[BrewskisMommy]

Hi everyone,


A few days ago I noticed a limp in my 15 wk old Brewski's step...it was his right hind leg. I immediately thought about everything I had read on HD, and his bunny hop, sloppy sit, stiffness when getting up, and wobbly walk paired with the limp now have me worried. I scheduled a consultation with the vet for this week and am hoping that I will be able to get x-rays done ( the limp actually began the day after we had his 3rd round of vaccines...could any of these have aggravated the condition? I noticed that another poster said that their symptoms began after a trip to the vet as well but I can't seem to find the post now). I am preparing myself for a diagnosis of HD (although I'm trying to be optimistic at the same time!), and already have my list of supplements ready! But there are some questions that I haven't seen answered yet, so if somebody with experience with HD could offer any advice, I'd appreciate it!

- Are the x-rays dangerous at all? the vet tech said only to get the xrays done if the vet suggests them since they have to be "put under". I would rather have the x-rays done either way, just to be sure, but only if its safe.

- I would probably only be able to afford one hydrotherapy session per week or biweekly. Would this still be beneficial, or is that something that has to be done more frequently to build the muscle?

- Will he ever be able to jump in/out of a truck by himself? I am concerned about being able to lift him once he is full grown. Is this something that would depend on how he is feeling, or can something like this make the condition worse?

- Will I ever get to see the "zoomies"? I was getting excited for this phase, but will I have to stop him if he starts? Has any other dog with HD done them?

- I know this may sound ridiculous, but is there any way this could be my fault? I did not realize how bad the slippery floors are, and he did jump in and out of the truck a couple of times. I recently had to PTS my little Corgi with Degenerative Myelopathy (we had a little cart for him and really did keep him happy as long as possible! 2 years without any use of his back end, but he was the happiest dog around!) and to have another dog with "back-end" problems so soon just seems strange.

Brewski was from a BYB and I can NOT find his parents on the OFA site. Unfortunately I have made some mistakes and found this site too late, but I love him more than anything and I will do everything I can to make sure he is happy and healthy! I'm almost glad that he ended up in my hands instead of somebody who may not be able to deal with the issue! Thanks for any advice; I don't know what I would do without this forum!

-Jenna