one other male relative died of bone cancer when they were about 7.

They were fine one day and gone the next!

[kita]

Did the vet take x-rays?

Sue

[gsdlover4ever]

Originally Posted by kita

Did the vet take x-rays?

Sue

nope, she didn't on Thursday.

The last time she got an x-ray was when she was about a year old and that was to get her hips scored.

[TandCs]

Sorry to hear this, hope the tablets and rest ease her discomfort x

Hi Robyn, sorry to hear about Zara. I'm going through similar with Remus at the moment, he's been lame for a while. After he'd had xrays done in September he was worse with the vets stretching his legs.

Hopefully the meds will kick in soon. Rest her as much as you can. Are you going back to the vets when she's finished the course for a check up? It could just be a pull... but if it's not getting better with rest and the dog's in pain on getting up after resting, then it might be a joint problem and need further investigation.

[kita]

Originally Posted by gsdlover4ever

Another thing that is at the back of my mind is that I know her sire and at least one other male relative died of bone cancer when they were about 7.

They were fine one day and gone the next!

I don't want to worry you, but with that family history I would insist on x-ray's asap. They are the only thing that will tell you for sure (and put your mind at rest).

I had a six year old, Sheba. She went lame on one of her back legs. The vet initially treated her for arthritis as she had terrible hips, however the tablets seemed to loose their power after a month or so and the lameness came back. The vet examined her again and immediately sent her for x-rays as she thought the bone had some swelling at the elbow joint. On seeing the x-ray she told me that it was bone cancer and she was very surprised that Sheba had not broken the leg - the cancer had eaten away the bone to the point where the slightest pressure would have snapped it.

Sadly, because it was so far advanced, we had no option but to have her put to sleep - less than 3 months after she first started to be lame.

This was nearly 20 years ago and the options for treatment are much better now, BUT you need to catch it as soon as possible - the earlier the better.

At least if you x-ray you will know for sure whether it is arthritis or something worse.

Sue

[Stuart]

I am sorry to hear that Zara is having a few problems,..I hope that there is an improvemnet soon Robyn