Limping dog ?

[notapizzaeater]

Have a 4 year old bearded collie who limps !

Last summer he was limping quite a lot - always front left shoulder so we had him x rayed and vet told me he was ok - must be a sprain but to watch it as he would probably get arthritis as he gets older and try not to walk him too hard (very hard as he is wood walked and loves running about and chasing stuff - sticks, squirrels etc)

He'd not been too bad for a couple of months but this week he's been really bad, he's like an old man getting up and moving but is still insisting on his two walks a day and not complaining of any pain.

The vet gave me Metacam (sp) for if he got bad, I've been giving it now for 4 days and he doesn't seem to be getting any better - he's been having this at night before bed with his biscuit - would it better in the morning ?

I'm adding cod liver oil to is food and he is fed James well beloved and tin of butchers ....

Could the X-ray missed something - should I take him back ? Can I add anything else to his food ?

I'd stop the walks for a few days or only short lead walks and see what happens.
Also how long has your metacam been open for? It should only be used up to 6 months after opening. Not sure if it goes off or if it stops being effective.
My vet reccomends glucosamine as a supplement.

Only opened the Metacam this week as he had not been in pain, will add some of that stuff - is the one with fish in it better - no idea of spelling .....

He hates lead walking loves to run round as a bouncy dog does .... He's sulking at the mo as we pavement walked him today already ....

Have you tried a magnetic collar as well? Worked wonders for my old dogs arthritis.

Ooh will go and look at a magnetic collar for hm. He's depressed at the minute and moaning all the time - really not liking pavement walks at all !!

Ahh poor thing, they don't work for all dogs but worth a try.

Muscular shoulder injuries in dogs can take a really long while to heal - 6 to 9 months of lead only exercise.

God I hope not - can you get anti depressants for dogs ? He's sulked all day long .....

You need to go back to your vet for further investigations tbh. He is a young dog to have chronic lameness and the limping represents pain which needs to be properly managed. I would be unhappy with an undiagnosed lameness in a dog of this age and breed.

People often fail to realise that a dog will only yelp or refuse exercise once pain is very severe. The fact that he's still willing to go out is because he's a young collie, not because he isn't in pain.

He was xrayyed over 6 months ago, something different may be happening now, worth a 2nd xray I think. Dogs are unbelievably stoic, I've seen so many dogs with fractures who have still been running about.

No evidence for magnetic collars whatsover in humans or dogs by the way, I'd put the money towards diagnostics, as poachedeggs says 4 years is young for a chronic lameness.

Best supplement (most evidence base for it) is glucosamine/chondroitin.

Ah even that's pretty equivocal ithas, although it won't do any harm the orthopods I refer to are still very hesitant to advocate their use beyond a vague "some studies suggest... " sort of thing.

Diagnosis has to be a priority here, then medication, supplements, physio etc can be addressed properly.

I'm going to take him back next week - its so hard just gently walking him - he's depressed I'm depressed - I agree. I did argue with the vet last year that at 3.5 then he should not be limping ! By his nature he's a bouncy energetic dog. Have started on the glucosemate stuff anyway - decided it wouldn't harm him.