My Blue Heeler is having a hard time getting around

Big Trey · 08-24-2006, 12:15 AM

Hello, im new to these forums. My name is Trey and I have a 6-8 year old female Blue Heeler named Tasha. Not sure on her age as I rescued her from the pound and the vet estimated 1-3 years old at the time.

Recently (the past 4 days or so) she has had a hard time getting around. It is hard for her to get up from laying down, it seems the problem is in her hind legs. She will not sit, even for her scooby snacks. When she lies down she does not like to get back up, and if she has been lying down all night she can barely stand when she finally gets up. She also has a real hard time getting up the stairs. The problem seems to be getting worse, and I feel bad because right now I cannot afford to take her to the vet.

Does anybody here have any suggestions? Is arthritis popular with this breed? Shes with me 90% of the time and I dont remember anything happening to her that would of caused this, unless she injured herself jumping in and out of the truck.

Thanks for any replies,

Trey and Tasha.

Alpha · 08-24-2006, 12:21 AM

Sounds like arthritis. But don't quote me

Arthritis in the hips and elbows is quite common for larger breeds.

A trip to the vet would be in order. Then you can determine if in fact it is arthritis or if it's perhaps from a recent injury.

Although everything you have described, trouble getting up stairs, jumping into the truck, sitting and not wanting to get up after lying down are all symptoms of arthritis.

If it is arthritis, let's just say it is. What I personally would do, is get her on an exercise plan. Most people's fatal mistake is totally limiting their arthritic dogs physical activity, when in fact that only ceases the joints even more!

Swimming is great as well as perhaps a few minutes a day of light jogging or some fetch. No jumping!

Swimming is the best way to help build muscle without placing stress on the joints.

As well, glucosomine/chondroitin is a pill that's taken by humans and horses for arthritis. It's fairly cheap and is proven to be effective when dealing with arthritis in dogs. I use Jamieson tablets, and my girls on 1000mg a day. I believe I paid $24 for 280 tablets. (She gets two a day). Your vet may even reccomend them. If you do get g/c tablets, make sure that you give them to her on a semi-full stomach, as they can be hard to digest and hard on the tummy without anything in there to help move it all along

Big Trey · 08-24-2006, 12:33 AM

Thanks for the quick response!

Do you have any idea what kind of vet bill I'll be looking at when I take her in? I really hate to put a price on her like that but I dont have much funds right now. I was figuring they will want to take x-rays and that'll be $$$

Alpha · 08-24-2006, 12:42 AM

Money doesn't grow on trees honey!

So here is the thing. Hip dysplasia is a bone structural issue. What this means is that it can be identified by x-ray by as young as a few weeks and ultimately by two years of age when the dog's bones stop growing.

There are many different severeties of HD, some won't affect a dog at all, some will cripple it within months of age and some it will appear later on in life as arthritis.

So this is what I would think if I was in your position right now.

My dog is 6 years old, it's a larger breed, it's most likely a mild case of HD (HD, in mild cases, is just that, arthritis, wear and tear on the pelvic joint)

I probably wouldn't take x-rays from the way you've described it, because it would seem obvious that it's arthritis. I would keep my dog lean, being overweight adds unnecesarry stress on the joint. Exercise and supplement.

My girl got X-rays done a few months ago and it costed me around $200, after I paid for the aneastethic, the exam and the plates.

Hope I helped you out

Big Trey · 08-24-2006, 01:01 AM

You've helped me out plenty. Tasha IS overweight, shes been getting pretty chubby and round lately. Shes starting to look like a pig. We put her on a diet, NO PEOPLE FOOD and cut back on the food she gets.

Shes going to get more exercise after I figure out the problem and get her feeling better. Swimming isnt her thing, she hates water unless its being sprayed at her by the hose. She'll chase the ball all day, though.

Shelly_236 · 08-24-2006, 10:28 PM

I was actually at the vet today and read a poster on tips for arthritic dogs. I can't remember everything it said, but it did suggest.. keeping excess weight off, keeping your pet warm so joints won't get so stiff and a soft place to sleep. I can't think of anything else at the moment. Good luck!

bigdawgs · 08-26-2006, 06:49 PM

At our clinic, we would do aphysical exam. A vet can tell alot just by manipulating the joints. If it looked like arthritis, we would SUGGEST an xray, but we are painfully aware that money is often an issue. It could be ligament damage, and that would require surgery. If money were a problem, we would try anti-inflammatories and pain relief, and follow a wait and see approach. We would do this even if surgery were indicated, but the client needed time to get funds in order.

Alpha · 08-26-2006, 09:42 PM

Surgery if it was arthritis?

What kind of surgery would be done?

The only surgeries I'm familiar with are those that are done to "fix" HD.

What would be involved in the procedure?

Shelly_236 · 08-27-2006, 11:12 AM

My oldest dog had to have ligament repair surgeries on both of his back legs due to tears. Poor baby was in casts for 6 months. We did one leg then the other. That was about 3 years ago and he's done great since.

flip195 · 08-27-2006, 11:40 AM

this place is a joke

FeliciaT · 11-16-2008, 06:32 PM

My female was hit by an SUV when she was a little over two years old, her back hip was damaged, the the firs sign of her having problems getting up and down, I started her on a couple capsules of msm with glucosamine daily. Matter of fact I take them myself. You can get them on line, in Wal-mart, or health food store. It may take a while for them to kick in but they do work. Sara has been on them for 3 years and she's still my bed dog working cattle, and helps train her puppies. If your dog is in a lot of pain right now you can give her a baby aspirin to help easy her pain. Make sure you only give her pure aspirin, any thing else could kill her. My dad use to give aspirins to his dogs when I was a kid when they were hurt in an accident or had signs of arthritis.

Hope's this helps with your dog.

Patt · 11-16-2008, 07:12 PM

It has been a few months, how is Tasha doing?

StarfishSaving · 11-16-2008, 07:59 PM

This sounds characteristic of Lyme disease or maybe a ligament tear. I hope the OP will chime in and let us know how Tasha is! :/

MyRescueCrew · 11-16-2008, 10:05 PM

Actually, this thread is over 2 years old... and the OP hasn't even logged into the forums since Feb. '08.

Patt · 11-16-2008, 10:14 PM

Well DUH, I wasn't paying attention was I? LOL Good catch MRC!

MyRescueCrew · 11-16-2008, 10:18 PM

LOL Patt, don't feel bad, I was already typing up a reply when I saw the date! I was halfway thru a post explaining how Jake had the same symptoms of arthritis, ect. when I looked up at the date and was like, oops!

StarfishSaving · 11-16-2008, 10:48 PM

LOL I thought it was 3 months old... I didn't bother looking at the year. >_< I hate that. LOL