ness

Kenz has muscle wasting over her right scapula. The only real "symptom" she has most of the time is she can be a little stiff when she wakes up but its quickly resolved. Its normally only later on in the evening that she has issues but its very much blink and you will miss it the majority of the time. Sometimes we have days of obvious lameness but mostly not. Even 2 days of solid exercise post her last specialist appointment i.e. run at the beach and a couple of frisbee sessions and at the appointment she wasn't sore in the slightest until he started applying pressure to her biceps tendon and then took her back outside for a walk and she was subtly lame. I haven't noticed any change in her jumping style hmmm I misunderstood him and jumped her Saturday and she pulled up 100% after that. Just straight grids. She drove as hard as she normally did and had a good jumping style. We had our last agility trial a couple of weeks prior to her injury so she hadn't been jumping in the few weeks prior to when she was diagnosed. We have done some random agility sessions this year - maybe 2 or 3 max at varying points and there has been no noticeable difference other than the last session when she came up not weight bearing her rear leg and that is what triggered me to investigate further. Kenz has had some intermittent hind end lameness in the opposite back leg.

tracking is awesome fun kathq - another tracking addict born .

So do I - having a tough day she is back on no heavy activity and I am convinced she was worse today as a result. All she got were two short leash walks . Not even sure I am starting to doubt that surgery is the only solution and thats scary as its not something I can really afford .

Oh this sucks - just seen the new bowls they have my girls could use new bowls . ETA. If there is anybody in SA who wants to put in a combined order I have half an order.

Yep my 3.5 year old BC has been battling it on and off for the last 12 months - she a few months short of her third birthday. She first started limping back in December 2010. We have been on restricted exercise, done rounds of chiro vets, physios and ortho specialists. We went the conservative management path. 50% recover without needing surgery 50% of dogs end up needing surgery. She was continuing to get better so I figured it just needed time and was happy enough until I found a new specialist who is recently over from the states and has dealt with plenty of performance dogs. Kenz is now going to have platelet rich plasma treatment (PRP) in a final attempt to avoid surgery otherwise the specialist will go in and transect the biceps tendon. The results are mixed as to whether the PRP will help but its a lot less invasive then surgery with minimal side effects so while there is little data I thought I had nothing to lose at this stage. If she was only going to remain a "pet" and lived a fairly sedate lifestyle then her level of lameness is not worth looking further but given she is also a very active performance dog I guess I wasn't satisfied that we had got to the bottom of it. Surgery has a 95% success rate but I have found enough evidence to suggest the PRP is worth a go before going to surgery. There will be extensive rehab regardless but it beats 4 weeks strict crate rest. Our specialist is confident that either way she will regain full function and be able to resume agility post extensive rehab. He cited plenty of performance dog examples where they have got back to full training and trialling so long as you are careful and don't try and rush it.

Thanks OSS yeah it is frustrating - especially since I really don't want to put her through surgery . The specialist wants the inflammation to have settled as much as it can to give the PRP the best chance at resolving the problem - its just looking less promising when I see her limping after doing bugger all.

Grrrrr leash only walks and Kenz is miss limpy today - definitely short in her front right .

nawww Beans is welcome here too Ptolomy. I like free steak knives. i have just been out building fort knox. Fingers crossed it holds up to one very driven determined BC!!!!!!- and thats the 11 year old .

he loves garlic prawns - maybe try those . Although I hear twisties are pretty awesome to. Let me know if your successful. I am sure Ptolomy won't realize she is missing one - least for a few days .

Somehow livertreat I don't think Moo is going anywhere anytime soon .

So which 2 duck dogs - Moo is welcome, I'd also take Soggy in a heartbeat and Kenz say's Strauss would be just as good as Brookie .

Kenz says you and bedazzledx2 keep offering Brookie and the tollers going cheaply and yet she hasn't seen Brookie arrive yet - you know how much she loves him . I can offer a Ness as a trade .

Yep I am pretty sure that is what it is RosieFT. She is back on super strict exercise till her next appointment - ah what fun least she can do some stuff just not very much. She was certainly not impressed with me when I ran her older sister at agility tonight and she was left in the car.

Good news that you have worked out what the matter is and fingers crossed you get to the bottom of it soon RosieFT. Kenz had another trip to a different specialist last Friday and he was almost 100% certain she has biceps tendonitis. Given rest hasn't worked and in an attempt to avoid surgery we are trying a PRP injection. It effectively involves taking a blood sample, harvesting platelets and reinjecting it back into the tendon. If this fails then she is going to need surgery but I would rather not go down that path without exhausting all other possibilities first.

sorry DSO - tell Jess Kenz might be able to come play pairs next year - fingers crossed.

Sheila wrote: But my partner and I might spend some time training the "Watch" and "Go" commands for each other, the dogs seem to know what they're doing! Maybe you need to introduce a handler reinforcement schedule and mark each other with chocolates or lollies for paying attention .

I would have thought it was well within the law - you are not actually making an accusation against anybody specific but merely alerting people to an incident. Local resident could be anybody in the surrounding area. Maybe I might go so far as to say if anybody else has witnessed similar could they please report it to council. You never know it might not just you that this fellow has had the same conversation with. Somebody else might have been told similar but not taken the proactive measure of reporting it.

I would consider that sign appropriate. Maybe include the date so people don't think its old. i.e. was told to park members early Sunday morning (27 November 2011).

Way to go Kallistar and Tux . I was looking at the results the other night and thought you had done well .

Way to go Bedazzledx2 congratulations .

yes its not a sport conducive to working. I will be working next year this year I have been finishing a PhD so I was able to be a little flexible . Read Tue morning scheduled for tracking rather than work .

I don't think people get offended its hard these days purchasing things on line especially when its an individual or a small company rather than a big organisation. For every genuine person there are plenty out there that aren't unfortunately.

Grevillea Cottage Border Collies is Sheena on DOL and she is a very active member of the BC thread so I don't think you will have any issues.

Lola - there is a group that train on Tue at Blackwood. I went there this year about half way through the season with my guys and managed to put my old girl in the last trial for the year and come away with her track 1. Hope to do some more next year but don't think I'll be able to get to the group so will have to train on my own.

I ordered an everlasting treat ball from CR and it got through fine - not recently mind you.