Hopefully this is the right place and can find some responses useful.....

Jagger ( my 13 month old German Shepard ) about 2 months ago had a limp that showed up overnight... The day before he was fine... When resting, sitting, or walking he favored his right front paw area but when he would run it seemed not to bother him at all. After 3 days of me looking and feeling and couldn't find anything in it, no cuts ect. I took him to our vet... The vet examined him and said he also didn't see any visual signs of damage but felt the paw was infected ... Asked why and he couldn't give a reason but prescribed him an antibiotic and a mild pain medicine.. After 4 days he was all good and no limp and back to his total terror self..

We are back in the exact same situation now with the exact same paw area... I just bathed him and really examined the area and again see or feel nothing but he does get a little aggravated when you mess with it... He runs fine but when sitting, walking, ect he puts weight on it but very gengerly ...

Any ideas, concerns, comments, would greatly be appreciated ...

Vet did not take x-rays bc he said he felt nothing was broke, but couldn't explain why paw/leg area was infected... We have used the same vet for a few years and really like him but idk if I wanna take him back bc he couldn't give us a straight answer.. We do live in a wooded area and he runs the woods very often...

"I just bathed him and really examined the area and again see or feel nothing but he does get a little aggravated when you mess with it..."


Tell us what you mean by "mess with it."

Is is from gently squeezing the paw? Or bending it, or what?


Is it definitely the paw? No chance it's pano?

Is the dog overweight at all (not even obese .... just a bit heavy)?


How did the paw look when it was infected (or said to be infected)? Did you see redness/inflammation? Did you feel heat?


If you take this paw and look between the pads with a flashlight (and with some nice odorous rewards, like bacon or cheese), can you see anything at all? Maybe something shiny (shard of glass)? End of a foxtail awn?

BTW, you didn't stop the antibiotic mid-protocol, did you? You used it all?

It's when I touch the bottom of the foot around the pads... He weighs about 85 lbs... Pano ? Unsure what that is Connie. But I feel pretty confident it is his paw area. We did finish the antibiotics .. It was 2 a day for 7 days. Didn't notice any swelling or redness on affected area.. He doesn't growl, whimper, cry ect when you touch it he will just gently grab your hand to move it away

My first shepherd had the same symptoms around the same age. Sudden limp, but only when walking. Running was not a problem. I can't remember the official diagnosis but I do recall my vet telling me that in some dogs bones grow very fast where the tendons do not. It all worked itself out and my dog was fine. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?

Brian,

Pano

http://leerburg.com/pano.htm

 Quote: Marc Justice

It's when I touch the bottom of the foot around the pads... He weighs about 85 lbs... Pano ? Unsure what that is Connie. But I feel pretty confident it is his paw area. We did finish the antibiotics .. It was 2 a day for 7 days. Didn't notice any swelling or redness on affected area.. He doesn't growl, whimper, cry ect when you touch it he will just gently grab your hand to move it away

Is 85 pounds a bit overweight? Or no? (We can't see his build.)

Here is pano:

http://leerburg.com/pano.htm


I would do the thorough paw exam (above) since it seems to be paw (specifically pads) rather than leg.

All JMO!

Yup, that's it.

How do I post a pic and I will post a pic of him ... I don't feel at all he is overweight.. He has a transition from his middle to his rear... What concerns me on the Pano was the part of Rimadyl, is this bad ? That was the pain meds that was supposed to be mild along with the Ciprofloxacin...

Rimadyl:

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=31953&page=2#357879



Picture:

Can you upload a side view and a view from above him to a Photobucket-type site and link us?


But if it's definitely the paw and not pano, then the weight thing is just general and not really specific to this problem.


All JMO! (I'm not a health professional.)