The Limp Is Back
I started a discussion a while ago during the limping epidemic that seems to be going on about Finnigan limping ("Another one Bites the Dust"). His limp would come and go and for the last week at least he's been limp free. When I came home at lunch today to take him potty, he hobbled out of his crate and didn't want to walk. His limp is pretty bad and for no apparent reason. We don't have a yard so anytime he is outside we're with him and he hasn't done anything crazy. Besides that, he wasn't limping in the morning so what could have happened to him in his crate? Anyway, I am stumped and worried so tomorrow after work we're taking him to the vet. I was hoping to avoid this because not only is it expensive but how do you know that the diagnosis is correct? I hope it's nothing serious and I really hope he doesn't need surgery but most of all I want him to feel better. It's so sad seeing him limp around and despite his obvious pain, he still wants to play. He'll try to move at a jogging pace but ends up hopping to avoid putting weight on that back right leg. I'll let you all know what the vet says tomorrow. Wish him luck!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alice on
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You guys are right and I shouldn't have let what he said get to me so much. I would never have said that to someone, especially someone I'm not very close to.
When I was little we had a Golden Retriever who developed bad hip problems in his old age. I don't know exactly how old he was but I want to say 12 or 13. He got to where he couldn't walk and my Mom would have to drag him outside on a rug and hold his hind end up so he could go to the bathroom. My parents ended up having him put to sleep but at that age it's more expected. Not many people would opt to put down a 1 year old dog.
I left early today to go see my Dad to hear about his test result since he's battling cancer. If my boss asks me how it went when I go in tomorrow I may tell him I'd rather not say as he may suggest that we put him down too!
Anyway, all that aside. I know I have a lot of support here and your right, I need to get my own feelings in check. I wouldn't want Finnigan to pick up on my pity and decide that he can run amuck. :)
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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I think Beth and Judi and Dawn have said it all very nicely. Just one more thought and that would be to suggest to your boss that he could use some training classes of his own! Hope your dad's test results came back good! Take Care!
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Thank you Jane. My Dad is struggling and they will probably not be able to get rid of his cancer but hope to shrink it as much as possible then manage it with occasional chemo. The biggest issue for him right now is weight loss. They can't stop him from losing weight and they've tried pretty much every drug out there to increase appetite. We're definitely praying for him and Finn both. I appreciate your thoughts. :)
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Sorry to hear about your dad. Hopefully they will be able to keep it under control for a good long time.
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Thank you Beth. :)
I spoke to a specialist yesterday about Finnigan. I called and told them I really wasn't sure what I should do and money is an issue and they were kind enough to have one of the surgeons call me to talk on the phone rather than just rushing in for $145 consultation.
The Dr (who owns a Pembroke) said Corgis do have loose hips but it depends on how loose Finn's are but even with very loose hips he seems young to be in pain from it. She said she would recommend watching him for the next 2 or 3 weeks, let him do normal activities and if the limp continues to come back or gets worse then we should bring him in for x-rays to make sure nothing else is contributing to his pain. She said if we were to come in we should plan on $500 for the visit plus x-rays!
In the meantime, I sent Finn's x-rays to his breeder (I had told him about this months ago when the x-rays were taken and he didn't seem to believe Finn has bad hips) and he emailed me today, agreeing that Finn's x-rays are not good. He said he's seen worse but his are definitely worse that his parents (father was excellent and mother was good). He said that hips surgery will probably be in Finn's future.
I didn't ask the breeder about any kind of refund but I was surprised that he didn't offer. He does guarantee his dogs against genetic defects. Does this not qualify? Getting some money back sure would help with the specialist visit, but not even make a dent is the cost of surgery should it come to that.
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I wish I had more to say about this but all I can do is wish you and Finn the best of luck!
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I had also heard that parents with good or excellent hips can produce dysplastic puppies. I was curious to hear what the breeder would say about the x-rays. I am a bit surprised he didn't offer to at least pay half of your vet expenses.
Well, here's hoping the limp simply disappears on its own! I know specialists and surgery can be very expensive. You never know, he may have wrenched or hurt something and you just didn't catch it. Remember, I said Jack hurt his paw and/or leg going into his crate, and for several weeks after that he would limp sporadically. Worse than limp; he would put one paw in the air and refuse to move, or actually lay down for a minute til it passed. If I had not been right there to see him catch is foot in the crate, I would never have known he hurt himself and it all happened in a matter of seconds.
So I will continue to hope it resolves on its own. Thanks for the update, and please continue to keep us posted!
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I know, I was surprised too by the breeder's response. This conversation went better than the first time I brought it up 5 months back; at least this time he acknowledges that Finn's hips are not good. Since he does guarantee them though, I would have expected some sort of compensation. Not that Finn isn't worth what I paid but his hips are costing us quite a bit even without surgery so I would have expected more from the breeder. Oh well, I don't want to start an argument with him so there's nothing I can do other than perhaps go to another breeder for any future puppy plans.
The Surgeon said there is a possibility he has another injury which is why if it doesn't go away or gets worse they will need x-rays of hips, knees etc to see what's going on. I agree. We know his hips are bad and will cause problems for him but that doesn't mean there is nothing else going on. So we will wait and watch.
I've now heard conflicting information when it comes to ACL tears. Can they be seen in an x-ray or not?
I do remember you saying that about Jack. What did he hurt, his toe? I've seen Finn catch his foot on the crate before too but always at a slow pace and he has never reacted as if it hurt. I know Finn's problem all started a back in September when we were at the dog park for his birthday party but I can't vouch for every step he took while there.
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I forgot I wanted to answer about the ACL tear and x-rays.
I am not absolutely certain, but I don't think you can see a ligament in x-ray. For people, they do MRI's for soft-tissue diagnosis, but obviously that's not an option for a dog.
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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I am not sure the breeder will offer to refund. Most will only give money back if they get the dog back and that would not be something I would not want to do. You may want to suggest that you get a refund of at least half your money back. The breeder has a lot of expenses too but probably wants to do the right thing. I hope things turn out better than they sound. I wonder if an insurance policy would cover this. I would check to see if you can get one. They all have different criteria for existing conditions so there might be one that would cover if he does not need surgery right away. Or the vet may have a payment plan. It never hurts to ask! What is the worst the breeder can say? No, you will still have the same problem..either way. Good luck. Having had a corgi that was very sick at a young age I know how stressful this is and heartbreaking as well.
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