Hi there: My 21-week old Blue Heeler pup (25 pounds) started carrying her hind leg last night seemingly out of the blue. This morning she's lightly using it but still limping, but at least it's not completely up like last night and she's playing and running around despite it. I'm thinking she must have pulled a muscle rough-housing with her sister (yes, I made the bad mistake of getting two puppies and only just found this site this week and found out that was a mistake. Basically I've made about every mistake Ed talks about. Yikes!).
I'm not the kind of person to rush off to the doctor for things (with myself or the dogs) unless it's major blood or obvious broken bones, so I'm wondering how to determine if she needs medical attention as I don't want to incur an expensive visit to have them tell me it's a muscle pull and there's nothing to be done except let it heal! Any advice?
First look for any visible obstructions, especially under and between the toes. A "pulled muscle" is also very possible. If she is not wanting to put weight on it, it could be a torn CCL. Also it could be the patella is not where it needs to be.
Thanks everyone! Ok, so I just checked her out best I could. I think it's her hip or thigh muscle. She didn't cry but she started licking me like crazy when I was in that area vs. the rest of the leg. It's a little hard to tell as she turned into a wet noodle on me, but I think the leg seems almost turned out slightly and while she is putting some weight on it today her pads are spread out more than the other leg like she's compensating. I didn't find any noticeable protrusions and when I'm touching both her hip bones on her back they feel the same.
Anyone have any experience with using ultrasound on pets? I have a unit for myself but it's also sold for pets and thinking this might be a great time to try it out.
Mike J Schoonbrood Webboard User Reg: 04-30-2005
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Can you manipulate her leg in all directions (stretch, contract, left/right etc) ?
????
Ultrasound means shaving the area on the dog, so I don't recommend it unless there is a specific need for it. I don't know what uses ultrasound has, I know we used it on my female when she was semi-bloating to check for an obstruction in her intestines in addition to an x-ray.
I thought I was explaining myself. I checked her out and didn't have any problems with moving except when I was pushing to feel the muscles in her thigh/hip is when she started licking. I've noticed she's sitting with it favored too, letting her leg hang open and to the side like it hurts if she sits evenly on her rump.
Ultrasound is used therapeutically by physical therapists for deep tissue stimulation. It's not the same as for viewing inside the body. The high frequency sound waves create increased circulation to the area by making the cells vibrate at an extremely high rate, thus increasing blood flow and ultimately healing time to an injured soft tissue area.
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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I checked her out and didn't have any problems with moving except when I was pushing to feel the muscles in her thigh/hip is when she started licking. I've noticed she's sitting with it favored too, letting her leg hang open and to the side like it hurts if she sits evenly on her rump.
Ultrasound is used therapeutically by physical therapists for deep tissue stimulation. It's not the same as for viewing inside the body. The high frequency sound waves create increased circulation to the area by making the cells vibrate at an extremely high rate, thus increasing blood flow and ultimately healing time to an injured soft tissue area.
That would be for some kinds of injuries (soft tissue), but not knowing what the problem is would make me not use it.
Pano, of course, is much different from a muscle strain, etc. Deep tissue stimulation would be the last thing to do if it was indeed pano. JMO.
I think it's her hip or thigh muscle. She didn't cry but she started licking me like crazy when I was in that area vs. the rest of the leg..... except when I was pushing to feel the muscles in her thigh/hip is when she started licking.
Pushing to feel muscle would also be pushing on inflamed bone, I think.
Well, she got better throughout the day yesterday and was using her leg normally by last night then this morn she is totally fine. Go figure!
She's not a large breed so I don't think Pano is the case but she is extremely atheletic and FAST. Hopefully it was just a muscle strain or something and not a case of something bigger and long term or recurring.
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Puppy Limping
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