I'm telling you, Mom!

Sharon7

Sharon7

Moderator
Poor Faith has had an ongoing issue with one of her back legs for over 2 years. 4 different vets and many exams and xrays later, no answer as to WHY. It seems perhaps like a pinched nerve or something since it comes and goes. Well, she has been great for months, but Thursday we had to carry her home from our daily walk. Rested all day Friday, took her on a short walk because she seemed OK, BUT:

Faith, walking pretty slowly
Me: "Do you want to go for a walk?"
Faith: comes up to me with her head lowered. I stroke her and rub her ears (and feel awful for her).
Me: "Do you want to go home?"
Faith: BARK, BARK
Me: "Or do you want to go for a walk?"
Faith: head down again, approaches me.
Me: (just confirming!) "Do you just want to go home?"
Faith: BARK, BARK, BARK

So of course, we turned around and slowly went back home which wasn't far. Poor Meadow was not a happy camper, but when my hubby got back with Elijah from obedience practice we took them for a walk then and left Faith at home.

I guess the moral of the story is, if you're not sure, just ask your Sheltie?
 
I second the chiro suggestion wholeheartedly! Mine has done amazing things for our dogs. I think she’s responsible for Checkers still moving as well as she does at 16. You can check the American Veterinary Assoc. for names in your area too. I hope you can find one!

I love that Faith tells you when she wants to go home. What a smart girl! Hope she feels better soon!
 
I ask Fillion every morning if he wants to go on the walk. If he does he walks right up to the door. If not he either goes and lays down or just stands there.
Fil's chiro is great. She's certified for small animals even though she's a people chiro not a vet. He was a mess last visit. She could barely stretch out his rear leg. It breaks my heart knowing how much he must hurt and doesn't show it.
 
Awww I know how frustrating that is Sharon, that’s what I went through with Finnie’s hock. Have you considered x-raying both hocks? Doing the x-ray on BOTH hocks (my vet is great and only charged me for 1 lol) was the only way we could actually see the swelling! The hock (we discovered) really doesn’t get very swollen and by xraying both we were able to see the difference. Like Faith it was on and off…he’d be fine then he’d be limping again. We’d go back to the vet and she couldn’t feel anything. It was only by me doing a thorough inspection (by feel) right after another episode I felt a bit of warmth and some swelling.
It’s been 3 years now and his right hock is STILL somewhat swollen so it takes an incredibly longgggg time for it to heal! I’m thankful it at least doesn’t click anymore when he runs (vet said that was the ligament slipping out of the joint) and that he’s no longer afraid to take the outside steps (he would yelp and developed an aversion to them).
 
I think it is more in her back, since her back seems hunched to me, and when she sits, it's with her pelvis tucked way under and her hind legs forward, like a sloppy puppy sit. But xrays all look normal for her spine. Of course it's not great for soft tissue like an MRI, but there is no indication that there is a squished disk or stenosis. It is just very frustrating. She seems a bit better today. I have Eli and Meadow's annual exams tomorrow so I will ask my vet about chiro or even an ortho vet. SIGH.

She went out with us in the petstroller yesterday so that she could come on the walk without actually walking. She tolerated it very well and seemed happy to be out.
 
I used to have a Border collie Shepard mix dog and we would go on runs together..I even had lead that was specially designed for running with dogs.. After a year or so I noticed he was not coming to me as quickly as he used to when we got ready to go. Then one day he just sat there and avoided looking at me and I knew that was the last time we would run together-- guess he had had enuf of that. He was a great dog and smart oh boy was he smart.
 
woof said:
I used to have a Border collie Shepard mix dog and we would go on runs together..I even had lead that was specially designed for running with dogs.. After a year or so I noticed he was not coming to me as quickly as he used to when we got ready to go. Then one day he just sat there and avoided looking at me and I knew that was the last time we would run together-- guess he had had enuf of that. He was a great dog and smart oh boy was he smart.
Click to expand...

I might add to this post that the reason we started running together was that he has recently lost his life long buddy- an Irish Setter and he was depressed or so I tho't. So to distract him I started taking him on part of my run- about four miles then home while I finished my run.. I am not sure he was ever all that into it but he came along with me. Eventually I think he just kind of went back into sadness and we quit running together. I really think that article about dogs being happier with another dog around is true and they feel it when they lose their buddy. We certainly are important in their lives and they "love"us in their way but there is that special relationship they have with a furbuddy we just can't replace....
 
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