Boxer - 6 years old - Limping... No clue what the cause is

Boxer - 6 years old - Limping... No clue what the cause is

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Too Late

Original Poster:

5,092 posts

234 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Hi,
I have a 6 year old boxer. Around early august on a walk, she landed awkwardly on her right leg. She has been now limping since.

After 4 vet visits, 2 general anaesthetics, £900, im still no closer to finding out what's wrong.
she doesnt do well under a general, they had to resuscitate her last time after falling too deep in her sleep.

In the xrays they found the joint to be swollen and liquid there, liquid report suggest nothing other than water in the joint. No bacteria or infection

Im seeing a different veterinary clinic tomorrow in hope that another opinion will shed some light on her problem

Some videos i took of her limp
http://youtu.be/Hdis_wlCP8I
http://youtu.be/8kqo10Etpcg

Im thinking it could be cartlidge in the joint?
No fracture found, stress fracture, cancer there either

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks
N

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Cruciate? Though that should have come up in the X-Ray.

Stupid question but she hasn't had a run/jump/play session and got a bit hurt, perhaps just bruising/strain which won't show up in tests but could cause her to slow down/limp


Piglet

6,250 posts

254 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Does she always limp on the same leg? Some autoimmune conditions cause non specific and shifting limping.

Is she insured? Not sure who you are seeing now but I'd be pushing for a referral to a proper ortho specialist.

Too Late

Original Poster:

5,092 posts

234 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Thanks to the replies so far! Its so hard to describe to people so that's why i took the 2 small clips which are added to my original post
To answer some questions:

Cruciate? Though that should have come up in the X-Ray.
Xray cam back clear, there is a small amount of muscle wastage which was noted due to her limping and me forcing her to rest for longer periods than normal

Stupid question but she hasn't had a run/jump/play session and got a bit hurt, perhaps just bruising/strain which won't show up in tests but could cause her to slow down/limp
I remember the walk which she started limping on, she jumped for a tennis ball, landed and 5 mins later of further walking started limping. this was around the 10th August.

Does she always limp on the same leg? Some autoimmune conditions cause non specific and shifting limping.
She always limps on her right leg. I noticed as she laid down a month ago, i moved her leg around and she didnt have any pain or discomfort, but putting a small amount of pressure to push the leg up to the joint, the same motion if she was walking there was discomfort. This make me believe maybe something is in the joint...

Is she insured? Not sure who you are seeing now but I'd be pushing for a referral to a proper ortho specialist
She is insured, but my budget is nearly halved already. Insurance will pay upto £2,000. Going back under and opening the joint will be about £900.. But she is very very weak under a general and it scares the crap out of me to put her through it as she was resuscitated last time after not waking up...

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
What exercise is she getting now?

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Look into hydrotherapy/ physiotherapy for her, which will help her muscles. Some insurances will cover this.

It does sound like a cruciate injury. Did they send the xrays off to an orthopaedic specialist?

I'm struggling to tell for sure but is it her front leg that she is lame on? because if so it can't be cruciate, sorry (should've looked at video before posting)

If shoulder then I hope the xrays were fantastic because if not things can be missed, again refer xrays to a specialist. Still think hydro would be good.

Edited by bexVN on Wednesday 10th October 13:25

Too Late

Original Poster:

5,092 posts

234 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
Thanks everyone for the new replies!

Exercises now..
she was having 45 min morning walks, with 30-60min evening walks, this has been reduced to 5 min mornings and 5 min in the evenings....

Is bloody tough... i even crated her to rest her while i was at work. I couldn't bare to see those eyes in the morning as i picked her up to put her in.

Its her front leg. So if you stood behind the dog, its her right leg. Makes sense?

Hydro, whats is that, il do some googling tonight.

Shes on some pills which she takes 2 times in the morning and 1 in the evening. Along with Kalmex, to try and calm her down.

Its so bloody tough keeping a boxer from not being excited....

Thanks
N

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Hydro - Hydrotherapy = water based exercise, very very useful

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Front leg?

Ok, first question then is was she elbow scored? Does it bow at all?

gd49

302 posts

170 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Front leg lameness can be very tricky to diagnose. I've seen cases which have had a full work-up and nothing found. If she's hurt the muscles or other soft tissue structures in her shoulder those can take 3 months to heal, in which case hydrotherapy and physiotherapy will help the healing.

Which joint was swollen? Sounds like it was a bit of a red herring if the joint tap was normal, but sometimes the only way to tell for certain is to have a look inside the joint surgically.

Too Late

Original Poster:

5,092 posts

234 months

Friday 12th October 2012
quotequote all
Right
Saw another vet last night. Her prodded and poked molly. I was able to get the xrays from the previous vet on DVD so the vet last night could have a look at them.

He noticed she was tender at a small point on her back (spine) but he said that could be to do with her lame leg. He noticed also she taking smaller steps with her bad leg and she has muscle wastage.

He noticed also something on the xrays which he will look at this weekend. Luckily I copied the disc so I have all the xrays at home to look at.

He mentioned reffering her for an MRI scan. (Any ideas how much they are? I have about £1200 left on insurance)

Happy with the vet. He seemed god and made me comfortable. The other one didn't as much.

I'll keep you all updated for thoes who want to know.

N

andrew186

159 posts

162 months

Friday 12th October 2012
quotequote all
how long has this been going on?

our boxer started limping all of a sudden one day and we thought she had an orthopaedic (bone/muscle/ligament) problem but it turned out to be completely medical..

the same thing happed.. she had 2x GA's and multiple tests (totalling £1400) nothing was found.. she was eventually diagnosed with a ricketsial type disease that attacks the joints (usually contracted from a tick bite) and after a few days of antibiotics (doxycycline, total 3 weeks course) the swelling went down dramatically and she gradually started walking normally

im sure your vet would have ruled out infection but its worth throwing it out there to make sure its been checked for, probably no harm in starting some empirical antibiotics too


R1gtr

3,423 posts

153 months

Friday 12th October 2012
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You could be looking at £1000- 1700 for a MRI or CT scan but your Vet will keep you right.
We have two Boxers and had to keep one in her crate for a whole month, she was only allowed out to pee and for a few 5 min on lead walks a day, it felt cruel at first but keep telling yourself you are doing the right thing, Rest is a great healer.
If I was you and she is not in a lot of pain I would consult Vet and with their blessing try antibiotics for any joint swelling coupled with complete rest for two weeks, this will allow them time to see if it was a strain/pull, If problem persists in depth tests will prob be needed.

GokTweed

3,799 posts

150 months

Friday 12th October 2012
quotequote all
Too Late said:
Right
Saw another vet last night. Her prodded and poked molly. I was able to get the xrays from the previous vet on DVD so the vet last night could have a look at them.

He noticed she was tender at a small point on her back (spine) but he said that could be to do with her lame leg. He noticed also she taking smaller steps with her bad leg and she has muscle wastage.

He noticed also something on the xrays which he will look at this weekend. Luckily I copied the disc so I have all the xrays at home to look at.

He mentioned reffering her for an MRI scan. (Any ideas how much they are? I have about £1200 left on insurance)

Happy with the vet. He seemed god and made me comfortable. The other one didn't as much.

I'll keep you all updated for thoes who want to know.

N
Muscle wastage and a change in gait is a good sign of nerve damage. So if she landed awkwardly she could have jarred her suprascapular nerve or perhaps a disc in her spine causing some inflammation up there and interferring with nerve function. Hopefully this would reduce in time as long as the damage isn't too severe. Keep the updates coming!

Too Late

Original Poster:

5,092 posts

234 months

Saturday 13th October 2012
quotequote all
Thanks for all the advice people. Going to speak to the vet hopefully Monday after he has had time to look at the XRays.

Molly isnt very good under a general (last time they had to resuscitate her) so im going to ask if she had an MRI and do see something funny, could they operate to avoid her going under again.

Got up this morning, and i saw this face looking at me, how could i say no to that!


So i put her in the car and took her to the park for a sneaky longer walk.
Now i know i should have maybe walked her on her 5 min walk but she loved it. 15 mins later she was in the car. I was half expecting her to limp after. Once home i noticed a small limp but nothing like she had after a 5 min walk 2 months ago.

Im hoping that shes getting better...

N

R1gtr

3,423 posts

153 months

Sunday 14th October 2012
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Fingers crossed that she is on the mend, make sure you dont over-do it tho, even if she stops limping completely I would take it easy out on walks for at least a month, best of luck.
P.s. She is adorable, that face would definitely play at the heart strings smile

Too Late

Original Poster:

5,092 posts

234 months

Tuesday 16th October 2012
quotequote all
Just spoke to the new vet. He couldn't see anything wrong with the xrays I gave him of molly. Said that he can refer me to Dick White for either a MRI or CT scan of the leg and possibly her back

Hope to hear back Friday

...

Then last Saturday, dad calls asking for help urgently and when I get there his weimaraner 8yro collapsed and couldn't walk and was leaning to the left. Found out he had had a stroke after being sent to Dick Whites and after a 3k body MRI scan, the found a tumour on a gland...

Not having much luck at the moment.
N

Too Late

Original Poster:

5,092 posts

234 months

Monday 5th November 2012
quotequote all

Update on molly

So i got referred to a specialist, dick whites. I was a little worried as i had blown half of my insurance without finding out anything which could be causing her lameness

So the consultation was £140. Good chat with a fantastic vet. 40 minuets later after talking about her limp and seeing it and insurance limitations I dropped all 3 credit cards between the girlfriend and I had on the table. He decided an ultra sound but warned us lameness in boxers and greyhounds is very hard to diagnose... great I though.

They had a slot last Thursday a few hours after the consultation to book her in. He said it could be the tendon which runs over the  shoulder to the leg or muscle damage. Either one he hasn't ever diagnosed.

She also doesn't do very well under a general. She doesnt wake up very well. Last time she needed to be resuscitated.

So i head back and the vet catches me as I walk in. He said the 3 words I wanted to hear. "We found something". Fantastic I thought. We found a problem causing her to limp.

It was the tendon. It was inflamed and tight. He gave her a shot of steroids.  I took her home that night. The next day was like having a new dog. Right away I noticed her movement had improved.

A couple of days on she's more and more mobile and I'm more eager to let of off the lead for a run but I'm being bacl for the leg to get more strength

All in all the bill was £600. The best £600 I have spend and I'm so annoyed I spend £1000+ to a vet who kept asking me to come back for other expensive tests.

Thought I'd update everyone
Im so pleased they found a problem and fixed it.

N

GokTweed

3,799 posts

150 months

Monday 5th November 2012
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Excellent news OP! bursitis is easier to treat than a nerve injury so hopefully she will be back to her old self again soon thumbup

ali_kat

31,988 posts

220 months

Monday 5th November 2012
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biggrin

So pleased for you all biggrin