Royce's mystery gimpy rear right leg

guywhofishes · Oct 6, 2016

Royce slipped on some slough ice late last winter and had issues when we got home - walking on 3 legs holding his hind right up. After a few months it slowly got better. Great one day - gimpy and not putting full weight on the next. Had him into the vet who did the testing for torn acls right away after it was evident it wasn't getting better fast - but no clear diagnosis. "Partial tear probably says the doc. Gee - thanks.

Since then he's good 90% of the time but once in a while - out of the blue - bang, 3 legs. Then - no less than 20 minutes later he's jogging along.

What's your thoughts? Bone chip? Pinched nerve? Any way to properly diagnose such oddness?

Royce is 4 yrs old BTW so if it's something I can do now and prevent long term damage I'd like to.

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Please help diagnose this young black dog's ailment. Just look at him - can't you help today? I'll be setting up a GoFundMe page soon. Open your wallets. It's not too late.

MuskyManiac · Oct 6, 2016

If you have plastic deformation of ligaments it's a permanent thing and will likely flair with certain movements because of the slight instability. It sounds very intermittent which makes identifying exacerbating factors very difficult. Bracing/taping while hunting might be your best bet at this point.

guywhofishes · Oct 6, 2016

plastic deforwhat?

deleted_account · Oct 6, 2016

damn you Martina mcbride and your g-dang commercials

Bed Wetter · Oct 6, 2016

It's the Lionel Richie hairstyle that's causing the limp. It will soon devolve into a full-fledged homo-walk and lisp.

FishSticks · Oct 6, 2016

any xrays? Might help point to what is hurting him or eliminate a few things. My pup had OCD in his shoulder this summer that caused some lameness, very common for young male larger breeds. Didn't need surgery thank god just a month or rest.

DirtyMike · Oct 6, 2016

Not sure how this will work for the poodle variety as his hind quarter will need to be shaved or at least short. Kinesiology tape is awesome to support musculotendinous structures, especially if an injury has occurred where even a minor rupture has taken place. I agree with MM in that it is probably flaring up each time he steps wrong or overuses it. The tape will help support the joint while allowing almost complete range of motion.

http://www.rocktape.com/products/tape/equine-kinesiology-tape/

guywhofishes · Oct 6, 2016

So he's just doing the George Jefferson strut Bed Wetter?

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But what would I brace/tape unless I knew what it was?

No xrays... yet. Would a guy do xrays or CT scan or what?

Enslow · Oct 6, 2016

Royce needs raw eggs with truffle salt.

guywhofishes · Oct 6, 2016

I don't want to keep hunting with him if I'm going to just make it worse.

I'd rather throw in the towel and "retire him" if I was - but to be honest it's a dog. The goofy things chase balls and squirrels just as hard as they hunt so I'm not sure I'd really be "protecting him" from anything.

DirtyMike · Oct 6, 2016

neither will show a soft tissue injury. MRI is the only sure-fire imaging modality. If it's a bone spur or chip, an x-ray will pick it out in an instant.

Enslow · Oct 6, 2016

Royce is worth the mri.

Duckslayer100 · Oct 6, 2016

If it's not seriously impeding him, I'd hunt him and watch.

With two GWPs prone to every health issue and accident in the books, I've decided I'd rather they do what they love in the field than sit at home and mope.

MuskyManiac · Oct 6, 2016

guywhofishes said:
plastic deforwhat?

Think of a rubber band, you stretch it and when you release the stress it comes back into shape.

Think of silly putty, you stretch it but when you release the stress it stays in the same shape and does not rebound. This is plastic deformation.

That's what bad about ligament (and joint capsule) injuries. A lot of times you stretch it enough to have plastic deformation and it's never the same again.

guywhofishes · Oct 6, 2016

is doggy MRI available in FM area - and if so anyone got referrals?

Yoby · Oct 6, 2016

Might want to check with the Animal Health Clinic on S University. Thats where we go because they seemed the most competent and had the most capability.

martinslanding · Oct 6, 2016

yep: Animal Health Clinic not the cheapest but probably the best, ask for Dr. Dill ...

labhunter66 · Oct 6, 2016

MuskyManiac said:
If you have plastic deformation of ligaments it's a permanent thing and will likely flair with certain movements because of the slight instability. It sounds very intermittent which makes identifying exacerbating factors very difficult. Bracing/taping while hunting might be your best bet at this point.

OK, so how would you go about taping this for a dog? I have an aging lab who did tear his acl last year. We didn't have surgery but have brought him along slowly and he seems to be doing fairly well. He walks about 4 miles a day and usually doesn't have much problem with it but if there's a way to tape it to provide additional stability to the joint I'd do it in a second.

DirtyMike · Oct 6, 2016

http://www.rocktape.com/canine-kinesiology-taping-how-to/

Kurtr · Oct 6, 2016

DirtyMike said:
http://www.rocktape.com/canine-kinesiology-taping-how-to/

I might need that stuff for up coming elk hunt with the whole groin muscle thing I got going on

Royce's mystery gimpy rear right leg

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