xChicken04x Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Hi guys, poor Zara the puppy has hurt her leg (quite badly it seems) she began limping on Friday, no idea why though, but it wasn't that bad we assumed it was cramp. Saturday she was limping much worse, and can't put much weight on her right front leg. Today it is even worse to the extent that she is whimpering all the time. I think she is getting shooting pains because every couple of hours she starts doing these hiccuping noises and flinches for a few minutes. She keeps giving me her paw as if she is trying to tell me were it hurts . I've looked at her paw, there is nothing stuck in it and have felt up and down her leg to feel for anything out of place but I can't find anything. I'm feeling so guilty now, she is trying to tell me it hurts but I can't do anything about it until she goes to the vet on Monday. Any suggestions until then as to what I can do for her? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 Please can anyone help? She is really crying now and I don't know what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocobo Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Could you try a ice pack or a heat pack on her leg to see if it helps? Don't really know what else to suggest... Hope she feel better soon. Gina.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 I feel desperately sorry for you both, its awful when a pet is hurt and can't tell you where I did try a sort of massage (I think its called T Touch) where you make small circles on the dogs skin with two fingers in a fifty pence sized circle and then backwards a bit. I did this when my dog hurt his leg at the shoulder as it apparently relaxes them a bit and I think massage in general releases feel good things in to the bloodsteam which may help with the pain sorry for the waffle, sorry I cant be more help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 I don't know how old your puppy is but they can get greenstick fractures. Sorry I don't want to alarm you but I have known cases of this happening. This can happen when a puppy is belting around the garden and then knocks himself/herself against a hard object or falls awkwardly. Puppy bones don't really get hard until they are about a year old, depending on the breed of dog. Personally, I would keep her confined until you see a vet. Good luck tomorrow and let us know how she is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 Hi Guys thanks for the suggestions. Gamebird- that sounds very likely to me, she is forever running around with other dogs. She is a German Shepherd and is only 8 months old. I feel absolutely awful, and she is getting worse, she went from it being a bit sore to absolute agony. She won't stop crying and keeps giving me her paw but I can't do anything for her. She has started to cough whenever it hurts as well so she can't sleep. I've given her some rescue remedy in the hope that it calms her down because she is panting so much. I can't bare to see her like this anymore and I'm on the verge of crying as well. She will be at the vet first thing tomorrow. Thank you again everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 If you can't get to a vet it is ok to give paracetamol to dogs (not cats). About 150-200mg every 12 hours for a youngish GSD. Don't give ibuprofen it's poisonous. If going to the vet best to leave it in case they want to give something stronger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted December 8, 2008 Author Share Posted December 8, 2008 Hi Guys, once again THANK YOU so much for the support. So sorry for my desperate messages, I was in a real panic. I've never seen Zara in so much pain I just felt completly helpless and Zara couldn't understand why I wasn't helping her. No sleep at all last night, I stayed awake incase needed me. She finally drifted off at about 11:30pm and slept through till the morning, the rescue remedy seemed to help. She is feeling a bit better today. I phoned the vet the second it opened but they were all bucked up till 2:30 so she's going in then. I will update when I come back. Thank you again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Only just caught up with this and I can sympathise with how helpless you feel when a pet is hurt and you can't help . Lots of ((hugs)) to you both. What has the vet said? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted December 8, 2008 Author Share Posted December 8, 2008 Hi all, just another update. Zara has been to the vet, he seems to think it is her shoulder that is sore, rather than her paw/leg as she flinched when he examined it. She is going back in tomorrow for xrays. I hate the thought of her being sedated and waking up to an unfamiliar place, but it's the only option. The vet doesn't think it is broken as she is able to put a bit of weight on her leg, but thinks it may be fractured or she could have torn a ligament (sp?) She will be going in at 9:00am and should be home later in the afternoon, depending on the xray results. I will ask if I can stay with her until she goes to sleep, otherwise she will cry as I leave her which will be stressful for us both, but I'm not sure if I'll be allowed. Thanks again all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 More ((hugs)) to you both and hope all goes well tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Aah bless her Hopefully whatever it is can be sorted quickly for her . Let us know how she gets on. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Poor girly. I hope they can find out the problem and make her more comfortable. Good luck for tomorow and let us know the outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted December 9, 2008 Author Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hi all, what a palava!!! Got up this morning, Zara is walking almost normaly, dashing around bringing her toys to me etc. I taken her back to the vet anyway and he said she looks like a different dog! He looked at her again and decided it is probably more of a muscular problem and that if it was a fractor/break she wouldn't be walking the way she is. Anyway he said that if he was me he would bring her home and see how she is as there is no point in her getting stressed out over the injections etc. So I brought her home again worrying if I have made the right decision. If she goes down hill again she will be back tommorrow. She seems much happier today which I'm glad about but I'm also worried that I haven't made the right choice.....I'm sure the vet wouldn't have told me to bring her home if she wasn't well enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 I am sure you have made the right decision and if the vet had any doubts, he wouldn't have let you take her away. As you say, if any problems recur, you can always take her back again and it sounds like she'll be much better off at home with you getting spoiled rotten She is still a baby and they tend to heal very quickly at that age, so obviously whatever damage was done is getting better on its own. Great news that she's getting well again . Enjoy playing with her and her toys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 That sounds like good news. I think I would be inclined to restrict her movement, i.e walks on lead, no rough play etc just for a few days to give whatever it is that she has done time to heal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 I'm glad its sorted itself out and she's feeling better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted December 10, 2008 Author Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi guys, not much to say really. Zara is doing fine . She is MUCH happier and has that little sparkle back in her eye. She is still limping very slightly but has improved an awful lot. Thank you all again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
