Any vets around please?

[MotherJack]

I'm not sure what to do - yesterday, my dog went for her morning walk, acted really strangely by walking slightly dejectedly behind me and came back and went to bed - when I went to see what the matter was she appeared to be in abdominal pain. She started pacing the house, seemingly unable to sit for a while... and then seemed ok, especially when her "mate" came round.

Got up this morning and exactly the same thing has happened.

My initial fear was chocolate poisoning as I caught her eating a chocolate santa someone had taped to the front of a parcel which I hadn't spotted, but when I googled it seemed that 1 choc santa just wouldn't contain enough theobromine.

Should I take her to the emergency vet???

Thanks.

ring them first and see what they say. i think they will suggest to bring her in as it has lasted more than 24 hours so is more than tummy upset.

I would phone as well, could be an obstruction, I wouldn't want to take the chance. I hope it's nothing and she's back to herself soon.

Thanks guys - I'll ring them, but also pretty sure it's not an obstruction as she's pooing fine.

Arthritis!!! Makes a whole lot of sense now!

Took her to the emergency vets, especially after realising that the normal ones aren't open until Wednesday... one quick injection of non-steroidal anti-flimflams later, she's bouncing around like nothing ever happened.

What a relief! Poor old girl. We don't know anything about her as she's 9(ish) and came from rescue with no history.

Thanks Boo and Fushchia.

any idea what was wrong with her? too much xmas turkey?

doh!! how did i miss the first word in your post???

Lol Boo!!

Just a thought..... I forgot to ask at the time.... has anyone got any advice on exercise until I can get her to my normal vet? I have no idea if I should walk her tomorrow or not?

Thanks

i am no expert but i would say keep her moving and warm, not heavy excercise, maybe a shorter walk at a slower pace, let her dictate the pace and then at home make sure she is moving about the house so her joints don't get stiff. have you got a rice pack in the house that she could have in bed with her?

Ah, am glad it's something treatable, would echo Boo's advice above - I also give mine a bit of a warm rub on the joint (think Karate Kid if you've seen it!) which seems to help if it's giving them trouble on waking. I did a Tellington Touch course which gave me some ideas for gentle noninvasive things to try.

Such a relief when you find out what is wrong isn't it? I had a moment of slight panic last night when one of mine started whining and looking pained, straightaway I was thinking 'Who's going to see her at this
time on Christmas night?'. Then I realised it was only because she
was lying right next to a binliner full of leftovers and she wanted to
get at it [rolls eyes at her and myself]

Lol Fushcia

Boo - she moves around the house alright - I can't stop her following me. A common symptom of certain rescue dogs I'm told, even though I know I do all the right things where that is concerned!!

Sounds like good advice, both - thank you.

I live in the middle of nowhere and my minimum circular walk is about 40 minutes (on a very sprightly day) so I will have to rethink things like that. Good new is I just had a google and one of the overriding factors in arthritis in dogs is obesity - she was when we got her but has lost nearly 4 kilos in 2 months - she must be feeling better for that but needs calmer, shorter walks.

PS... no need for a rice pack at night - she gets hot enough under my duvet

lucky girl. i have a Golden puppy and he follows me around the house and outside too so i know how you feel!

It's just dawned on me - that's probably triggered it hasn't it? I got her fit (she wasn't able to make it to the end of my front garden without being out of breath when I first got her!) and she has lost loads of weight and can now go babooning across fields with other dogs/after birds/her ragger and it's probably been a bit too much for her old joints. I suspected she was a bit dodgy on her back legs from the start. Bugger. Poor old gal.

if she was over weight it is likely that this is the cause of the arthritis.

posted too soon.

gentle daily excercise will keep her joints from stiffening and becoming sore. there may be some special excercises or massage you can do to help her. and I'm almost sure there is a supplement you can give her for it.

Do you turn around and fall over your pup, Boo? I'm working on mines insistence on being with me at all times, including dragging herself off the sheepskin in front of the fire to join me outside in the snow to get something from the freezer!!! At the moment she seems to be trying to get a biscuit for being "outside" rather than her being outside and performing a wee!! Seriously, she is like having a 9 year old pup

yes, although he is learning how to reverse when he sees me moving. his favourite spot is lying across my feet as i do the dishes he is a pup but he weighs 27k!! not good when you forget he is there and go to walk away-cue me falling and twisting my legs!! and yes he eve follows me out to the yard to get sticks for teh fire.

She is on James Wellbeloved senior which has glucosamine in it, but I have started her on glucosamine sulphate tablets tonight (I had some left over from my old dog who had lumbar sacral disease). Hopefully that should help her. Any further advice you have gratefully received

Funnily enough, the last time I fell over her was earlier with a basket full of logs from the pile outside! She didn't even help pick them up

i wish i had more, unfortunatley as WB is stil young, i have nothing else to add. the advcie to keep moving is just based on what i would tell a human to do

Fair enough - thanks for all of your advice

no probs.

I asked my friend who is a vet.

Slow gentle exercise is the best thing

If she seems in a lot of pain she can have ASPIRIN not anything else, but she can have ASPIRIN - a "baby" dose he said

My dog has a bit of arthritis, has been to the vet and had a course of those anti-inflammatory injections which seemed to work like magic! We were told to keep up the gentle to moderate exercise, to help keep his muscle strength up and his weight under control (we have to be careful not to over-feed as well), but obviously to cut back and rest him for a while if he started to show any signs of limping or discomfort again.

We give him a glucosamine supplement every day and he seems fine for the moment, doesn't seem to be having any pain or stiffness. I'm hoping he's got a good few happy, active years in front of him yet.

Mystery. Just got back after 3 days away and a handful of norocarp, along with very gentle exercise if any.... and it kept coming back.

Go her an appt. at her own vets and he can find no sign of arthritis. She was snorting when he palpated her abdomen, which in my experience with her breed is a sign of pain. I suggested this and got dismissed, but he is thinking along the lines of a neurological problem.

Bugger :(