second opinion on limping - help with questions for vet

[Rott'nKids]

Our appt is at 2pm today with a holistic vet clinic about 1 hr 45 min away for Carl's limping. This place is highly recommended by my brother and his wife; in fact he is coming with today. I really like our regular vet and the dogs do too, but I really feel Carl needs more thorough testing to see why he is STILL limping. (This appt has been in the works for awhile - today is just FINALLY here!). The regular vet just keeps saying he has arthritis, but after multiple visits and treatment, and NO improvement, today is 2nd opinion day. Please wish us luck! We'll be leaving in about 3 1/2 hours . . . if anybody has any suggestions about what to ask for, please let me know - we've never had to do more than just regular shots (other than the arthritis) for Carl so I am in unfamiliar territory. TIA!

[hmeadq]

Good Luck!

Hope you can find answers...

I have a friend who had luck with accupressure for their horse...

[Rott'nKids]

well, here's what's been ruled out (please forgive spelling): Lyme disease, ehliclria canis, ununited ancereal?? (not sure if I got that one even close to right), process, fragmental coronoid process, OCD of the shoulder joint, DJD in the elbow, and osteosarcoma. Some of the tests they sent away for and we should know tomorrow what the results are, but the vet thinks they should be normal. His x-rays showed the tiniest beginning of arthritis, but it shouldn't warrant the limp that he currently has, so we are now on rimadyl 2 weeks and a new supplement to try that starts with an S (can't remember the name) but it has glucosamine and chondroitin along with alot of other good ingredients. If his additional test results come back normal, we are going to try shockwave therapy to break the pain cycle. Most of their patients had great results with only one treatment. I've had something similar done, so I am not too worried about Carl going thru it. So, lots of good news on what it isn't, but still trying to find out why the limp won't go away. And Carl was SO good today!! The vet had never heard a "talker" before so that was fun to explain and demonstrate. And more good news, we've managed to lose 5lbs on him since the last weigh-in, so that helps too.

[Sharon Marples]

Please do a search of the archives here for Rimadyl and be learn about and be aware of the side effects that it can produce. You need to be sure to watch your dog carefully while he is on it, I have had three friends who tried Rimadyl on their dogs and unfortunately, their dogs passed away from the side effects within 2-5 days of the start of the medication. Another one was saved, but only after $5000 in vet bills,including two solids weeks on a dyalasis (sp?) machine. If you do some serious research, you will be surprised at what you come up with.

Some dogs do just fine on it, others are immediately prone to problems on it. Please research it and think about asking for an alternative medication.

[luv2beanurse]

Yes, unfortunately medications do have their side effects..and unfortunately some aren't good, but that doesn't mean that it is a definite that your dog is going to have it. I'm not trying to be insensitive to anyone who's dog had a side effect, please understand this. However, if you looked in a physican's drug reference (drug book), even tylenol has its side effects, like nausea and vomiting and kidney failure. Or aspirin, which has side effects of GI bleed, liver failure, nausea/vomiting, etc. Yes, I do agree that you should read the article mentioned previously because it is always good to be educated on new medications that your dog is taking. But don't be freaked out...that is all I'm saying. Both my dogs have taken Rimadyl at one time or any other and have had no problems. I am glad that you sought a second opinon. I always tell people (Im a nurse), if you aren't happy with the diagnoses or the plan of care, always get a second opinion. IT IS YOUR RIGHT. Koodos to you!! Hope the tests come back positively and hope the meds help. As for the accupressure therapy, I would definitely consider if nothing else helps. It sounds silly, but I have heard great things about it from some of my friends. They had all kinds of tests done and found NOTHING wrong with the dog...so they went to a holistic vet who did it, and pow the dog was well healthy with no further problems. I too see a regular vet and a holistic vet. I like having both. And usually the two will work with one another...and sometimes they won't. My vets kinda bonked heads...but are fine now. Good luck to you and please keep us updated. I will keep Carl and you in my prayers!

[Rott'nKids]

Definitely considered it here; we did talk about it with the vet and its side effects, we are watching him closely and understand that if he does need to be on pain/anti-inflamatory medication for an extended period of time, he will need often checkups for liver, etc. whether it is rimadyl or something else. I have read some of the threads on rimadyl, so I am aware of what we are getting into. Carl has been on duramax with little to no improvement, so we are trying other options. Acupuncture and acupressure are also in consideration.

[BostonRott]

I'm guessing that since you specified that he was negative for Lyme and E. canis, that they did the Snap test on him. You may want to request a full tick panel (blood drawn and sent out.....not sure where you are, around here, stuff is sent up to Cornell in NY). It costs around $100, and will give more sensitivity and actual titre results for not only Lyme and E. canis, but also E. equi and Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever, 2 other tick-bourne diseases. Might be something else to consider.

[Rott'nKids]

The did the snap test, and are sending away for some tests that are supposed to determine that all of his internal organs are functioning properly (in case the limping is caused by an underlying factor). Carl has only ever had 4 ticks, all at one time on one vacation in Ontario 2 yrs ago. I got so much information today I am overwhelmed! This additional testing does cost another $105, so maybe they check for that too. I will check it out when I talk to the vet tomorrow about the test results that are coming back.

[Anne]

Did the vet do a drawer test to ascertain that it wasn't cruciate ligament damage?

[LynnS]

If his x-rays showed just the slightes bit of arthritis, I would be surprised if this was causing ongoing lameness (not that I am an expert by any means). If it is arthritis, you might want to try adequan shots which many have found to be helpful and are non narcotic....

[Judi W]

Because of the way it is structured, the tiniest irregularity in the elbow joint can cause much more discomfort than much more than that in the hip joint.

[LynnS]

Originally Posted by Judi W

Because of the way it is structured, the tiniest irregularity in the elbow joint can cause much more discomfort than much more than that in the hip joint.

See I told you I was not an expert... =)

I forgot to ask if OP had taken his dog to an orthopedist?

[Rott'nKids]

I talked to the vet again today, and we determined it is not any tick-related disease. She said it could be soft tissue injury but there is absolutely no swelling, so if there is a tear, it is very, very, very tiny, and will heal on its own with time, provided we keep doing what we are doing - controlled excercise and anti-inflammatories. We tentatively scheduled the shockwave therapy for the 2nd week in July, we'll see how he is doing then, reason being we need to give the anti-inflammatories time to work (she specified 2 weeks) and at the end of those 2 weeks we leave for Ontario (dogs included) for a few days. She said part of it is that we need to break the pain cycle, so it is a wait and see thing right now. Thanks for all the replies!

[Rott'nKids]

well, SOMEBODY is feeling better! he still has a limp, but holy cow, he's acting like a puppy! Now if the limp would just GO AWAY!

[SHEFF]

My Rotty called CYRUS started limping at 3 months of age and after £2000 English pounds and a 5 month wait with a vet telling it is one thing and then another we had enough.

We transfered to another vet who immediately told us it was due to his left elbow joint and the ball joint grinding away the cartlidge.

He was operated on and now is in the process of recovery.

His limp is a lot better .... and this is only a week after the operation.

The morral in this story is , if you feel like you are getting no where with particular vet , go for a second oppinion with another.

We are now having his right leg elbow done the same in a few weeks time.

The operation consists of the ball joint in the elbow being ground to form a better area and the offending pices of bone being removed.

Hopefully and fingers and everything else crossed this is going to work.