Limping - video

Hi,
I wanted to ask... wee Stella is 8 and half months and she has done something to her front leg last Sunday, she was limping, so she had rest for couple of days, it was OK, then she started again after playing with a dog, then it was OK again, this morning she was just pulling on her lead to sniff a dog but the owner of the other dog was calling him back so I just held the lead against her pressure, no sudden movement or anything, and she started limping again. She can walk and even run normally when there is something interesting and then she can hardly walk. Could you have a look at the video?
I know I should go to a vet but I was hoping it would go away and after last visit there when she was growling and had to be muzzled and they were looking at me like what a dangerous dog I have (she is so sweet and friendly towards all dogs and people otherwise!) I'm just dreading going there again... It seems to be muscular so just a rest again? Another harness?
She has not been overexcercised, I guess, though I could go for an hour walk time to time and she can run a lot... She eats the best I can get, raw in the morning (lamb legs and ribs, chicken wings and tthigh fillets, salmon, beef from Asda) and Wainwrights wet food in the evening most of the time, plus dried tripe and treats, eggs couple of time per week, salmon oil, I have been adding Luposan Gelenkraft to her meal since August. So I'm not sure if it could be wrong diet or too much playing?
Sorry for the long post, I'm really worried...
Thanks!

Ours is the same way at the vets so I understand not wanting to go there. If she was better with rest before it could be worth anthor try. The limp doesn't look too severe to me and she isn't yelping or refusing to put weight on the leg which is a good sign.

I would recommend resting it for an extra day or two and then avoid any high impact activity such as running or jumping for a week or two after she seems to be better just to be safe.

If it gets worse than I'd advise a trip to the vet

Thanks,
yes I gave the vet a call and they said the same, give her more rest, walk on lead, try to avoid her running with dogs and see if it gets better by Monday.
She is absolutely OK now, walking normally at home, her usual self like if nothing happened
I will keep you posted, lets hope only positive news!
Thanks!

Sometimes they will have a small injury and just keep reagravating the same thing. I always wait a few days after I think it is healed just to be sure before I let them resume a normal routine.

I know, it must be something like that. I should have waited for couple of more days. She has been fine since Wednesday so I went for normal walks on Thursday and yesterday. Doctors say that things like muscles and ligaments take 6 weeks to heal after injuries but I hope it won't be that long, she would go mental
Thanks!

Thanks for posting the video it really helps when trying to describe an ailment.

As already said rest her a few more days if no better then a vet trip may be in order.

Hi, thanks a lot.
Stella lipmed once or twoice yesterday morning and she has been fine since. So I will go just for calm walks for couple of more days and it should hopefully be fine. I ordered Yumove for her joints just to be sure, it was posted elsewhere here - Yumega and Yumove - so I ordered both, waiting for a postman
Thanks
Xx

Awwww pour thing ... I'm sure you know that staffy's have an incredibly high pain threshold, and dont tend to complain about much ... so I would keep a very close eye on that if it was me .. If I'm perfectly honest, I would have said thats a fairly bad limp .. but thats just my opinion :-\\\\

Moo had a very similar thing not so long back and like you I didn't want to go to the vets, not because she doesn't like it (quite the opposite) but because all they will do is administer an anti imflamitry and tell you to rest her for a week.

So I did rest her for a week, short lead walks and that was it and low and behold after a few days she was fine, its not the first time this has happened with her either.

I personally would rest her and see how you go. If after x amount of days she is still bad, then take her to the vets, but I still stand by all they will do is give her an injection and charge you for the honour.

Keep us updated Xx

janey wrote:
I personally would rest her and see how you go. If after x amount of days she is still bad, then take her to the vets, but I still stand by all they will do is give her an injection and charge you for the honour.
Keep us updated Xx

I'm afraid that's true. They'll probably also give you a few days anti-inflam tablets to administer as well - so once you've parted with £60 or £70.........

I'd rest her for a week and then gradually build up the exercise again. If she still limps, that'll be the time to go to the vet.

Thanks,
yes it was exactly what I was thinking - that staffies just carry on without complaining (somebody must have mentioned it here, literally everything I know is from the forum here - thanks!). So I really was worried... with excitement she just completely forgets about it - I saw it myself.
She is fine now. I keep the walks short and strictly on lead.
If it happened again after couple of days like this I would take her to the vet definitely, maybe they would do some sort of MRI...? But she has been walking fine since yesterday morning. Fingers crossed.
Thanks

Hi there,
I was thinking I would share a wee update,
the limping got better, Stella could be completely fine for days but it kept on coming back again, I probably always made the rest periods too short (2-3 days) because she always seemed fully recovered and was going mental with the short walks... It has never been that bad as on the video, though...

This limping is her right front paw and yesterday evening she was licking and biting her left front paw a wee bit and she has some sort of cyst there on her palm (not sure how to call it properly ). Can't do any picture because it is too small and I'm having bad light here

I went to vet today and they were fully booked so I'm having the first appointment Monday morning. They said "strict rest"....
So I bought Stella a new bed and a fluffy toy lamb to destuff (only the lamb to destuff, the bed should be bite resistant, so they say )

So keep fingers crossed please for the Monday vet visit and I'll let you know how it went
Thanks xX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SssnDxm6Rk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MqOmgYdrP0

Fingers crossed, keep us posted

i'm not making light of your situation, but she may be playing you. when i had a similar problem with Herman, the vet said his dog (a pit bull) would milk any sympathy he got for all it's worth. i know it sounds callous, but while you definitly need to be cautious and allow the situation time to resolve, try not to do what i did in your situation, do the "oh, you poor baby" routine. my humble advice is to be careful with Stella's leg and give her time to heal, but don't overdo the sympathy.

Hi,
yes I was thinking the same at first, that she might be pretending it. But I saw her couple of times running and playing with dogs and when she was trying to slow down when running downhill it looked really painful and she could not know I was watching because I was couple of meters behind her.
So I'm afraid that it is for real.

What worries me the most is the visit at the vet where she will probably start growling again as soon as I lift her on the table and they will most probably have to muzzle her and I will feel sorry for her and embarassed at the same time. She is SO friendly, such a sweetheart, but the last visit there was a nightmare, the young vet there almost in tears, me in tears (only after I left :-$ )...
And they most probably won't find a thing because she walks normally most of the time.
But I want them to check the cyst-like thing on her other paw, it looks like a pimple a bit, the pic is terrible quality, sorry about that:



We'll see
Thanks!
Xx

the growth on Stella's paw looks different than anything i've seen on Herman. i emathasize with your situation when Stella doesn't get on well with the vet when her paw's involved, even though she's normally fine. i had a rescue dog years ago (Anatolian Shepard) who went mad when the vet touched his paws. don't know why. Booker (my dog) had to be muzzeled and held down by several people as he was well over 100 lbs and very strong. it's hard to describe the feeling i had when this happened.

Hi Maria
Stella really didn't look her usual self this morning, hopefully the vet can help her out. So it's lots of treats and rest until Monday..? That pic looked like a small cut that has been inflamed!.

Hi there
Yes it's sofa for us whole weekend but Stella seems to be enjoying it so far She is not gulping her dinner down either which is a sign that something must be bothering her but she's fine otherwise - it might be all the kongs stuffed with mince lamb she had during the day
Yeah it'll be harder for me to stay at home whole weekend than for her, it seems, but anything for the wee soul

Hi,
just back from the vet...
They were not really able to examine Stella properly (she does not limp when she is excited and she was wriggling and shaking... ) so she just got anti inflammatory (Loxicom) for a week for the limping and antibiotics (Noroclav)for 5 days for the sore on her other paw.
The doctor said that if the limping keeps on coming back I should book her for another appointment and they would sedate her and do an X-ray.
She mentioned possibility of elbow or shoulder displasia because the limping has been coming back for quite a while (over a month now) but I hope it won't be the case....
So 1 week of strict rest (God knows how I will do this ) and then I would book her for the X-ray straight away if she shows any sign of limping again because I am really worried now Poor wee thing... Fingers crossed
Thanks Xx

Holly and I are crossing our fingers, Try and not worry, it will only make you feel worse, plus if Stella is anything like Holly they know when you worry/upset..! There is no point in worrying about the unknown is there. But i know its hard not to.
I sure you will find it difficult to slow her down around the house, you could try some in house training to mentally tire her out.
on a lighter note, I showed Holly a pic of Stella you posted on the board, She started licking my laptop screen...LOL

Hi,

thanks, hehe, it's funny, Holly is a wee sweetheart

I believe that the limping continues to be coming back because I have never been able to keep her really in strict rest for longer than 2 or 3 days during the last month
I have to stay away from all people with dogs whole week, that's the only option. I will entertain her at home, training and cuddles.

I read some terrible stuff about possible causes of limping and dysplasia and about the antibiotics which could cause severe elevation of liver function tests... So then I just closed all the explorer windows and decided to try to work instead

I ordered some probiotics because of the ATB treatment and she is now finishing the destruction of her new bed so she does not look distressed at all, she is such a happy-go-lucky dog, very flexible and very interested in everything so some toys to destroy and hide and seek and we will be fine.

Whenever I am worried I watch this short video when she was wee and I feel fine again immediately


Thanks
Xx

Very cute video, I'm sure we would all wish they stayed that size..! and your right to keep your eyes off the internet horror stores!

Yes puppies are really so sweet! But I find older and/or old dogs wonderful because of their personality and the long shared life history and the memories we have together with them... But I wouldn't like to be too deep and philosophical in a topic about limping
Xx

Hi,
Stella seems all right limping-wise but she is losing her appetite (she still eats but I have to hand feed her because the anti inflammatory and atb need to be administered with food) and she seemed a bit sad yesterday so I "borrowed" my friend's dog Ben and she is now much happier with her collie pal

But it seems so strange to give her oral antibiotics because of the small sore on her paw...and the vet did not see it actually at all, she just said "ok it can be anything, lets give her some atb". I admit she had to be muzzled and she was shaking and wriggling and trying to run away doing strange noises there but surely the vet could have tried and have a look? Maybe the vet just didn't want to stress her even more, fair enough...

But Stella looks happy now, her usual self apart from not being so hungry which could be caused by the lack of normal walks and running around.
So we just have to do our best the rest of the week and hope for the best that the sore will get better and she won't limp anymore...

How does the sore on her paw look like now..? She will eat don't worry about that, just not her full cheery self just now. If need be go back to the vet and ask him or her look at it. also how is the limping around the house..?

Hi,
the sore has not changed since I took the picture on Saturday, it looks almost like a pimple, it is dry, no oozing, slightly red and hard, I can touch or press it and she does not seem to be bothered too much. I only noticed it because she was biting it and licking it last Friday night. It looks like a wee cut or maybe a thorn which got stuck and inflamed there.
She does not limp at all now - neither at home nor on the short walks we make. She is on the anti inflammatory medicine which works as painkiller as well so it could be it. But she has never been too bad at home or just walking, it has always started only when she played with dogs or ran too wildly.
She is going mental outside now (and in the house as well a bit, thanks god I work from home - not that I would be able to do much since Monday), pulling when she sees dogs playing (I rather don't go to the park at all, poor wee thing) she just wants to run and play...
She has always started limping only after a good run with dogs - fast turning, jumping and slowing down and especially running downhill.
So now she seems to be a completely healthy doggy...but it was like this whole February - she seemed all right so I let her run and she started limping again - so now I have to persevere whole week, God help us
Cheers Xx

Hi,
I wanted to ask what you think about my plan - Stella had more or less rest whole last week and she seems fine. She ran a bit today with a dog and it seemed to me that she was limping a bit, just slightly uneven pace, I really don't know maybe I'm just paranoid? (I'll try to make another video tomorrow.)
I didn't leave her to run as she would have been running normally so it's hard to say.
The sore on her other paw has not changed after the ATB treatment.

So I booked her for X-ray for Friday to have the front paws checked

I want to be sure that I won't neglect anything...
But she will have to be in full anaesthesia so it will be quite demanding for her so I would not like to do it if there was no point....

So I have a plan to walk her normally tomorrow and Wednesday to see what happens and then I can either cancel the appointment or go for it.

It is so scary because I will have to leave her there at the vet... I wanted them to sedate her when I am still there but they don't do it (strange - it used to be standard procedure with all my cats and my previous dog but it was Prague not the UK so it's probably different here).
So I'm afraid she will start growling at them and they might treat her somehow badly.... I'm again just paranoid I guess.
I think that if I go for the X-ray it will be me who will need to be sedated not just Stella

Hi Maria, all vets have a duty of care, and I'm sure the vet has come a cross some scared/upset dogs before. Try and not worry, as for the sadateing her you may find it best not to be there.! I hope all will be alright.

Hi,
thanks,
yes I hope it will be fine.
Stella enjoyed the free run on the beach this morning so much, and now during lunch we met with a friend of mine and our collie pal Ben and she was over the moon
They were running and then she fell in a pile of a dog's diarhoea
She had it all over her face and in her eye....
Now the eye looks fine I cleaned it as much as I could so I hope I won't have to drag her to the vet this evening again
The limp got worse after the walks so it's a good thing to have the X-ray done but I'm still worried, I can't wait to get it over with
Thanks
Xx

How did stella get on at the vets

Hi,
Thanks for asking....you would not believe it but I postponed it for now... I spoke to the vet yesterday because Stella just stopped limping, and she could again run with dogs at speed of light with no signs of pain or limping... So I was not sure it is necessary to put her through it and they said we could leave it and see. We agreed there that I would let them know next week if it got worse again...fingers crossed it won't!
In the meantime I bought her a better harness (I think the pink one was too soft and was cutting in her shoulders when pulling) and some Arnica homeopathic remedy (it should work with strains and muscle injuries and stuff, I can't really say I believe it but it should not harm her either...). A massage practicioner recommended it to me when I went for a Thai Massage myself and she is really good and has a dog herself so I went for it
So I'm just hoping it will stay like this...
I think I'll go to beaches more often because she loves running in the soft sand (which must definitely be better than hard surface?) and it sounds good to me
Thanks
Xx

Hi Marie. Interesting story. The vet gave an antibiotic in case there was an infection in the paw. A foreign body such as a thorn or piece of glass should also be considered. Neither will show up on a x-ray, but may be seen on an ultrasound scan. A foreign body will usually cause inflammation and infection, it may then be expelled from the body with pus as the wound breaks down.
The limp sounds muscoloskeletal in origin, use the anti-inflammatory regularly for a few days, make sure your dog has some food with it to reduce gastric irritation.Staffs are very muscular, they give it all during play and therefore it is very easy to re-injure if not rested well. You mentioned an MRI, this would be very costly unless you are insured, Stella would also have to lie very still during a scan which takes a while and it would need to be done under a general anaesthetic. If the limp continues long term, you should see your vet again. As Stella is only 9 months, arthritis is very unlikely. Also human anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibrufen or Asprin should NEVER be used in dogs, only the lisenced canine medicine from the vet.
How is she now?

Hi,
thanks, Stella is sleeping just now and she has looked well since Wednesday.
So she got anti inflammatory for the limp and atb for the sore - both veterinary medicines - last week
The sore finally started to heal now I believe.
The limp was on and off so the vet told me to come for an X-ray if it continued and "if I wanted to". They could not examine her too much (not at all actually) because she was growling, shaking, trying to run away. So I know she would have to go under general anaestesy... It was one of the things why I decided that it is not that urgent, I was real scared to let her go through it without any "severe" issue.
I know it would be couple of hundreds for the X-ray but I'd do it if I saw her in pain or continous problems but she seems fine... I planned to insure her straight away but I was waiting for her to be microchipped because then it could be a better deal and then I forgot all about it and now it's too late because the limping would be pre-existing condition so it's a shame
It seems to be a strained muscle or something. She can play pretty wild so even when I did rest her for couple of days it always came back after some more excited plays with dogs.
It's rainy today so she didn't want to go out too much and she was fine on Wendesday and yesterday, I'm hoping it will be fine
Xx

Glad it seems to be settling.

Glad she is feeling better, your pics on the other post shows it...!

Hi,
wey hey not the slightest limp for more than a week!
It is fantastic! For example she was chasing ravens at full speed no bother this morning:-)
I'm careful when running with other dogs though, especially when they are big and wild which she loves but I'm still wary.
I keep her walks shorter and instead of just "walking" we rather go somewhere and I let her just hang around there, play and sniff.
Then the new K9 harness is much better, sturdier so it does not cut in her shoulders when she pulls on the way to a park.
And it might be that the Arnica homeopathic stuff helped as well, who knows:-)
Can't wait to take her to the sea again this weekend, Largs, then south around Hunterston power station, then Garvock... She rests when I drive between all those places and then we walk around and enjoy the peaceful breathtaking scenery:-)
I'm so happy!
Thanks
Xx

Glad to hear she is doing better

jstaff wrote:Glad to hear she is doing better

Same here..!

Hi,
yeah sory this one is an old story... The limping is back, but on her other paw
It re-started suddenly yesterday, she was just walking slowly sniffing around, nothing else, and suddenly she could hardly walk... Then completely well one moment and completely lame in a second.
I gave our vet a call, they said to give her the NSAID they gave me previously, have her rest for a week and then let them know. I asked about the possible shoulder dysplasia and stuff and they said that in this case she would just have to stay slim, exercise carefully and get joint tablets (glucosamin) and it's what she has been getting already anyway.
Poor doggy...
Maybe she was running more during Easter but it was only because she wanted and it was never for too long and she had plenty of time to chill out and sleep as well.
So we'll see... At my wits end to be honest.
Thanx for reading... Xx

Aw poor Stella, I hope it will pass soon, weird how it's the other paw I wonder if it's a reaction to something she may have walked on, like grass seed or chemical on the ground.! She is such a happy going dog as well.

Hi, thanks, yes I was thinking the same, she was not very happy when she stepped on a nettle yesterday for example, I didn't know dogs can feel it on their paws?
And it was kind of weird yesterday in the park, such a muddy part with some strange plants, no grass. I checked her for thorns but could not see anything.
She seems better now. It was a bit extreme today at lunch time when I did the video, how she even didn't step at all on the paw several times, it freaked me out
Important is that she is not depressed or anything, you can see it even on the video that she's the usual bonkers wee soul as always
So I believe some rest again will help
Have a good one, best wishes to Holly