I'm started to suspect that my 10 year old vizsla/retriever mix. At first he just seemed to be slipping more on the floors, which are tile. Now, it's worse. He's walking fine, but if he slips at all his back legs will collapse, and he's unable to get back up. Once I lift him up, though, he seems fine. He's his normal self, running and playing as usual. He's eating well and not sleeping more than usual or anything. He doesn't walk any differently, either.
I'm going to take him to the vet tomorrow, but does this sound like hip dysplasia? If so, what are my options for him?
you say your dog is 10 yrs old..........what does that make him in dog years? a senior citizen. even if he isn't dysplastic, you might still want to put some rugs down for him or get him some booties to keep him from injuring himself.
if there are no dogs in heaven, then when i die i want to go where they went. ---will rogers
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
Posts: 31571
Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Quote: Heather Williams
I'm started to suspect that my 10 year old vizsla/retriever mix. At first he just seemed to be slipping more on the floors, which are tile. Now, it's worse. He's walking fine, but if he slips at all his back legs will collapse, and he's unable to get back up. Once I lift him up, though, he seems fine. He's his normal self, running and playing as usual. He's eating well and not sleeping more than usual or anything. He doesn't walk any differently, either.
I'm going to take him to the vet tomorrow, but does this sound like hip dysplasia? If so, what are my options for him?
HD can certainly cause lameness, stiffness, and muscle atrophy. This also sounds like it could be OA.
Does he seem to be stiff when he first wakes up, or after a nap, when he gets back up?
I'm glad you are having him checked right away. Dogs tend to vocalize about pain *much* later than we do; they usually have a tendency to endure. That makes it hard, sometimes, to realize that something is going awry until it's pretty bad.
When you get a diagnosis, if you post here, I know that there are many of us who have experience with supplements for joint problems, as well as the various prescriptions vets give.
I would have the dog on salmon oil and Vitamin E, no matter what the diagnosis. There are so many real benefits and virtually no downside. Marine-source Omega 3s are the best natural anti-inflammation agent I know of.
Eva Czarnojanczyk Webboard User Reg: 10-25-2006
Posts: 320
Loc: Southern CA
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I'm with Patricia & Connie: you have an old gentleman dog on your hands and he needs to be treated like how you'd treat your grandfather. From his age, I'd probably suspect arthritis as well. The rugs & traction sound like a good idea along with the supplaments. I know when my dog got older I viewed her life as a treasure, since I didn't know how much longer she would live. She actually lived close to 16 yrs, but I saw every day over the age of 7 as a treasure, since that's when I first saw that she wasn't as young as I thought she was. I tried to make things as easy for her as I possibly could (along with good food & moderate exercise).
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Yikes
#118683 - 11/23/2006 03:14 PM 
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