Moo's progress

First topic message reminder :



This is more for me and anyone that wants to give me positive vibes, I know I could do with it.

So the back ground for those who don't know, Moo has had a limp for a month now, been to the vets twice, apart from x-rays I am at my last point of call, a different course of anti-inflams for 14 days and total rest.

Day 2; stopped indoors all day, great day off, limp has been obvious in the house. Have put her very old bed on the floor (been under my bed for last 2 years) so she doesn't keep hoping up and down on mine.

Small incident of her running into the door (glass), she saw a cat, and she has a lot of energy to get rid of. Never has she done this before!

Just taken her out for a toilets, we don't have a garden so its a 2min walk, no limp visible.

She has now gone to bed, hers on the floor bless her.

Fingers crossed and positive vibes for tomorrowXx

I just want to know where it hurts.

He felt all her muscles, tendons, joints at length, she didn't react to anything.

Surely if he touched a damaged muscle she would at least flinch. But no, nothing and it was pretty intense.

The vet just said that she is such a well behaved, calm and placid dog she has no reaction. But that she is also lame, so it has to be painfull somewhere.

Ohh you poor darl, I know it must be frustrating for you and Moo, but you know you can't walk her as it may cause much more damage.. I know you are probably just saying it out of frustration.. It is gonna take every ounce of your patience but you will get her healed, I have faith in you and Moo

janey wrote:

I just want a reason, otherwise I want to take her out, there is no limp when running, or pulling on the lead (she does a lot of that now, not that I let her.)

The vet has near enough agreed that xrays aren't going to show up anything, could I not let her have her normal walks to a limit, and just own a dog with a limp?

I think you have to give her time first to heal ,muscle and tendon injury take a long time to heal I know and taking pain releif will mask the problem but it will still be there when the meds have worn off a running dog has much more blood and adrenilin pumping thats probably why it doesnt appear excercising at full speed. Just want to say that a dog with a limp isnt the end of the world you will come through this together. ><

I understand your frustration Janey.

I'm sticking my neck out here, but when I've had pulled/torn/seized up muscles personally, I have found that a massage can help enormously.

Please don't give up just yet and keep resting her as the vets advised - and maybe, just maybe, some gentle massage (by you) of the affected leg might help. You might even, in your massage, find a knotted muscle and just squish it about a bit to encourage it to relax.


Just a thought .... ><

I do Lynda, I wanted her better by christmas, its not going to happen.

Christmas is 6 weeks away Janey so don't give up. There is still a lot of time for her to heal.

However, it will take as long as it takes. Mother Nature has her own time lines and I don't think Christmas features very large there

do I understand that you are already massaging her poorly leg?

Yes, I have. Mother nature is not being kind. I swear I must have been evil in a past life, and am now paying for it.

Oh Janey - things always look worse late at night or even worser than that, at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Night thoughts, they're called!

No Mother Nature is not always kind but at least you have been told that nothing fundamental seems to be wrong with Moo. Hang onto that, trust in the advice and meds you have been given and give them a bit more time.

and whatever you got up to in a past life, I'm pretty sure that Karma wouldn't avenge itself onto your dog.

Stay strong Janey! ><

Your kind words mean a lot, I'm sick of listening to my thoughts, I praise your patience with me. She is my first (well second) staffy, and I have never had a problem with her that I couldn't cure. Really struggling with this, and its beginning to show in other areas (work).

Just want someone to say they have been there, give me a time frame, tell me what I'm doing is right, and tell me what I'm doing wrong.

I just want my girl back.

Ah Janey ...

Yes I have been there, I've had dogs who limped so I do understand. But they were larger dogs than Staffies and at the end of their natural life span, not like your Moo in the prime of her life. She's still strong, and so must you be.

Please Janey, try to ignore your thoughts (especially at night time, when things seem darker) and trust in your vets. They have given you good advice, given some good medication and ruled out anything awful.

YES - what you are doing is right. NO - you are not doing anything wrong. Take each day one at time, and try not to let it affect your work, I know easier said than done.

I can't give you a time frame I'm afraid - if it is a muscle tear it will heal in its own time. Gentle massage (not rubbing, just very gentle stretching out of the affected leg and very gentle kneading of the muscles) MAY help.

Stay strong ><

has the matacam kick in yet?

Day 9;

Thank you for asking, I can't really tell. I kept her in bed till 12, longest lay in ever! Took her out for toilets and its still apparent.

Popped to the pub and left her at home, I'm going stir crazy as well, and I find I easier not being there to watch her & she doesn't get up and down off the sofa can only sleep. Although she has got into a bad habit of licking her back paw pads, they look red, thats just boredom though.

Just taken her out for a wee, and she is pulling like a tank, when she pulls there is no limp. So I can't really tell is the answer. She is wiggling around the floor on her back with her stag bar at the mo. I had to shout at her earlier for having a mad moment, her sad sad face, I wish I could tell her why.

Feel a bit happier that I have actually spoken to a human today though, being stuck indoors just makes me worry.

Back to work tomorrow so we will see what happens. It certainly doesn't seem worse, but am not gonna tempt fate by saying its improved either.


5 days left now.

the matacam will sort the problem out it's a wonder drug for dogs

I am hoping that now she is the right amount it may start to help!

it works all the time for my xena when she start to limp

Here's hoping Xx

i be hoping for her also xxx

I hope it works, fingers crossed for you and Moo xxx

Day 10;

Not much change. Just feel bad for her Xx

I hope you soon start to see some improvement Janey, I'm sure you will

Fingers crossed - Dempsey sends his love.

Thank you. You know when you cry so much you get a headache?

I have a headache

Cider's good for that!

Is it no better at all?

Its still visible. If it was gonna go it would have gone by now.

And no ciders not good for tears at all.

Is is better or worse when she's been resting - in the morning for example, when she's just got up?

Its not better or worse, its just apparent.

If it hadn't been going on for so long I don't think I would be so worried.

I'm just aware of it. Xx

That's so strange - the metacam should at least be disguising it. I wonder if it's habit?

at least its no worst lovey,big hugs to both of you x

it's could be anything she need a x-ray to rule out any breaks or foreign body. i was watching one of these vet things this dog ad 2 pins in her paw

if your vet cant see anything that when you go to leg specialist

Day 10;

I think I may just see an improvement! Not holding my breath but maybe just maybe the upped does and total rest is working (touches wood again!)

The problem with an xray, which is why they didn't advise me to do it last week is the vet doesn't think it will show anything up, its not a broken bone, so if does come back clear (which they do think it will) it will be a CT scan. This could also come back clear, and we are looking at £1000+.

Honestly I think it has even baffled the vet a bit, as the limp has come and gone, and she shows no pain at all when he examined her! (he did comment though that she is such a well behaved dog, that she just may not show it).

They think it may be muscle damage damage, which can take 6months of lead walks and rest until she would be back to norm.

4 days until xrays now, unless I can positively say it is improving.

Thanks all, we'll get there I'm sure of that Xx

we've all got our fingers and paws crossed for you both Janey ><

Try and keep ya chin up Janey .. if it is muscle damage, it WILL heal ... eventually

Max had some muscle damage when he was about 14mths IIRC .. we were really worried about him for a while .. it was when he was mad into jumping really high, but often never landed very well so we soon stopped letting him jump in a certain way .. we stopped his heavy excercise for about 4mths, and up'd his protein slightly, wouldnt let him pull on lead etc etc ... and it gradually put itself right, then we started to slowly introduce more excercise untill he was ok again

hope everything goes alright Janey! xx

I'd be reluctant to go for x rays if the vet thinks they'll come back clear. I'd be more inclined to give it another month of complete rest & then see.

Day 11;

Barely seen her limp today at all, not counting my chickens yet though!

Took her out first thing, and maybe it was very slight. Came home at lunch and took her out, if I didn't know she had a limp I don't think it would notice to anyone else, just in from work and again, nothing obvious.

She would always limp worse at home than out and she is walking round the lounge, dare I say, normally. She jumped the sofa this morning too (I was trying to get her settled before I left, and instead of doing the steps.........) I just thought, thats it, all the work undone, but no, at lunch it was ok.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I just want it back to normal, and I think its me that needs to learn some patience. Thanks again all, and fingers and paws crossed Xx

fingers and paws crossed by what you have said it could be a turning point x

Aww all these healing vibes are helping !!

Glad to hear she may be tentatively improving, fingers crossed xx

stella wrote: by what you have said it could be a turning point x

Jackieb wrote:
Glad to hear she may be tentatively improvingx

Please let it be true XxxX

janey im sure it will be lovey,every tiny improvement is a big milestone for her,your doing every thing you can for her and hopefully it looks like its paying off x

Sounds like you are staring to see some improvements there with Moo which is great news. Try not to run before you can walk though, just take things steady, I know it is very tempting to get carried away though.

Slowly, slowly. Stay patient & I'm sure she'll come good.

I'll light some more candles tomorrow.

I know, its gonna take a long time Xx

Ohh I hope it is a turning point and things start to come good.. Everytime I see this thread updated I hope when I open it that you have some good news Baby steps Janey, every slight improvement is great news xxx

Day 12;

Still much the same as yesterday really, so thats good news. Just questioning myself now, is it better, do I just think its better, what if I am making everything worse, if that makes sense. I did call the vet today to chat things over, they never called back.

She did do a more prominent limp earlier, but prior to that when I finished work and took her out she started leeping about, she is on a lead, its like trying to keep a wiggly worm still! So I wonder if it was that, as she hasn't done it again.

So maybe slow progress, what would you guys do if you where in my situation now?

Hi Janey, are you able to video Moo doing the limp, this might also help the vet to have a look at how she walks normally too. This what I would do anyway

I would have loved to have filmed it from day 1, then I would be able to compare, but you need her to be walking towards you to be able to notice it, and she has been on lead so always next to me or in front.

keep doing what your doing,the main thing is it is'nt getting any worst,when does she have to go back to the vets?its only human nature to question what to do for the best x

It should be Wednesday. Xx

lets hope they think its positive progress she has made,sash got to go back wednesday too,so big hugs to all of us for then ><

Sorry love forgot to ask how your wee lady is Xx