Stiff Back Legs

[JACKYSIAN]

Hi

Please could someone just give me a couple of suggestions for Cooper. He had a knock when I first fostered him on his back knee (think it was broken but the vet suggested to leave it rather than mess around with it). Since then he's always been abit stiff on it and limps after long walks.

 

Also he's always been abit unsteady on his back legs, almost like his hips are not quiet right. Last night I was getting them all out for their last wee and Cooper couldn't get himself out of his basket. I went to try and lift his bum up and he yelped! He did get up but then fell over, he managed eventually to get outside and seemed okay once he'd moved around abit.

This morning he was on the sofa when I came down, so he'd obviously managed to jump on and he went on his walk quiet happily, but I have noticed he sort of runs with his 2 back legs together and not separate (if that makes sense???)

 

Unfortunately I have no idea of his age, but suspect he's around 7 or 8? I can't give him cod liver oil as it gives him a rash.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Jacky

[redditchlady]

Not sure what to advise Jacky. Maybe metacam or the other antiimflamatory (name has gone) to relieve the pain as and when required.

 

Please give Cooper some gentle hugs for us. I hope he feels better soon.

 

Kazz xx

[our little godsend]

for Cooper

 

I really don't have much input except to say that Emma my oldie is always a bit stiff and finds it difficult to get up sometimes I'm sure I asked advice on here and many people suggested Glucosamine and Chondroitin I started to give these to her, but really don't know how long it takes before they start kicking in/working. At the moment, she seems less stiff but that could be because I have been able to walk her more often due to the weather cooling down. Whether its the walks or the supplements she has perked up a bit in any event

 

Hope Cooper is feeling less stiff and better soon

Edited July 31, 2006 by our little godsend

[Bernie]

I would be inclined to take him back to the vet for your own peace of mind. My Scampi has spondylitis as well as arthritis in his hips sometimes getting up is a lot worse than others and this hot weather has only served to make things worse. He is precribed metacam which I don't really like using, but is the only thing that helps, I give it on a need to basis, which is usually for a couple of days and then stop for a while, this seems to suit him. My vet says also that either extreme cold or hot will affect the joints, which has proved to be the case. He has certainly lost his spring though but now the weather has cooled he does seem better.

[Muriel]

There are loads of things can help, and here are some of them, I'm sure other folk will come alonmg with more.........

 

What worked for my old lady dog was Runaround from Stock Nutrition, which is Green Lipped Mussel, Shark Cartilage, Vitamins C & E. Within 5 days on that, she was trotting a couple of miles, with no trace of a limp, having previously only been able to stagger to the end of the road on very shaky pins, where she was lying down to watch the traffic while on Metacam. She was great on the Runaround for a couple of years.

 

Then her legs got worse again and I added in Garlic, Greenleaf Tablets from Denes, Osteotrace tablets from ARONHA, got her a magnetic collar, used crystals – Blue Lace Agate to start with, and others, she also had Acupuncture for months, but I eventually stopped that and did acupressure on her myself after having been shown by an Acupuncturist how and where would be most beneficial. These were all added in at various times as the need arose. She also latterly had Reiki which helped enormously and I believe gave her an extra 6 months with me.

 

There are loads of natural products and therapies out there which I am sure would help enormously. The trick is, as ever, finding the right thing for YOUR dog, which is where your gut comes in – you’ll know what’s right.Homeopathy can also work wonders. Hannah just didn’t want it, she preferred herbs etc.

 

The book which helped me a lot and sent me in various correct directions for Hannah is - Natural Healthcare for Pets by Richard Allport (available from the library). He covers a wide range of natural therapies and is based in Potters Bar, he’s one of the top Natural Vets. Had I kept Hannah on Metacam, she would have been dead by 12 as the Vet prophesied, but once I changed her to natural treatments she was MUCH happier, healthier, fitter and had a much greater quality of life. She lived to 15 years and 6½ weeks!

 

Runaround is available from Stock Nutrition www.doghealth.co.uk Phone 08000 744302 They are very helpful.

 

Denes website is www.denes.com Phone 01273 325364 They also have a range of Factsheets which they will send out free of charge very quickly if you ask. They’re also very helpful.

 

I know Glucosamine can be great too.

 

Some other products I believe can be helpful are :

Mobileaze www.aviform.co.uk I know someone who has used this very successfully with her Weimaraners. Cortaflex

Synflex

Ease by Phytopet 01244 813162 email [email protected]

Deer Velvet www.velvetenergy.com

Copper Collars help some dogs, but obviously not at the same time as a magnetic one!

Fish oil can help too.

Apple cider vinegar

 

Hydrotherapy..............

 

Hope you find the right thing for him.

 

A homeopathic Vet could be very helpful as there are a few remedies could help, to find one.......

 

http://www.bahvs.com/

 

http://www.trusthomeopathy.org/trust/tru_over.html

 

If his knee was broken, there's a homeopathic remedy helps the break to knit together.

 

I'll send Reiki if he wants it.

Edited July 31, 2006 by Muriel

[JACKYSIAN]

 

I'll send Reiki if he wants it.

 

Thanks so much Reiki would be gratefully recieved please.

 

I'll contact one of those vets, I spoke to someone when Cromwell was first diagonised with Pemphigus and it did seem to help for a few months. Unfortunately he is now on steriods as they are the only thing that consistantly helps.

 

I've heard alot of good things about Green Lipped Mussel, it was recommended for Cromwell also! I think I will ask about getting some Runaround for both of them as Cromwell is now 12, while he's not showing his age that badly, I'm sure it won't do him any harm.

 

thanks again, really appreciate everyones advise.

[Muriel]

If cod liver oil gives hima rash, is he allergic to shellfish? Worth having that tested before trying Runaround, a Kinesiologist can do that for you.

[JACKYSIAN]

If cod liver oil gives hima rash, is he allergic to shellfish? Worth having that tested before trying Runaround, a Kinesiologist can do that for you.

 

Ohhhhh good thought! He does have sardines in his food sometimes and seems okay with that, but I will get that checked out first! Thanks

[JACKYSIAN]

Just a quick update on my little man. Ellie (one.eyed-dog) kindly gave me a magnetic collar and it's either fantastic....or an amazing coincidence but he's walking so much better!!! He now gets out of his basket really easily and is even walking sometimes properly (not hopping on his 2 back feet).

 

So I'm impressed to say the least!!!! Will still be ordering some of the runaround...but have to wait unfortunately this month has left me skint already!!!

[Muriel]

[Laylasmum]

I have just bought Layla a magnetic collar so I am hoping that it will help her spine a bit, plus I ordered a bracelet for myself for my knees and shoulders.

[JACKYSIAN]

Well he's been on the glucosmine (sp!) for a few weeks now, and I've been really impressed with his improvement!

BUT last night we did a bigish walk and he did alot of swimming and today he's pretty stiff! I think I've come to the conclusion that it's the swimming that is doing the harm! At the weekend he had 2 very long walks but no swimming and he was fine!! It's a shame but I'm going to have to put a stop to it and see if it helps! I don't want to cos he really really loves it, but if it's causing him pain I'll have to!

[one.eyed.dog]

Lucy got much better when I got her a magnet collar. If I take it off she goes lame again.

I would get him x-rayed to see what is going on. His leg just collapsed at the forest so it maybe his hips????

I am so glad the collar is helping. They are expensive but, in my opinion well worth it.

Ellie

[phoenix21]

i began with a magnetic collar for molly and that helped for a while, then her legs got worse and so i took her to the vet who gave her metacam. She went on 2 courses of that when i stopped giving it to her as it wasnt really working wonders. I then gave her denes green lipped mussel with glucosamine (on recommendation from muriel ) I bought her just green lipped mussel the next time from a health food shop but these didnt have glucosamine in and she seemed to get worse. Recently she has been on cortaflex and another supplement containing green lipped mussel, vit c, devils claw etc and shes been doing well but cortaflex is really expensive over the long run so i am going back to giving her just green lipped mussel from denes and denes greenleaf tablets (which are v.cheap).

Molly is doing really well now, her legs arent great but she can manage a 15 min walk in the morning and an hours walk during day or evening (so long as there is a stop off at the river involved, a walk without a swim is NOT a good walk in mollys books lol) She 12 now and shes been on the supplements for a year or so, the difference when i first gave her the glucosamine and green lipped mussel was amazing, previously she had trotted behind on walks but then she began chasing rabbits again (ok no where near to catching them) but she was actually running which i hadnt seen her do for a couple of years. She just seems to forget her back legs are weaker now and will set off after rabbits (her favourite pasttime) then go off too fast and fall over, it doesnt seem to bother her though and she'll pick herself up and carry on.

 

Glad cooper is doing well , with molly it seemed like swimming was making her worse but i started properly drying her off as soon as we got to the car and now we put her togz (towelling coat thing) on and that really gets her dry quickly. It is about quality of life and if cooper really really loves swimming i wouldnt stop him, molly usually refuses to go on a walk unless its by the river or if we walk in the forest she'll not come back to the car until she has been to the river at the bottom of the forest she loves it that much she has been known to spend the majority of the walk walking/swimming along the river instead of walking along the bank lol

[LurcherGirl]

You know what I am going to say... McTimoney chiropractor.

 

Troy was more and more limping on his rear legs, after having chiro sessions, he is now totally sound! Definitely something I would try, particularly as he had an accident on it.

 

Vera

Edited September 20, 2006 by LurcherGirl