kirbydog Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 My 5,5 month old border has had a sore front leg for a few weeks now. My vet has advised me to minimise his exercise, which did not make a difference in his leg, but he obviously is driving us up the wall. He is getting desexed and exrayed on Thursday, but I was wondering if there is anyone who had a similar problem with their pup and what they did. My vet, who is very good by the way, thinks there might be a problem with his growing plates and I am very worried now. My first BC died after a traumatic fight against an auto immune disease and I could not bear for our new little mate having problems again as well. For any answers and suggestions I would be greatfull. Thanks!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Why does your vet think it is related to his growth plates? Is it defintely in his wrist? Is he limping? How much exercise had he been getting prior to the soreness? Did you see an initial injury happen or has it been a gradual progression? I guess waiting for the X-rays is the first thing to do. If that does not shed any light, I would take jim to a Canine Physio & see what they find. In the meantime, maybe teach him some tricks to keep his mind occupied so he doesn't drive you crazy. Anyway, Welcome to DOL! We need photos, what is his name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirbydog Posted May 8, 2007 Author Share Posted May 8, 2007 Why does your vet think it is related to his growth plates? Is it defintely in his wrist? Is he limping? How much exercise had he been getting prior to the soreness? Did you see an initial injury happen or has it been a gradual progression?I guess waiting for the X-rays is the first thing to do. If that does not shed any light, I would take jim to a Canine Physio & see what they find. In the meantime, maybe teach him some tricks to keep his mind occupied so he doesn't drive you crazy. Anyway, Welcome to DOL! We need photos, what is his name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirbydog Posted May 8, 2007 Author Share Posted May 8, 2007 Thanks Vickie, he has been playing with other dogs a lot on a recent holliday down the coast. I did not see him having an injury, but unfortunately he came home with a tick and had to get treatment for this. We do not have ticks in the Snowy Mountains. After this he spend time with my sister's West Highland Terriers and played all day. My Vet believes it may be the growth plates, because he could feel a lot of cartlidge there. So I am really none the wiser. Hopefull that the xray will give us an answer. Thanks for the phsio advise, that sounds like a good idea. No photos here, because I am at work. He is gorgeous though and his name is Kirby. Black/white and long haired. His coat seems to be growing every day at the moment. Dani Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Too much play can be very hard on growing bones. Minimising the exercise will take some time to have an effect. Good luck with getting him healed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wynnlake Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Yes it could be caused by an injury, but it could also be the first signs of TNS Has your pup got any other symptoms which may lead you to TNS? Lameness is one of the symptoms but if he starts getting sick, wont eat, has diarrhoea and high temperatures, id be looking at TNS. It might be worth discussing this with your vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahn Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 TNS = ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 TNS.. nasty. I just googled this. http://www.bryningbordercollies.com/TNS Hopefully your puppy is just suffering from too much of a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Is the soreness in the dog's wrist or in his elbow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Yes it could be caused by an injury, but it could also be the first signs of TNS I think there are usually symptoms before 5 months but I may be wrong. Thank goodness TNS is a rare condition & we have the ability to breed it out. It would certainly not be one of the first conclusions I would be jumping to after a bit of lameness...unless there were known carriers in the pedigree. Please let us know the X-Ray results. I'm with Poodlefan...a couple of weeks rest is not nearly long enough for an injury to heal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wynnlake Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 unfortunately there are way too many TNS carriers out there. Only a small percentage of dogs have been tested so far and quite a few have come back carriers. It only takes two untested dogs to be bred together who carry the gene to produce affected pups. And since the testing has only recently become available there is a good chance it may have happened. I dont mean to alarm you, just inform you that it is possible. By asking the dogs breeder you can find out if the parents have been tested yet and what the results are. Your breeder and vet are the best ones to help you here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Fairchild Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Well, front leg, ongoing. Sure it's not the shoulder... We've had this and it was OCD, so check that when you X-Ray. The vet said it was a foot for a start, but it was the shoulder and OCD. Dogs can cope fine with this with exercise and glucosamine, if it's not too bad. Garibaldi suffered with it, but still went on to become a titled masters dog in agility. He gets a sore shoulder now in his old age, but gets around okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirbydog Posted May 8, 2007 Author Share Posted May 8, 2007 (edited) Well thanks everyone. I will definitely get the shoulder checked. He is getting better though. I read about TNS before and it is a desease in very young dogs. Kirby is too old already for it. I will keep on walking him on the lead and just 30 minutes at a time and see how this goes. He could have injured himself, but from what I have seen I think it was just too much of a good thing. His parents are no TNS carriers and had perfect hip and elbow scores. But my first BC was pedigree and he died of a desease barely 4 years old one just never ever knows. He works well and is eager too learn and our dog trainer is very happy with him. I am not letting him jump out of the car either. Just lifting him in and out so we are trying. But if I do not exercise him he just runs in the yard until he gets tired. Dani Edited May 8, 2007 by kirbydog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 (edited) I will keep on walking him on the lead and just 30 minutes at a time and see how this goes. Dani, you may want to do some searches on puppies & exercise. Many of us believe that 30 minutes of leash walking is way too much for a 5 month old puppy. Leash walking is almost like a forced exercise. If you watch a puppy that age, loose in the yard, they will rarely walk/run solidly for 30 minutes unless there is some incentive. JMO. I used to drive my pup to the park & let her have a run around...that way when she was tired, she would lay down for a while. Kirby is very cute! Edited May 8, 2007 by Vickie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I agree Vickie. I certainly wouldn't call 30 minutes of onlead exercise "minimal" exercise for a pup that age. I hope this walking isn't happening on hard surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirbydog Posted May 8, 2007 Author Share Posted May 8, 2007 Thanks guys. I will try to take him down to the lake and let him run around and see how this goes. I find that I feel guilty about not spending enough time on him. Working mothers syndrom. There are never enough hours in the day for my daughter, my husband and my dog. My walk with him is my exercise too so I probably overdid it. Anyway I have seen an improvement in him so that is good. Tomorrow he will get desexed so he will be out of action for a while. We will see what my Vet says. Will go and see if we can teach him some more tricks to keep his mind occupied, he can roll over, shake and spin so far, but there is more too learn. The dog with the Whiskers can is my first BC. Wasn't he a good looking dog? I rescued him from a family in Canberra and he was an awesome dog. Never wandered off or did anything naughty, well allmost. Kirby is already showing the same traits so I am really excited about it. I am happy that his temperament is nothing like Monty though. Vicky how do you handle 4 BC's. I am hoping we will be able to get out of town so I can have another one, but 4? Wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 (edited) Vicky how do you handle 4 BC's. I am hoping we will be able to get out of town so I can have another one, but 4? Wow LOL, they're pretty easy really. They boys are older & the girls do lots of training. Sometimes I think 4 is easier than 3. Biggest problem is that with 2 kids & 4 dogs, we have to take 2 cars when we go away I take the dogs, OH takes the kids...pretty good deal I think How did your X-Rays go today? Any news? Edited May 10, 2007 by Vickie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dallmatt1 Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hi I know how you would feel i recently had a problem with my puppy, take him to a canine manipulator as it could be his shoulder & not his wrist it can save you a lot of time and money don't do what i done and spent $$$$ at the vets when the canine manipulator had my puppy walking in no time if not sure have your vet x-ray him lets know how you went Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashka1 Posted May 11, 2007 Share Posted May 11, 2007 (edited) Sorry to hear about your boy. I would also have his elbows and shoulders checked for OCD. This is often unilateral. Be sure to restrict his excercise, 30 mins is a long time...and add Ester C to his food along with glocosomine with condrolcin (SP). this will help his joints and cartlidge repair and grow. Edited May 11, 2007 by ashka1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirbydog Posted May 11, 2007 Author Share Posted May 11, 2007 I feel you. Like I said before I would love to have another one, but we need a bit more space for one more. I just love the breed they are the most precious dogs. My sister has Westies and they are stubborn as hell. Kirby is so easy to train and eager to work it is a pleasure watching him. Xray is fine. No breakage or anything. He is recovering well from surgery and was full of beans today already. Took him for a little walk, no limp. Vet is convinced it is wrist because he can feel a slight click when he moves his leg sometimes. He could get sore when he is older, but he is definitely on the road to recovery now. All is well thank god!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now