Tralee Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 What did the vet say about leaving the leg unsupported? I'd be worried about creating muscle wastage by immobilising the leg. How was the injury caused? The Vet said nothing other than discussing the X-ray. At this stage I would have thought there is some atrophy of the muscle. That should not be a concern, as he will be immobilised for 12 weeks after surgery. Apparently the injury is a common occurrence in working dogs, according to the specialist, and Zuess sustained the injury jumping. (ouch) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 What did the vet say about leaving the leg unsupported? I'd be worried about creating muscle wastage by immobilising the leg. How was the injury caused? The Vet said nothing other than discussing the X-ray. At this stage I would have thought there is some atrophy of the muscle. That should not be a concern, as he will be immobilised for 12 weeks after surgery. Apparently the injury is a common occurrence in working dogs, according to the specialist, and Zuess sustained the injury jumping. (ouch) I'd leave the sling off. You're restricting the movement of more than the leg if you have it tied around his body. If the injury was created by trauma, then a chiropractic visit might be worthwhile after the surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 I'd leave the sling off. You're restricting the movement of more than the leg if you have it tied around his body. If the injury was created by trauma, then a chiropractic visit might be worthwhile after the surgery. I only sling the leg up if he wants to hobble around outside. I put it inside the front strap of the harness shown below. So it prevents him putting weight on it. The leg can slip out when he wees, so he can balance. I refit the leg when he starts to walk again. You can also see his morale is quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrm88 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Please get him some pain relief straight as soon as possible I cannot believe a vet let you go home without any. That is terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 Please get him some pain relief straight as soon as possible I cannot believe a vet let you go home without any. That is terrible. I'll get him some tomorrow when I request the referral for his surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 If you get him some pain relief can I suggest that you restrict his movement. I like to do this to prevent more damage being done to the injury as dogs will try to work normally with no pain to tell them not to. Could he be missing his old owner too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 If you get him some pain relief can I suggest that you restrict his movement. I like to do this to prevent more damage being done to the injury as dogs will try to work normally with no pain to tell them not to. Could he be missing his old owner too? Unfortunately, while he was at home, he was not been restricted from activity and I fear the maximum damage has been done. One of the reasons I have the dog here with me is because the owner could not restrict his movement. I am sure he is home sick as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 LGD are VERY stoic and many rarely show how much pain they are really in. Yep, DEFINTELY pain killers (pain inhibits healing) and IMO I would dispense with the sling too!! Crate or rest in a small pen Find out what he was eating and how much. When was he last wormed? Do blood tests as suggested. Give Vit C (sodium ascorbate) and a calorie dense diet perhaps (google 'satin balls' as one example). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 LGD are VERY stoic and many rarely show how much pain they are really in. This Having had a Kelpie walk around on a broken bone for a few weeks- found incidentally by the chiro because she was not lame on it (she has also competed with torn ligaments that I found again in an incidental examination because she had run completely normally in the comp) I can only imagine what these guys manage to hide away. Just an explanation that I was given on the nature of canine pain. A lot is from observational studies but we do think they experience pain in a similar manner to humans- Dogs will always hide injuries and get on with the job- they have been bred that way since their origin- through primary and secondary selection processes. Its only since they have become companion animals and people have had disposable income and there have been veterinary advances that many of these conditions are not ignored or treated with a bullet- so the ones that did get up and walk on injuries are the ones the bred from. It is up to us to look at the situation, determine how painful we expect it to be and treat it accordingly, rather than try and get the dog to tell us. We think that by the time a dog stops walking and eating it means it would rather die than take another step or eat, this dog isn't at that point but that doesn't mean it isn't in a world of pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Jumabaar: Dogs will always hide injuries and get on with the job- they have been bred that way since their origin- through primary and secondary selection processes Such is the nature of carnivores - they move or they die. Cats hide pain even better than dogs. Pain in an animal like a horse (a herbivore) is far more obvious - they becme depressed. They know how vulnerable they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 My friend recently had something similar occur with a dog she adopted from me in 2010 - very lively dog normally but suddenly dog was down and hardly moving. Went to 1 vet who diagnosed dental issues and removed 15 teeth. Dog sent home WITHOUT painkillers and laid around for 2 weeks without improvement. She went to a second vet, they said pain from the mouth and gave her pain killers for 5 days, small improvement but then back to lying around. Denise from PAWS suggested my friend go back to our rescue vet who is very good and thorough and get some xrays, she had a suspicion it wasn't related to the teeth but perhaps arthritis (dog is around 10 or 11 we think). Xrays of back, hips and legs showed considerable issues with the hips and one leg with an arthritic knee. Dog was put on anti inflammatories and a course of Zydax - the change in her is amazing - she's just like she used to be. Sometimes you have to keep going until you get an answer - for a 6 yr old dog, what you are describing is of real concern and needs to get sorted -asap for his sake. I do wish old people wouldn't get young active breeds and then confine them, it's very sad and sometimes the dog learns to cope with its restrictions so sometimes you have to get them out of that but this one also has an injury and perhaps other stuff going on. I hope you find someone to help urgently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donski Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Oh god, PLEASE get that dog some pain killers. Poor thing. That would have the first thing on my mind and I'd have been insisting. His appetite could be reduced simply due to his inactivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) A brief note, please look away if you are easily distressed. A referral and medication was requested this morning before work, and an instruction to collect them this afternoon was given. I was advised the Vet would be away today so I agreed to collect the referral tomorrow but would require the meds. Once again I left the Vet this afternoon without the meds because no contingency plan for the absent Vet or procedure for referral to another Vet was in place. Same Vet, Same unsatisfactory care. I am not happy. Edited July 19, 2012 by Tralee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Tralee - is this the same vet you had lots of dissatisfaction with some time ago..with your bitch ? Definitely time to travel to another ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Tralee - is this the same vet you had lots of dissatisfaction with some time ago..with your bitch ? Definitely time to travel to another ..... Yep, unfortunately. I think they've had a fair go. We have a number of Vets here. The trick is going to be finding one who is not too close and personal with this current 'monster' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Tralee - is this the same vet you had lots of dissatisfaction with some time ago..with your bitch ? Definitely time to travel to another ..... Yep, unfortunately. I think they've had a fair go. We have a number of Vets here. The trick is going to be finding one who is not too close and personal with this current 'monster' I think the priority needs to be on getting some medication for this dog. Issues relating to association with your current vet can be put aside for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I think the priority needs to be on getting some medication for this dog. Issues relating to association with your current vet can be put aside for the time being. I tried to get some pain killers from another Vet. They consulted the original Vet surgery by phone and would not administer a prescription drug without seeing the dog themselves. I was a bit reluctant to double up on the $360 consult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 why in the hell have you taken on this dog if you do not have the knowledge or skills to care for it or access to a decent vet ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I think the priority needs to be on getting some medication for this dog. Issues relating to association with your current vet can be put aside for the time being. I tried to get some pain killers from another Vet. They consulted the original Vet surgery by phone and would not administer a prescription drug without seeing the dog themselves. I was a bit reluctant to double up on the $360 consult. No vet in their right mind would prescribe for a dog without seeing it. Why on earth would it cost $360 for an ordinary consult?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Why on earth would it cost $360 for an ordinary consult?? That was the cost for the initial anaesthetic, X-rays, recovery injection and consultation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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