Limping on back leg!!!!!!!!

Dear all,

I would really appreciate any help/advice on this.......

I have a beautiful 6.5 year old staffordshire BT (who thinks he is still a puppy).

He has developed a limp on his back (right) leg after exercise - it's so bad he hops and can't put his leg to the floor although he can weight-bear (for example when he climbs the stairs or wants to get on the sofa using all four paws) He doesn't "seem" to be in pain and his appetite is normal. He is insured with Tesco pet insurance.

I called the vets and spoke to a nurse who suggested I put him on bed rest for a few days and see what happens.....with rest the problem seems to go away but as soon as he goes out for a run on returning home the limp comes back.

He loves running after a tennis ball -launched with one of those plastic ball throwers- and I was wondering if this type of exercise is too hard on his joins as he is getting older (ie flat out running and jumping). He is not over weight but is "heavy set" as all SBT's are.

I don't have the best experience with vets.....I believe the vast majority to be profiteers often prescribing unnecessary treatment....especially when they know insurance is available.

My question is......if this problem is eased with rest can this be just an over exercise problem and not the dreaded luxating patella I've read about? Has anyone else had this problem and found a solution?

Thanks for reading this post, I am sorry if it was a bit long winded....

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Thank you

I would leave the dog with on lead easy exercise for about 2 weeks see if theres an improvement. If theres still a sign of a poorly leg id take the dog to the vet.

hi thank you for that reply.......yes I will stick to lead walks and see how he goes - no more tennis!!!!

It could be so many things, possibly a pulled muscle.

Have you looked at his pads to see if he has any damage or soreness
as that would also make him keep his foot off the ground?  Will he
let you handle his leg so that you can gauge where it hurts?

To be honest, resting him to give anything time to heal is the best
option (unless he is in real pain).  Agree with you about Vets!!!!!!

My boy is 6.5 years old as well and loves to play ball.  Part of their
charm is they never grow up

Hope he is running around again very soon.

I will move this to health issues that you may get a better response

....thank you for that - he is defensive about his paws but I have managed to examined his pads and they seems ok...very slight redness and sensitivity in parts between the toes so I have coated them in metanium cream (I think its better than sudocrem). There are no cuts or thorns etc that I can see

Judging by your lovely picture he certainly seems to have found
a very comfortable place on your sofa to rest his paws

he lives with a lazy cat and has knows how to relax after a busy day......!

Luxating patella' normally pop in and out so the limping will be come and go but will last for as long as it's out. It could easily be a strain which keeps getting aggravated or equally it could be a sore paw. Does he nibble his paws ?

In any regard, rest up for a week or so and see what happens. I also share your distrust of Vets.

Hi - no he doesn't seem to be nibbling/licking the effecting paw and the pad looks ok. I will (as suggested) give him another week of lead walks with a few rest days mixed in and see how we go. If no better will take him in to the money grabbers. Glad to hear you share my opinion of vets and Its not just my paranoia. Thank you all for your advice I will let you know how we get on.

please do

Sounds very much like a strain to me. Suki gets them on occassion. Rest him as much as possible and stick to on lead walks for 7-10 days. When you start more vigourous exercise start of slow and gradually build back to normal. If you rush things before the injury heals you can aggrevate the injury or even make it worse.

Yes I hope it is just a strain and nothing more serious. Last October he had a cell mass tumour removed......I don't like the thought of more surgery and risk of anaesthetic if it can be avoided. When I took him out today he was walking normally but a few hours later (a home) when he woke up from his Siesta he was limping again.

That definately sounds like a sprain or pulled muscle. If it were a more serious issue she would limp all of the time. It sounds like after she has cooled off from exercise the muscle tightens back up and she starts to limp.

Happens to people to so I always rehab Suki the same way I do myself after an injury which I decsribed above. Just take things slow and she should be okay.

Some mental games will help keep her energy levels in check as well

Yes fingers crossed I hope you are right. Thanks for your help

quick update........I have finally managed to have a close inspection of his paw/pads (he is extremely defensive and has tried to bite me a few times even though I'm his dad!!!!). There seems to be 3 very small blisters in-between his pads/toes that weep a small amount of clear fluid when pressed. I have soaked the effected paw in epsom salts and applied a bandage. Today I took the bandage off to see any improvement....no change and still not walking properly on that leg. So I have smeared the whole paw/pads in sudocrem and put a fresh bandage on. My plan is to continue to do this for the next 2 days and if no improvement then we are off to see the vet as he (MIGHT?) need a course of antibiotics etc. Unless anyone has any suggestions/advice this is what I will do. A big thank you to all who have read this post and replied.....fingers crossed!!!!

Sounds about what I would do as well. Hope it goes well and hope he gets better soon

Thank you for that - I hope so too! I've been google-ing and have found a product called geranium it's supposed to be better than suspected......has anyone used this? Thanks

Correction.......it's called Metanium (used on babies for nappy rash) it is supposed to work better than sudocrem not "suspected" the predictive text on my kindle is annoying sometimes!!!!

Never tried that. I've always used Neosporian for myself and my dogs

I can only find Neosporin on eBay and its an ointment not a cream. I will have to order it. Thanks for the tip

Hi we have same problem on our 2 1/2 year blue staffy and it kept coming back so vets took X-ray's today and it seems to be a problem with her knee and mild arthritis so waiting to see what orthepedic surgeon says but could be the knee joint

Oh thanks for that I hope she gets better soon, she is only young so hopefully will make a full recovery. My baby is still not right.....with rest the limp goes away but when he goes out for a run the limp returns an hour or so later (no sign of any limp during excersise!!!!!) We are going to the vets this Thursday with my wallet and credit card at the ready!

All I can say is rest too. Perhaps a longer rest, with short walks through the day? e.g. 5 to 10 mins. Like you I am wary of the vets too.

Hi thanks for that we have tried total rest (not even lead walks) but the limp always returns and always on the same side. I thought it might be a problem with his pads but nothing I can do is helping. His appetite is normal and he doesn't seem to be in pain but it's very disturbing to see him limping. I hope the vet is in a good mood.......!

Quick update......we went to the vets yesterday - bottom line is the vet wants him in for surgery after Easter to remove blisters and lesions from his paw/toes and to do a full examination of his hip and knee while he's asleep!!!!!!

Fingers crossed - he's booked in for the 8th April.

A big thank you to everyone who has read this post and to those who have offered advice and support.

Thanks for the update. Do let us know what the outcome is.

Sorry to read this but hopefully the vet can sort it once and for all.Look foward to a positive update

thanks for that will let you know the outcome.......

Great profile picture (Inez Maria)

Aww thank you

What do the lesions look like between his toes? Poor thing. Do keep us posted on how it goes.

Hope all is going well today at the vets with your boy.

Update-

Dropped him off at the vets this morning and collected him this afternoon. It turns out his paw/pads/toes were not the problem. While he was under anaesthetic the vet did an xray and examined his knee. He now thinks he has a cruciate ligament problem with a touch of osteoarthritis. This will mean corrective surgery and an estimated cost (to my insurance) of between £1600-2500.

At the moment he is sleeping.......I haven't told him the news yet but I don't think he will be pleased!!!!!

At least we have got to the bottom of the problem.....I just wish it was better news.

Oh no, not great news but at least you have an answer and of course insurance. Lets hope they sort it soon

ah bless sorry to hear this least you now know what the problem is.

........fingers crossed...

Thank you all

Hope the op goes well

Hope it all goes well! When is it booked for?

Rio is limping at the moment too although its because he forgot how to stop when running and tried turning instead so pulled his leg, such a dope

Hi he's booked in for tomorrow (Tuesday) apparently he's going to have a titanium wedge inserted into his bone, thank you for asking - I don't fully understand the procedure but I do understand that my vet is having lobster and champagne and wakes up each morning laughing!

I hope all goes well tomorrow

Thank you fingers crossed.........!

Hope the procedure goes well

Aww bless, hope all goes well tomorrow. I won't mention the keeping him quiet for the next month or so, that's the really hard part but it'll all be worth it once it's done and don't forget to wave at the vet as goes passed in his Rolls

The vets says 6 weeks to recover - no jumping up on the sofa or climbing the stairs to bed (he sleeps on a double bed with the cat in the spare room) I am going to make up a bed downstairs. Hopefully he will recover sooner than expected as he doesn't know the meaning of "calm"

Update

He has had his operation now and recovered well his appetite returned this morning (plain chicken) and he is on very strong pain killers (tramadol plus non steroid anti inflammatory liquid).

Stitches out in 10 days and repeat x ray under anaesthetic in 4 weeks. The vet suggested he stays in a puppy pen to limit mobility as any excessive movement/damage would be disasterous!!! He's being very brave.......

aw bless

Aw what a good boy, hope he recovers well!

Hi my 2 year old staffy had same condition and had operation 10 days ago, stitches now out but restricted excercise
Not easy to stop her jumping up on settee but I always pick her up to put her off it again

You're in good company scholey, my Flo had her leg done as well and it really is a task keeping them from climbing etc. only thing I would say is that it's worth the pain of stopping them so as not to set them back

He still thinks he is a giddy puppy......been constipated for the last 4 days with no bowl movements (probably tramadol) but thankfully he had one today. I've been giving him Turkey and chicken breast because his appetite has been off and I can't give him medication on an empty stomach........now he won't eat his dog food!!!!!