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 Judith Andre on
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I don't mean to be morbid, but here goes...since turning 70 and losing 3 close friends and 2 fur babIes in the last several months I have been thinking of death more. .Fact is we're all going to die as are our pups and there are not any appealing way to do it. I've been trying to get as much living in as I can.....we compete in agility which Murray loves and helps to keep us both fit. My last Corgi died of DM and seemed pretty happy until the end....dogs don't generally spend a lot of time feeling sorry for themselves The best thing I had was a sling that went on his back end kind of like pants with a long handle. It was made by DOGGONE WHEELS. Have any of the vets tried pregnazone? It is kind of a miracle drug for many ailments but will not help if it's DM. One way I watch Murray's weight is to add a handful of fresh or frozen veggies to his kibble to make it seem like more but with fewer calories. Now if I could just have as much will power to keep the weight off myself!. I am so sorry you have to go through this and my heart goes out to you. Hugs from Murray and me.
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So maybe you could rig him up with a harness and leash in front and the "sling" in back so you could partially support him and keep him from falling. Would one of those little seats that run on a track on the stairs be an option? I'm sure they aren't cheap but it's a thought. I live in a second floor walk up in a building I own so I've given this some thought for both my dogs and myself. I can still carry Murray when necessary at this point. Getting old sucks.
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Permalink Reply by Linda on
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Judith....you can rent those "chairs" that ride on the stairs, you don't have to buy them. We rented one for my father in law when he was losing his battle with cancer, the stairs were too much for him.
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Permalink Reply by D46 on
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"Have any of the vets tried pregnazone?"
Do you mean Prednisone? No, I don't like steroids and won't give them to him unless it's a dire emergency. I have on order a special harness that has a handle of sorts on the back so you can pick him up like a suitcase. I thought I mentioned this earlier. When it gets here sometime this week(hopefully) I don't know what use I can make of it since I hurt my back Saturday trying to get him down the steps.
I've thought of several options from a dumb waiter to a full fledged elevator. Those seats that go up and down the stairs are mostly for humans. I doubt there's a way for me to strap him in to send him up or down the stairs. That would at any rate require my having to pick him up which is out of the question right now or I could end up being useless for him.
This is the harness I ordered for him.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/heavy-duty-support-harness.html
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Oops..I knew Prednisone was spelled wrong but forgot to correct it before posting. I knew when I mentioned it that I was going to get push back on it, but I think for some things a short time on it is better than the alternatives. I have had a dog on it short term with no ill effects as far as I could tell other than wanting to eat and pee more. The harness you ordered is probably better for carrying them, but the DOGGONE WHEELS one was great for walking Zac. It give support at their hind end rather than the middle. Zac was able to run beside me with it on. Have you considered any of the various pee pads? Not terribly appealing but might be a good solution if your dog will use it. I know someone who puts them in their walk in shower. There are also the phony turf ones. I have no experience with them and don't have any idea how hard it would be to train a dog to them if they had gone outside all their life. I was just brainstorming on the chair...it might be possible to install them so they stopped even with the top landing and have a little ramp or extended rail at the bottom. Obviously you'd have to have some kind of crate for him to ride in. Just throwing stuff out there. Curious to see how you like the harness you ordered. Good luck to you.
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I'm hoping when the harness gets here my back will be a little better. What I've been having to do the past couple of days after Bubba tries several times to come down the steps but doesn't have the confidence to do so is just go back up the steps, put my right arm under his chest and get his from legs over my thighs as I sit on the next step down and walk him down like that. It doesn't seem to bother my back much and I don't have to fear his falling down five steps.
Bubba has forgotten what pee pads are for. Back when I was still working I'd leave him two in the kitchen where I kept him. Since I've been retired for three years now and he hasn't used them anymore he doesn't know how. One day about a month ago it had rained all day long. I hated to let him out in all the rain knowing he'd get soaked so put one of the pads down in the Garage(attached) He just walked over it after looking a few seconds.
I have considered getting someone to install a dumb waiter somewhere to get him from the top to bottom of the house instead of me tugging on him and having to help him back up the steps at night. I'd even go to the expense of a small elevator if I knew it would work and there would be a place practical to install it.
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