Worried about my boy

Chaos is booked into the vet tomorrow. I'm a bit worried about him.

A few weeks ago I noticed that he was getting worried about getting into the car. He had a problem with it when we first got him but we worked through it and he was fine. A few months ago he started showing concern when in the car, trying to get as far away as possible from the boot as it came down and I'd assumed he'd got a clunk at some point or something. We were working with treats but not making vast progress. Then he started looking worried about even jumping in. Hmmm...

Then, a couple of weeks ago, we had a really strange episode where it looked like he couldn't use his back end properly. George came home from the office and Chaos couldn't get out of his bed on the floor. Rather than rushing to the vet, I popped him on Meloxidyl, prescribed rest for 3 or 4 days, and that seemed to do the trick.

Seemed. Getting in the car has got worse and now he can't really push up to get himself in cleanly, and now we're seeing the same thing with getting on beds.

I took him to the vets yesterday to have his anal glands expressed as a first easy thing to check. There was some matter in there but not much.

Today I took him to the woods for a walk and he was absolutely terrified of getting in the car. I sat on the edge of the boot to reassure him and he ended up climbing up me to get in, then sat there cowering. On the way back I put him on the back seat, which is easier to get upto and doesn't have the associations the boot does, and he was better but still scared. We got home and he ran away from the car, tail between his legs.

So, full vet check tomorrow. I have all sorts of nasties running through my mind, fingers crossed it's nothing too dreadful.

Did I say I was a bit worried? That's a lie. I'm very worried.

hope he gets on ok liz xxxx poor chaos

Sorry to hear Chaos isn't right Liz.
Hope it goes ok at the vets, please let us know how you get on x

Oh Liz i wonder what it is, i hope hes ok pls let us know what the vets say and an extra cuddle for you both x

Oh Liz, I can understand you being worried as you have already overcome the car issue once! Hopefully its something silly but I'm sure your vet will check him over properly, might just be that he has pulled something & doesn't want to jump up anywhere. Please let us know how he gets on

Poor Chaos! We've got our fingers and paws crossed for tomorrow xx

The first thought is that it's his back. He was super stressed (but so well behaved!) so didn't really give much away, but there was a reaction when she felt his back mid lumbar area, so that's what we're going to go with for now unless there are another other developments in the coming days. She thinks it might be a disc problem that could settle with the good old anti-inflamatory pain killers and STRICT rest. Oh joys, that'll be fun!

Fingers crossed that's all it is and that it does settle on its own. Please...

Thats good news (said loosely), fingers crossed! & super good luck with the strict rest!!!! x

My thought exactly, Bek. Not great, but I was fearing a heck of a lot worse straight off. It could still be something not nice but I'm putting that to one side for now.

paws crossed hen

Aww no poor fella. So hope the rest sorts him Liz

The good thing is the vet saw nothing blindingly obvious that caused alarm bells, think positive for now

Poor Chaos hope the anti inflamms do the trick Liz, they are a worry xx

Fingers & paws crossed for Chaos & for you. Good luck with the strict rest though

poor chaos, i hope he feels better soon!

I know my lovely girlie Bree had a problem like this - now and again her leg would lock up and be extremely painful and she couldn't walk on it. It used to happen if she jumped up onto things or down from somewhere (often in and out of the car) and would last about a week or so poor girl. The vet put it down to arthritus. Just a thought ? I do hope things will get sorted soon for poor Chaos. xx

Thanks, Jenny. I did ask about arthritis and the vet thought not but it's certainly an option.

My feeling at the moment, though, is that it's something to do with his back end, possibly involving his left leg. On 3 occasions today he's looked round as if he'd been stung, twice quite abruptly and once more slowly. He's also a fraction slow repositionning is back left leg if you place it on the toe - only a fraction and it might be nothing but we don't have many clues and it might be one.

I don't know if I'm seeing things into things that are completely innocent, but he's stumbled a couple of times as well, once just getting over the small threshold of a sliding door.

And he's just been sick.

I've brought forwards his re-examination to next Thursday and have changed to one of the more experienced vets. The plan is to note everything between now and then, but to take him in earlier if I think we need to.

I hope he's feeling better soon

Quick update - we went to the vet again this morning, this time with Uncle Keith. We went for a walk around outside while we chatted so Keith could see him more relaxed.

Even on painkillers, there are still signs there's something wrong. Chaos did a poo this morning and immediately looked like he'd been stung, then hurried away with his tail between his legs. When we popped him back in the car - just onto the back seat as it's easier - he stumbled getting in. At least Keith could see what I'm talking about.

So, he's booked in for x-rays and a more in depth examination under sedation tomorrow. There are various things he's going to check - hips, polyps, prostate, etc. All rather mysterious and all rather worrying still.

I hope all goes well at the vets tomorrow, fingers crossed

hopefully get some answers liz

Hugs to you and Chaos, I hope today goes well x

Hi Liz, I think we're still a half day from you taking Chaos for tests but wanted to say I'm very much thinking of you both and praying for a good outcome! Please let us know how he gets on, and try to stay strong for him too I know it must be so incredibly hard!! xx

I hope it all goes well today for Chaos & you Let us know how he gets on

Thanks, all. At the moment he is just very unhappy - no breakfast!

Just been reading about chaos, hope everything goes well and nothing to serious. Wising you both well and good luck. Try not to think about it to much (easier said than done) you have to look after yourself too. Everything will be fine.

Just caught up with this thread Liz. I doubt you are imagining things as I notice when things aren't right with Flo and the snapping around to look at his butt is exactly what Flo does.

I hope all goes well today and that some answers are found, they are such a worry... thinking of you.

thinking of chaos and wish him a speedy recovery all paws crossed xxxxxx

He's back home, rather groggy still, and curled up under the duvet with Nola next to him. She's a good nurse, is Nola.

Some findings but not entirely conclusive. Look away if you're eating your tea - He had infected anal glands with quite a lot of pus, which is odd as the week before there had been none but I suppose the infection would have built up over the week. So that would explain the bum biting and could explain the more recent problems but I'm not 100% convinced it's the only thing, as he can't have had infected anal glands for the last 6 months.

His hip and leg x-rays didn't show a lot, except a flattening to the ball bit at the top of his right femur. As he's not lame that seems not to be causing a problem but it might make him more prone to arthritis later one.

And other than that, nothing.

Anti-biotics for a week, with continued pain relief, and then we'll see where we are. Fingers crossed.

That's great nothing to serious, with the femur ball flat that probably would cause a little discomfort would that be like someone having a problem with there hip. He,s in good hands medication and rest you'll start to see a difference in a few days. All's good that the main thing.

I'm just catching up with the forum and have just seen this thread, sorry to hear about Chaos' discomfort Liz how's he doing now?

If they're thinking back related, has sciatica been mentioned? Any more updates?

Thanks, Kerry. I don't think it is his back - he's heaps better now his glands are clearing up. He's still on 1/2 dose of Loxicom so we'll see better when he's off that.

Bless him,  glad to hear he is on the mend xx

Oh good! Makes you feel sick thinking something is wrong doesn't it? Worst feeling in the world, am glad he's feeling better, and hopefully you are too

glad chaos is a wee bit better

Oh dear. We're not there yet. He was supposed to go for a check up this afternoon but it's been replaced with a flush out under sedation tomorrow. And he was lame on his walk on Monday - I fear we've actually got 2 different things going on.

Oh Liz! So hard to treat with no facts yet. Hope you get results soon. Sending you both love & strength!

Bless him. Really hope all goes well for tomorrow x

Fingers crossed

He was full of infection again, so it's a 3rd sort of antibiotics and a sample has been sent off for analysis to try and identify the strain of bacteria.

He's home, very groggy but he was upset at the vets. I sat on the floor with him as he was coming round, all snuggled in a blanket with a hot water bottle (and a cup of tea for me). They are lovely at that practice. Not cheap, but on days like this I'm sort of happy to pay.

Oh bless, how hard for you both! What a great service, worth every cent. Keep us posted pls and extra hugs xox

Get well soon Chaos

How's he doing today Liz ?

Clingy! He's much better but still not really happy on his walk. Maybe he was just tired after blasting round the garden at 3.30am

He is, though, back on the top dose pain killers so I think we'll see more in a week + when we start to scale that back.

what a shame get well soon chaos

Hope Chaos is okay x

Thanks . We're not there yet, I fear. I have started reducing the Meloxidyl and he's back to snapping towards his bum. Vet again on Wednesday.

Oh no! Poor Chaos. I do hope they manage to solve this soon, such a worry for you all.

It is a worry. At the moment it would seem that there is an underlying problem that we need to identify. I need a good chat with Keith on Wednesday to see what the possibilities are. And what options there are for treatement that don't involve surgery, something I'd rather avoid if we can.

Oh no poor little fella, lets hope the vet comes up with something else top try