Marty is limping - causes?

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Noneeds4me

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Hi everyone, I posted but I think I put it in the wrong place, lol. Hi TRINI! It’s been a long time ;-). We now have a 21 month old BIG sheltie boy named Marty who is 41.5 pounds and not overweight at all. He has been limping on and off over the past few months (he’s been with us since 8 weeks of age). It’s always the back legs and it rotates left to right and it is NOT all the time. Also he walks it off. It was never constant and we always figured he tweaked something running crazy. A few days rest and he was fine again. Well, recently the symptoms were not going away. Took him in for X-rays. No dysplasia and can’t find anything out of the norm. Went to an Ortho Specialist who also didn’t see anything on X-rays and Marty presented as a completely healthy boy, lol. Once home…the next day he began limping again (L/R) and we discovered it’s whichever side he has been laying on. However, he doesn’t limp at all when getting up off our bed first thing in the morning after sleeping on his sides all night long? He has a recheck Thursday with the Orthopedic Specialist and also will bring in a Neuro Specialist who is working the same day and see if he has any thoughts about possibly a Neuro issue?? Meanwhile, a friend mentioned Pano and it sure sounds like this could be it even though X-rays didn’t show it (yet). “Symptoms precede evidence” is what we were told. They are suggesting a bone scan but we hesitate to put our boy through that if it’s something that will go away in time with pain meds and modified activity. Our primary vet is also questioning Pano now too. It’s never been his front legs, always his back, although one day recently I did question if it was a front leg??? I’d love your input ;-).
 
Noneeds4me said:
Hi everyone, I posted but I think I put it in the wrong place, lol. Hi TRINI! It’s been a long time ;-). We now have a 21 month old BIG sheltie boy named Marty who is 41.5 pounds and not overweight at all. He has been limping on and off over the past few months (he’s been with us since 8 weeks of age). It’s always the back legs and it rotates left to right and it is NOT all the time. Also he walks it off. It was never constant and we always figured he tweaked something running crazy. A few days rest and he was fine again. Well, recently the symptoms were not going away. Took him in for X-rays. No dysplasia and can’t find anything out of the norm. Went to an Ortho Specialist who also didn’t see anything on X-rays and Marty presented as a completely healthy boy, lol. Once home…the next day he began limping again (L/R) and we discovered it’s whichever side he has been laying on. However, he doesn’t limp at all when getting up off our bed first thing in the morning after sleeping on his sides all night long? He has a recheck Thursday with the Orthopedic Specialist and also will bring in a Neuro Specialist who is working the same day and see if he has any thoughts about possibly a Neuro issue?? Meanwhile, a friend mentioned Pano and it sure sounds like this could be it even though X-rays didn’t show it (yet). “Symptoms precede evidence” is what we were told. They are suggesting a bone scan but we hesitate to put our boy through that if it’s something that will go away in time with pain meds and modified activity. Our primary vet is also questioning Pano now too. It’s never been his front legs, always his back, although one day recently I did question if it was a front leg??? I’d love your input ;-).
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Hi Terri, I did post a quick answer to the message you sent to my profile page and I am hoping you get some solid answers soon. My one thought that you haven't mentioned is if Marty has been tested for a tick borne disease...if not I would recommend you have this done. Symptoms can vax and van with tick borne diseases and they include sudden lameness that comes and goes. Just this past year our pup, Laddie, suddenly became lame and could hardly put weight on one of his legs...it went away in a few days before we could get a vet appointment scheduled. Then about 3 weeks later it happened again and this time I asked for an immediate emergency appointment...the dx was Lyme disease. It is good news for Marty that it is not HD, but typically Pano will show up on an x-ray and it is a very painful condition and it more often hits the long bones of the front legs rather than the rear, although it has been known to involve the rear legs. The one other possibility might be an injury to or around the spine although I would think the ortho specialist would have checked this and it would be strange for it to come and go as Marty's symptoms have done? If a bone scan is recommended, unlike a bone biopsy, it should not be invasive in any way...but I agree if an answer can be found without the scan it is a less stressful way to go. Pano is painful but it does self resolve.
Sending good thoughts and hopes for a dx soon...not knowing what is going on is always the worst. BTW Marty sure is a biggie at 41.5 pounds! All the more to love. :)
Trini
 
I will recommend the neuro consult and if it can be done with the ortho guy- even better..
My Cranberry had issues - one time was laying down outside, not getting up and really seemed to have some hind end weakness. I was visiting family then and took him to a vet and thought he had a pinched nerve- the vet said no way as he wouldn't be able to play and get around normally so quickly. so intermittent very occasional issues and 6 years later, we did finally go to a neurologist who pulled the ortho people in and found out that he had several herniated discs.......
 
trini said:
Hi Terri, I did post a quick answer to the message you sent to my profile page and I am hoping you get some solid answers soon. My one thought that you haven't mentioned is if Marty has been tested for a tick borne disease...if not I would recommend you have this done. Symptoms can vax and van with tick borne diseases and they include sudden lameness that comes and goes. Just this past year our pup, Laddie, suddenly became lame and could hardly put weight on one of his legs...it went away in a few days before we could get a vet appointment scheduled. Then about 3 weeks later it happened again and this time I asked for an immediate emergency appointment...the dx was Lyme disease. It is good news for Marty that it is not HD, but typically Pano will show up on an x-ray and it is a very painful condition and it more often hits the long bones of the front legs rather than the rear, although it has been known to involve the rear legs. The one other possibility might be an injury to or around the spine although I would think the ortho specialist would have checked this and it would be strange for it to come and go as Marty's symptoms have done? If a bone scan is recommended, unlike a bone biopsy, it should not be invasive in any way...but I agree if an answer can be found without the scan it is a less stressful way to go. Pano is painful but it does self resolve.
Sending good thoughts and hopes for a dx soon...not knowing what is going on is always the worst. BTW Marty sure is a biggie at 41.5 pounds! All the more to love. :)
Trini
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Marty is actually doing pretty good and it’s the 3rd day without any Meloxicam…so good that we decided to push his recheck appointment back to next week so we can have more time to monitor him. The tick borne disease is something I have thought about but since he has been on preventatives, it’s not likely. We may go ahead and have bloodwork done on him and include that test as well though. Never hurts.
 
Calliesmom said:
I will recommend the neuro consult and if it can be done with the ortho guy- even better..
My Cranberry had issues - one time was laying down outside, not getting up and really seemed to have some hind end weakness. I was visiting family then and took him to a vet and thought he had a pinched nerve- the vet said no way as he wouldn't be able to play and get around normally so quickly. so intermittent very occasional issues and 6 years later, we did finally go to a neurologist who pulled the ortho people in and found out that he had several herniated discs.......
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Thank you too for your input. The Neurologist will also be available for next week’s appointment too, if we end up needing it. If we do, I will definitely mention this possibility. These furkids sure keep us hopping, don’t they! ;-).
 
Noneeds4me said:
Marty is actually doing pretty good and it’s the 3rd day without any Meloxicam…so good that we decided to push his recheck appointment back to next week so we can have more time to monitor him. The tick borne disease is something I have thought about but since he has been on preventatives, it’s not likely. We may go ahead and have bloodwork done on him and include that test as well though. Never hurts.
Click to expand...
Terri, my dogs are all on monthly tick/flea preventative and also get the Lyme vaccine yearly and 2 of them still got infected...unfortunately infection is still very possible even when you are doing everything you can to keep them from getting infected.
Trini
 
trini said:
Terri, my dogs are all on monthly tick/flea preventative and also get the Lyme vaccine yearly and 2 of them still got infected...unfortunately infection is still very possible even when you are doing everything you can to keep them from getting infected.
Trini
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As of this afternoon, the limping returned. Strangely, it was after he had a long bath? Coincidental, I’m sure. We are thinking he may be also limping on a front leg as well. I’ve wondered this before, but it was so fast that I wrote it off because nobody else saw it and I wasn’t sure i saw it myself. Today…yes. He will see the neurologist and orthopedic doctor next week. Likely going to start Meloxicam again in the short term. Considering having a Lyme test done just to rule it out. Thanks so much everyone.
 
Noneeds4me said:
As of this afternoon, the limping returned. Strangely, it was after he had a long bath? Coincidental, I’m sure. We are thinking he may be also limping on a front leg as well. I’ve wondered this before, but it was so fast that I wrote it off because nobody else saw it and I wasn’t sure i saw it myself. Today…yes. He will see the neurologist and orthopedic doctor next week. Likely going to start Meloxicam again in the short term. Considering having a Lyme test done just to rule it out. Thanks so much everyone.
Click to expand...
video is always helpful when you're trying to look at a limp........
 
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