Back Legs Problem
Bubba is soon to be 11 years old in a couple months. a few weeks ago we were going downstairs where the computer room is and had already went down the six steps from the living room(2-story) to the foyer and then six more steps to the downstairs area.
I forgot something and told Bubba to stay there while I went back up to the kitchen. Of course, he didn't listen and came back up those last six steps to the foyer area but never got all the way up. When I looked his front paws were on the slate foyer but his back legs were still on the last two steps. He looked frantic so I grabbed his front two legs and pulled him up. Chalking this off to maybe he couldn't get traction on his front paws due to the slick slate I overlooked it.
This past Saturday we had gone out on the deck to go out in the back yard and there's 12 steps to go down. No problem, he's negotiated up and own those steps for years. He got to the first couple of steps and tumbled all the way down 10 more steps and landed in the yard. I was scared stiff he may have broken a leg, cracked a rib or worse yet, his back or neck. He sat there awhile and I felt all over him for problems but he got up and walked away like nothing had happened. No chancing another event like that I decided we won't go down those steps again.
Last night as we were getting to go out back for his last potty break around 8:30 we went down the steps inside to cut through the garage and out the back door. He got down all steps but as he made it down to the parquet floor his back legs were spread out like an eagle-one going to the left, one going to the right like someone trying to learn to skate. He stood there temporarily and then walked toward me but he was still walking with both feet outward. After about six feet of walking like that he finally straightened them out and was fine.
Part of me wants to blame this on his being overweight and being 10 years old. Another part wants to think the worse as being maybe the onset of DM. After what I explained, I'd appreciate any insight into this. We go to the vet today as I'm not waiting anymore for my guessing.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Linda on
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Vicky....just so you know, you can actually rent those chair lifts for stairs and they aren't that expensive. We had one installed for my FIL when his cancer was so bad and after he passed away my MIL didn't want it...tho she could have used it but she wanted it gone.
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Permalink Reply by D46 on
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I've seen those chair lifts advertised on TV and thought how great those would have been last summer when I couldn't go up and down the stairs due to the bypass I had done in my leg. I couldn't walk from the kitchen to the living room without a walker.
I don't know how they'd benefit Bubba, though. I'd have to get in it myself, pick him up and the two of us ride together. He might get freaked out...I don't know. For myself it would have been superb but I'm good to go now.:)
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D46.....my husband built a ramp off our deck for Max and it has made a big difference for him. Any carpeting on it is useless just for the reasons you indicated. Best bet is a rubber runner that you can secure to the ramp. Best is if you can find one that has some kind of cross hateching or raised areas to help him get a better footing on it.
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Those steps are at a pretty good angle and I've wondered if he'd had problems going up or down. Maybe with the rubber mat yo mentioned he could get better traction than with any type of carpet. That makes more sense. I'll have to try and find one maybe at Lowe's or Home Depot and see what they have...good suggestion. I could pick up some 3/4" plywood there as well.
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Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on
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Hmmm... I just built a ramp in the swmming pool so the soon-to-hatch ducklings can (I hope) climb out before they drown on their first venture into the drink. Made it of styrofoam; obviously for a critter of Bubba's size, it would have to be wood or weather-proofed particleboard.
But the thing is, following some instructions at a state Game & Fish Dept site, I covered it with a terrycloth towel. The terrycloth provides enough traction for little duck claws to grab onto. I wonder if you could cover a ramp with old toweling, maybe attached with industrial-grade Velcro? That would allow you to wash them.
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Permalink Reply by Marcie on
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If walking him yourself is an issue, could you get a dog walker? A neighbor does a mid day potty break and short walk for Becca. Another neighbor walks her for me on migraine days. If Becca doesn't get her miles in there is no living with her.
If there are no neighbors available, are there any dog walking companies nearby?
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No neighbors I know of as most are like me...old or getting there! Bubba is slow about his walking. The other day when I had him out he was the slowest I've seen him lagging behind some 3-5 feet. He's never done that before always keeping up with me or even a couple feet ahead. I think he's just gotten older and more lazy, if that's possible.
Ever seen a Corgi that will let you take a vacuum cleaner and run over them with the nozzle? Bubba doesn't care and lets you do whatever you want.
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Ha ha! That's wonderful! Cassie would probably keel over with a heart attack, and Ruby would try to kill the thing.
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D46....our back steps are fairly steep also, you just have to extend the ramp out farther than the bottom step plus what we did to minimize the step up from the ground to the ramp was create one step from the ground to the ramp. We did that with a simple piece of 2 x 8. Just make sure the plywood is thick enough that it can withstand weight...his and yours...repeatedly over time. Ours is a piece of metal grating that my husband brought home from work and the rubber matting over it.
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Running over Max with the Dyson was how I knew he would make a great therapy dog...nothing fazed him. He still refuses to move, Katie on the hand is terrified of it.
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I'm not much of a carpenter. I'd probably call my guys at Premier Handyman that do things for me I don't have the knowledge to do or can't do it physically or both. The plywood would go across the lip of each step going down and may or may not be sufficient. I'll get them to come out, explain the problem and see what they think. I can do electrical work and plumbing but not so good with carpentry.
I use the old Kirby Heritage II vac on Bubba. With the brush attachment I use for doing the stairs is what I use on him. I have a Dyson DC Animal, or something to that effect and it gets tons of hair off the carpet. In fact, you can see it swirling around as it picks it up unlike the Kirby that has bags you have to change.
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Permalink Reply by Holly on
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I am glad you had so many responses and offers of support for this scary situation. I only read the first several responses but I wanted reassure you about a couple of your concerns. Sully looked like a little pig minus the curly tail, or any tail when I first adopted her. Initially she begged for food often but I just said "No" gently and turned my back on her EVERYTIME she begged, and she just walked away. I never give her people food with the exception of apple slices, steamed carrots (won't eat them raw) and green beans. She gets minimal treats when she needs to be rewarded for a command but other than that she never gets anything off my plate and I only feed her in her dish. The only time I feel guilty is when it has been a few hours since her last meal and she can smell something cooking that might make her want to eat then. I sometimes give her a few pieces of vegetables then. I am not sure exactly how much Bubba eats, but Sully is about 24 lbs. and eats 1/3 C of food in the morning and 1/3 C 12 hours later. I try to measure it as much as possible so I don't give too little or too much.
It sounds like Bubba gets much more than that so you would have to lower the amount slowly over time until you reach whatever amount the vet recommends. The pet food recommendations may not be accurate since they benefit from you using as much as possible. As for your own physical limitations, I have spinal stenosis and I walk (not run) with a cane. I chose Sully specifically as that was one of the few profiles that came up advertising a "coach potato." I have a sign over her bed that says "Beware of Log." Still she walks a lot with me. She eats less because she is less active. It didn't take long for her to adjust to less food. It was much easier than I anticipated, but I did give her extra attention, mostly snuggling, while she adjusted. She loves to learn tricks (probably to get treats!) but she only gets a tiny piece of apple or a piece of dry kibble when she obeys a command. She really gets as excited to practice tricks as she does to eat a meal of meet a friend. I am sure Bubba will do as well and get used to less food over time. Once he is used to eating less he will feel satisfied sooner, though it would be easy to have it sneak up again. I think the main thing is to never feed him when he begs, EVER, so he learns that he is only going to eat when you put something in his dish. I am guessing if you turn you back on his begging face, which is no doubt adorable, he will stop begging in a few days. Apparently turning your back on them is a signal to dogs to "Cease and desist." It works like magic and you don't even need to say a word. If you do break down and give in after a couple of days though he may just learn to be much more persistent. As someone already mentioned, food is not love and he doesn't think of it as love so he won't feel sad or neglected, maybe just confused at first with a change in routine. If you cannot walk him at least eating less will be a big help to his health. Extra hugs and attention can help him adjust to that. Good luck. I am very happy he wasn't hurt on the stairs!
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