is it bad? help by dog owners required.

[bethoo]

my 9 year old boxer has had terrible runs for the past two days and lost weight gradually over a period time. this morning i came downstairs to mess in kitchen and dog could not get up, when he did he could not stand on his back legs and when he walked he walked on his front legs with his back legs in the air. now he can walk but still trying to avoid putting weight on his back legs and to be honest he is trying ot avoid moving as he is currently laid on the carpet (dont think he can get on sofa). he has not lost his appetite though.
i have him booked in for vets later this morning and was wondering if anyone has any thoughts before i go ion what this is? i suspect he may have internal cancer but has anyone had experience of something like this wehre it has not been serious?
thanks

Hi bethoo

Hope he's okay. Hope you're feeling better too. I think a nice cup of tea is in order!

fwiw, once the dust settles, I would look at changing vets. They should have seen you straight away in the condition he was in, and should never say that only car accidents are emergencies.

All the best x

awwh poor dog ,hope hes gonna be ok

hope he is going to be okay.

if he continues to have an upset tummy i can reccomend slippery elm bark powder - it is a natural remedy that is very safe for both humans and dogs. i use it for my staffie who has colitis and it is brilliant (i really don't like giving him drugs if i can avoid it. it soothes the digestive system and helps 'firm up' diarrhoea.

i think it is probably glucosamine (i'm sure that's not the right spelling!) that the vet has suggested.

i agree with bella that you should consider changing vets - they really should have been able to see you as an emergency appointment.

let us know how he gets on.

How is he today, bethoo?

bethoo...

what you describe happened to my first labrador after he'd eaten rat poison.

Could that be something that's happened? Could he have eaten something he shouldn't have?

Exactly the same symptoms and timeframe (happened overnight).

He was 19YO at the time, which is massively old for any dog, let alone a labrador, and he had to be put down, but a 9YO is much fitter and he should be able to recover well.

It might be worth lookng at that?

Hope he (and you) have a good night.

HM

well it appears like a miracle. his diahhorea has cleared up so no idea what it was, he had no access to rat poison or anything like that, to be honest he is not a big eater and not a scavenger. he is still on medication for his tummy to regulate his tummy bacteria.
his back seems to be giving him no problems at all now. he is naturally slowing up and he quite happily walks beside me now (if only my puppy would do the same!). he still cant get on the sofa, well not seem him as he seems quite happy lying on the bed of blankets and pillows i have n the living room.
thanks for asking and hopefully he will have many more chilled years ahead.
funny thing though when i was at the vets, she said his heart was fine and not even a murmer. i was told by a vet 3 years ago that he had fatal heart disease and now it appears he has the best heart beat the new vet has ever heard in a boxer ,especially as he is 9. so if his back is fine i may consider surgery for his gums as he has a benign tumour on it and was always told that becasue of his heart not worth removing.

So pleased - that's fantastic news

Ooh, that is great news bethoo, am really glad he is feeling so much better!

thanks, i was bloody hysterical on wednesday, i honestly thought it was the end. so happy it is not!

thats good news im so glad for you .i took my old dog to the pdsa once ,as one morning she could not get up at all ,so when i got there they said all her nerves in her back legs had gone ,and they was nothing they could do ,so i had her put to sleep there and then,i was heartbroken x2000 iukwim!! she was 19 .and i said i would never get another dog ,............ 8 months later i did

that is a good age. boxers live for a max 9-11 years on average though have known some to live til 14 which is very good!
i have a puppy whihc wa for company for Thor as he suffers separation anxiety and having another dog around means he does not bark all day bless him. though this one is a yapper!