Author Topic: It's my biggest FEAR!!  (Read 5013 times)

Offline Apreston

  • Big Paws-a-holic
  • **
  • Posts: 328
    • View Profile
It's my biggest FEAR!!
« on: April 26, 2008, 08:49:49 pm »
Its my biggest fear for Titan is to have HD!
We have been giving him Medacam faithfully for 10 days now and I know its not supposed to make it better but the limping is not getting any better. Maybe a tad better but I think its the Medacam.
Should we get X-Rays??
Whats the procedure do they give him a sedative...cuz GOD knows he will not stay still?!?
I think its only one leg so it could be any injury...we have oppted out of the dog park for the last 2 months and have been only walking him on soft surfaces (trails) and for short distances....
I just feel so bad for the babe...he just wants to run and play and he's bunny hopping around and falling over....I just dont know what to do!?!
Any one else going through this or have been through this?? Yesturday was his last dose of Medacam so I want to make a choice this week weather to wait it out or go get the xrays....money is not an issue I just would like some advice on weather to wait it out or get him in there and bite the bullet!
Thanks in advance!
Adrienne
« Last Edit: April 26, 2008, 08:51:16 pm by Apreston »

Offline Guardian Angel's White lightning

  • Top Doggie Dog
  • ***
  • Posts: 779
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2008, 09:06:44 pm »
We had our Titan's hips xrayed and found out that his right hip is very shallow in the joint.  He could have hip dysplasia, although we are preventing it in all ways possible.  We took them for prelim ofa's granted it was way to early in his life. BUT...that is a concern i think with all big paws growing up. It is hard because it can be from so many things from genetics to over working and nutrition.  I definilty feel your fears!! We have been very fortunate with our rescue dane. She doesn't have one ounce of displasia and she is 3 years old. But i feel your concern!!!

Offline Apreston

  • Big Paws-a-holic
  • **
  • Posts: 328
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2008, 12:14:43 am »
Tell me all about the xray....did you have to sedate Titan?

Offline Guardian Angel's White lightning

  • Top Doggie Dog
  • ***
  • Posts: 779
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2008, 12:23:18 am »
they did sedate him, he was a "drunk" when we picked him up. But the thing is, the vet didn't place his legs properly, so it was a huge waste of money for us.  If they don't place the legs properly then they can make a hd dog look normal, or a normal dog HD.  It all depends. Make sure that if you do it, that you go to a wonderful vet. Our vet claimed that Ti was too big for one x-ray...that was all bull. He fit fine.  Considering you just got your little boy "snipped" i would not recommend putting him under again.  Try working with him on being on his back (this is my boys fav. position) if you can do that with him and teach him to stay like that they do not have to put him under.  My vet thought ti was too big at 7 months old...well now he is 10 months, so i know we are going to a different vet.  I will not do another set of xrays for at least a year because of the side effects that seditive can cause.  Plus...with our vet....i think i could have done better xrays.  His legs were all bowed out, they were not level nor even with his hips.  You can tell they were forcing the issue, because of where the femur bones where placed. I truely don't think his hip is shallow as the xrays say, because they did position it wrong.  I would definitly spend $$ to get the proper positioning on the legs and hips.   I know that you don't need OFA xrays, but, if you go to a vet that can do OFA's then you should be set for positioning.  Ask your vet over the phone, you don't have to tell them who you are, just ask if they do ofa xrays....altho ugh my vet said they do..and apparently they do of dogs that weigh 4 pounds!!! not 190 pounds

Offline patrick

  • Paw-meister
  • **
  • Posts: 560
    • View Profile
    • Great Pyrenees
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2008, 01:12:25 am »
A friend of mine just had her dog done with an OFA rating of mild dysplasia SO she had the xrays repeated by another vet and he came back OFA GOOD- just 4 months later.  Positioning is critical!  I also don't recommend hip prelims before they are about 15 months old- the dog still has a great deal of growing to do yet.  Another case- puppy done at 5 months read as dysplasia  repeated at 14 months and came back normal.  Lameness can also be caused by CCL injury and panosteitis

Offline Guardian Angel's White lightning

  • Top Doggie Dog
  • ***
  • Posts: 779
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2008, 01:16:34 am »
Which is the main reason why we didn't send them in because we know that they will change. But since he was having problems getting out of his crate, problems just getting up in general, we wanted to make sure at such a young age that he was not having issues.  The true prelim will be at 15-18 months.  We just felt for piece of mind, that is all

Offline Apreston

  • Big Paws-a-holic
  • **
  • Posts: 328
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2008, 03:54:39 pm »
Sorry I have not replied in a while...it was a busy busy weekend...anyw ho...
Titan's limping came on like "over night" symptoms. There was never a build up to them it just happened. I have been noticing when we walk the back right leg does a half moon type if thing...it rotates not in a straight direction...if that makes any sense at all. So it was his right back leg and now look as if the left is starting to go. It thinks its PANO BUT can the vet or would they be able to tell if it is??
I want to wait it out but I am just not sure if I can hold off untill 18 months for a hip x-ray. I guess if it gets worse then I will take him. He does the bunny hopping quite a bit when he jonts around the back yard...and also misses the bottom steps of the staris...anthe r thing...he stands there looks at you and starts to move and trips over himself...i think thats a combo between "I am soooo awkward at 10 months cuz I am big and clumsy and the possiblity of growing pains" I just dont want to take hime to the vet...he hates it and my heart hurts when i have to DRAG him through the front door....yes yes yes it's that bad.
Thanks everyone for your help.... WE can ALWAYS count on you guys for your help... I will post again when we decide what we are doind or if it gets worse better!
Thanks again XOXO

Offline Mojo1269

  • Big Paw Certified
  • **
  • Posts: 208
  • The Men
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2008, 04:37:29 pm »
I had Butler Xrtayed @ 6 months because I thought he had Pano, fortunately it was just a minor issue.  They did not sedate him but apparetnly he snapped at them when they were manipulating his leg for the Xray (h*ll I would snap too if you were moving my hurt leg).  Good luck!!
Duke 5 Year Old Menacing Hound
Butler 1 Year Old Burgeoning Monster

VooDoo the Greatest Dane. 09-14-1995 - 12-31-2007 RIP my sweet

Offline mastiffmomoftwo

  • Full Fledged Chewer
  • *
  • Posts: 66
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2008, 05:47:33 pm »
SHe does the bunny hopping quite a bit when he jonts around the back yard...and also misses the bottom steps of the staris...anthe r thing...he stands there looks at you and starts to move and trips over himself...i think thats a combo between "I am soooo awkward at 10 months cuz I am big and clumsy and the possiblity of growing pains"

Beau used to do the bunny hop thing when running and playing.
Now he does it every once and a while.
Mastiff's are not always comfortable around stairs.  I was told the fewer stairs the better.  Beau can go up but not down.  Took my husband and I half an hour to get him down the stairs from the office - one paw at a time.  He hasn't gone back up since.  If he encounters 2 or 3 stairs somewhere else, he always jumps them.  I think it's because their stride is too long for the width of the stairs.  If the stairs were a couple of feet wide, there would be no problem!! ;)
Beau still trips occasionally when walking or jogging, and used to do it all the time as a pup.  To the point I took him to the vet to have him looked at.  After strutting around the parking lot for 10 minutes, she came to the conclusion that he was just a teenager and not grown into his body yet.


I just dont want to take hime to the vet...he hates it and my heart hurts when i have to DRAG him through the front door....yes yes yes it's that bad.

The girls at the front desk at my vets gave me the best advice EVER before I even got Beau.
The told me if you have a big dog that's afraid to come in, there isn't anything you can do to get him comfortable at the vets.  They told me to bring my pup in about once a week and just sit in the waiting room (after he had all his shots and was 'safe'), weigh him on the scale, let the staff fawn over him and feed him cookies etc.  It was the best advice I ever got.  I now tell anyone with a pup, as I think it would work for all breeds.  When Beau sees the vets office he gets very excited.  He goes into the door and drags me over to the scale and sits on it.  He gets cookies and everyone tells him what a good boy he is.  It showed him that good things happened at the vets office and people liked him!  There was no issue with taking him in for his neutering or a couple of other procedures he had done.  You could still work on that.
Following the vet visit I took him to our local strip mall and walked up and down.  He met all sorts of people, heard cars, saw kids, lots of loud noise etc.  There isn't much that phases him now.

I recently took Luke in to get checked as he got very congested and I was worried about pneumonia (?).  They wanted to xray him.  I told them I would have to be there with him as I didn't want him put under and could we just try first.
He's only 160, and it took 3 of us to get him on the table.  I took a minute to settle him down, and he stayed VERY still for me.  I held his head and talked to him the whole time and he was the best boy.  I was very proud of him.  They said they couldn't believe that he was no trouble and that if all the dogs were like that they'd be in heaven.  He was no worse for wear and got many treats and hugs after.

Sorry for the novel!!!
Chris
Chris

(Beau & Luke's Mom)

Offline Apreston

  • Big Paws-a-holic
  • **
  • Posts: 328
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2008, 06:02:38 pm »
Great advice...thank s... I think tomorrow we will wonder to the vets and just sit around and chit-chat for a bit bring lots of treats and see if we cant do that once a week. Maybe make it a ritual thursday visit (they are open late that night)
The last time Titan went in for xrays we were not allowed in and they held him down he was so scared that he realsed his anal glands :( It was a really stinky ride home! Poor Guy I felt soooo soooo bad :P
Thanks again!

Offline mastiffmomoftwo

  • Full Fledged Chewer
  • *
  • Posts: 66
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2008, 06:14:35 pm »
Is there a vet around that will let you in with Titan?
If you were taking your baby to the doctor's, they would not separate you would they (I don't know I have no skin kids)????
Do you know any other dog owners in your area that have a different vet? One that is more relaxed?
I would just ask why you are not allowed in with your pet.
My biggest fear with Luke is that he would snap at them.
He always thinks people are going to take him away from me, and he panics.  I would hate for him to have to be muzzled, or have it be a bad experience for him.
I would think that Titan would be a much calmer pup if you were there holding and talking to him.  Poor gaffer! :(
Chris

(Beau & Luke's Mom)

Offline Apreston

  • Big Paws-a-holic
  • **
  • Posts: 328
    • View Profile
Re: It's my biggest FEAR!!
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2008, 09:33:41 pm »
I am sorry i wasent that clear...his first xray was at the emerg vet office not his regualr vet. I dont know weather or not they would let us in at his reg vat....but I would NOT leave him alone again....it was too terrifying for him He was shook up for days  :-\ Anyways today is the first day off Medacam so we will see what his joint are like at the end of the day...
Thanks for all the advice!!  ;D