10 year old Irish setter limping and seems in pain

[happygiraffey]

I'm really worried about our dog, she's a 10 year old Irish setter and for the last 48 hours she's been limping on her right front leg. She seems to be in pain, she's been listless most of the day and is lying down whimpering. I can't tell if she's dreaming but her eyes are wide open.

I've felt her leg and shoulder and pressed on it and she doesn't seem to react to any part of it having pressure on it. I looked carefully at her paw with a torch and the only thing that looks unusual is she has one nail that looks a bit split and like it has less nail inside it than the others. She reacted a bit to me touching that.

My DDad (who she belongs to primarily) doesn't want to take her to the vet because he's insisting he doesn't want her to be sedated to be x-rayed unnecessarily because of her age.

I'm worried out of my mind about her and I don't know what to do. I'm not sure if I should try and get her to my car and take her to an out of hours vet myself. If she's in pain or there's something wrong that can be treated I absolutely have to do something.

Has anyone else come across anything like this in any dog they've had or known? Or any similar sort of symptoms in dogs, especially large dogs or Irish setters?

[Scattyhattie]

You can normally ring your practice/ out of hours service and talk to a vet & they'll advise if ever unsure if needs to be seen urgently or can take daytime tomorrow.

Dogs are often stoic & panting, restless generally looking uncomfortable can actually mean quite a bit more pain than we realise, so I think your right to be concerned given sudden onset without obvious cause.

[adaline]

If she's in pain, she needs to see a vet. Leaving a dog to be in pain is cruel.

Your dad is right that sedation at such an age is often ill-advised but there are plenty of other treatment options available!

[tabulahrasa]

If she’s noticeably in pain as in uncomfortable over and above the limp, then she needs a vet.


They may or may not do X-rays... but it’s not going to be just for the sake of it, only if it’s necessary.

[Booboostwo]

She does need to see a vet. It could be the nail injury or it could be something else but she won’t necessarily need an x-ray. If she does need an x-ray this can often be done without any sedation, and if she does need sedation, a small amount to relax her rather than GA may be enough.

Your DDad should be more worried about the fact that she is in pain than about any possible sedation.

[Bookworm4]

VET, possibly age related arthritis, would your Dad like to be lift in pain? Take her yourself.

[happygiraffey]

Thank you to everyone who replied! We took her to the vet and they found a big thorn in her paw that I'd not seen when I looked with the torch. Fingers crossed that's all it was!

[villainousbroodmare]

Glad you've had a simple answer. As a vet and an Irish setter owner too, I must say I find it so dispiriting when owners say things like your father. As if it is preferable for an animal to endure distress than to be examined and treated by professionals who, in the main, are gentle, understanding and aware of the mitigating factors in terms of workup of cases. It's not uncommon and that, far more than putting animals to sleep, is the worst aspect of our jobs.
Pic of your dog, please!