Limping Dog Question...

[cannon_fodder]

My black lab/weimaraner girl dog has gone gimpy.  She is ~2.5 years old, was a stray that I took in, goes to the vet on a fairly regular basis, and is generally healthy and all too active.  She is outside during the day with my other dog in a decent size back yard, goes on walks, to the lake, dog park, etc.

The day after thanksgiving my dogs jumped into the back of my Pathfinder and we went to my uncles farm.  They ran around as they always do and followed me to the pond (~1/2 mile walk through open fields) were they hopped in and swam around with no apparent problems.  On the way back to the house (again through open pasture) she began to limp.  I checked her paw figuring she had a bur, but no such luck.

She continued to run to catch up with my other dog and poke her big stupid head under trees, wood piles, or in horse piles.  Other than limping she acted perfectly normal. No event or yelp or other sign that at any time things went wrong.

I manipulated her leg (rear right leg limp btw) and he tolerated it.  No obvious moment of pain.  So I figured she was sore and went inside.

Later that evening she was hopping on it, not limping.  I ended up having to pick her up and put her in the car to get her home.  The next day she was a little better.  Now a full week later she is better still... she acts perfectly normal (jumping on the bed even) but CLEARLY favors that leg.  She will sometimes put considerable weight on it but still usually stands with it off the ground.  Manipulating it (repeatedly) I can feel nothing wrong, no odd creaking, no sudden pain, but clearly she doesn't like it (she has NEVER liked people touching her feet).

I have a vet appointment for Monday.  

My questions:  

What's your take?  Sprain?  Something torn?

How much does a dog cost to fix?  I can't be throwing $1000 out on a stray dog that very well may run out in front of a car the next day.  At the same time... it's my dog.

Stupid girl dog.

[Hometown]

Bless her heart.  I know you love her.  You just don't want to look like a patsy.  If it costs $1,000 to save this girl's health it will be the one of the best $1,000 you've ever spent.  You'll feel good about yourself afterwards.

But I bet it will cost less.  

If you aren't happy with the answer your vet gives you I have a vet that is no nonsense with very reasonable pricing.  He isn't close to you but he'll give you the real cost with no added fluff.  Dr. Hecht on Gilcrease Museum Road.  585-9369.

Please let us know when she gets better.  I already like you a little more just knowing that you have this beautiful girl.

[rwarn17588]

Sounds like a bad patellar tendon. It's usually seen in small dogs, but an increasing number of larger dogs are getting them, too.

http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/MedialPatellarLuxations/

Then again, it could be that your dog simply sprained something. The best antidote might simply be time.

[jne]

My bet is that if everything appears to be in its place, she's probably fine and just pulled/stretched/sprained.  She probably stepped in a hole running around.  I've seen dogs show similar injuries and recover fine on their own.  Let the vet take a look, hopefully it is nothing serious.  If there is some serious problem that requires a costly surgery with indefinite outcomes, I'd consider amputation.  Dogs don't feel sorry for themselves, a 3 legged dog with get on with life like any other.

[naenae42day]

It could be a torn ACL.  Anterior Cruciate Ligament.  Something similar happened to my dog.  Your vet can diagnose it.  I would recommend at least taking your pup in for an examine.  Good Luck.

Peace Out!

[carltonplace]

My Lab mix does the same thing from time to time, normally from over exertion (sometimes from digging when he hits something hard with his nail) and he gets better after a week of reduced activity. I would continue to walk her, but try to limit strenuous activity for a bit. She should be fine again soon. Labs just don't always know when to quit when they are having fun (or eating).

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by naenae42day

It could be a torn ACL.  Anterior Cruciate Ligament.

Ding ding ding ding!

I took her in Friday over lunch (then to work with me for the remainder of the day, 87 pounds of dog under my desk was pretty funny).  They THINK she has ACL damage.  

The test to confirm is about $250.  The 'quick fix' is about $800 but has a high failure rate, given that she is 2-3 years old the failure risk would be extreme.  To fix it right it would cost up to $3,000 and the risk of failure is still there.

I can't spend $3,000 to fix a dog back to athlete status.  Especially since it could be a reoccurring problem.    That and $3,000 would be money that would have to come from a retirement account, college fund, or rainy day fund... which might not be wise at the moment.

HOWEVER, she is doing much better.  Today when I let her out she was full of energy.  Before I left for work I went out to get my other dog to the vet (just a checkout and grooming) and she brought me her ball and was jumping up for it (which I discouraged and did not throw... which made me feel like a jerk).    She is on an anti-inflammatory.

So my unprofessional diagnosis is damage to the ACL short of destroying it and she will be OK.  Though I will have to try and make her take it easy for a long while and her squirrel/bird killing days are probably over  (i hope).

[naenae42day]

I am sorry to hear I was right.  I just had this fixed on my dog.  He is about 45 days post op.  It was $1800.  They can make it about a year, because scar tissue develops and it isn't so painful.  But, once that scar tissue is gone...you are talking bone against bone...bad news.  If you can scrape it together..the sooner the repair..the better.
I highly recommend my vet.  Message me and we can talk.

Peace out
T~

[cannon_fodder]

I appreciate it, but I honestly can not justify spending in excess of $1,000 on my dog.  As much as I treat her like a member of the family I just can't justify spending that kind of money.  If I had $3,000 to spend on it I'm not sure my conscience would let me as certainly other causes could use that much money.

I will have to hope that it continues to improve or at least remains at the current level.  They were not sure it was a torn ACL, but if her quality of life erodes I will have to do something different and I hope that doesn't include having her put to sleep.  It hurts me to say it, but at the end of the day she is an animal and has to come after the needs of people.  

At least that is what I'm saying now and hope I can hold the logic if it does get worse.  I'll want to take money out of somewhere to pay for it if it comes down to it.  Well, no need to explain further.  You either understand my position or you rabidly disagree.

[DolfanBob]

I'm with you CF.
I have a Min Pen that was a stray my boy's brought home. He was old when we got him. Almost two years ago he developed a big lump around the testicle area. Now he is just like a family member and my boy's were really concerned. After the first Vet check costing $185 dollars for stool check, anti inflammatory medicine, antibiotics and office call. It did not get better.
Second trip back cost another $116 dollars for office visit and Ex-Ray.
He had a tumor and would require surgery. I was told that it could be cancerous.
The cost of the surgery was $485 dollars and he wanted to know if I wanted to get a biopsy done at the cost of another $185 dollars.
I asked him if he thought that they got all of the tumor out and he assured me that they had.
I wanted to know if he thought the biopsy was necessary. His answer was if the surgery was a success he would live several years. If not I would find him fallen over in the yard, you just never know.
Kind of a cold response, but it looks like the dog might out live me.
$786 dollar's on a stray dog. At the time it seemed crazy. But I know I would most likely do it again.

[cannon_fodder]

If I had a good chance of fixing the problem for < $1,000 I would probably complain a lot but do it.  Unfortunately, the cheaper surgery has a high rate of failure and given how active she is it would probably fail again.

I took her in as a stray.  I have given her the best care I am capable of with good food, a dog house, regular vet visits, etc.  I do not like the idea of mistreating my dog and I do believe that if you own a dog you have a responsibility to take care of it.

But that conflicts with the notion of spending $3,000 to fix a dog's knee.  Especially when the same thing could happen to the other knee.  Argh.  It really sucks.  

AS it stands she is very happy.  It only seems to bother her when she wakes up or if she goes nuts for a while (ie. chases a bird in our backyard... who hops a few feet away to a branch and looks at the dog all pissed off, flies to a different spot in the yard, repeat).  Her quality of life has been only slightly reduced and I hold out hope that the preliminary diagnosis is wrong and that all will be well.  Wish I could leave it at that and move on but I worry that she will suddenly NOT be better.

Dogs and kids... sometimes I wonder if they are worth the stress.

[carltonplace]

In my opinion the stress of the surgery would probably be worse for her than the condition. Unless she starts to exhibit symptoms of  ongoing heightend pain I would leave her be. Discomfort getting up is certainly not affecting her quality of life, but being seperated from family and home and going through a convalescence will.

[naenae42day]

You could look into putting her on some glucosamine chondroitin.  It may help with the healing.  With the economy in the current status, it sux we have to choose do we eat..or do we help our kids/critters.  Good luck..I know she will get lots of love no matter what.

[cannon_fodder]

Still limping.  I don't think it has gotten better at all.  Which points to a full tear ACL.

Looked into the surgery more.  Consensus is the corrective surgery (cheap one) has a high failure rate, with the full surgery the knee will be very good after 6 weeks.  Unfortunately, there is a 50% chance that the other knee will go out.

Stupid dog seems so happy.  

[Hometown]

Bless her heart.

You might get some prices from other vets.  I priced cat teeth cleaning recently and got a range from $85 to $325.

Good luck.