Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

I've got an eight-year old collie-lab cross who thinks he's two. He has a habit of bounding into slides to catch balls, and a couple of weeks ago, he gimped one of his back legs a bit by doing footballer-style tackles with a dead pop bottle.

 

I've been taking him for a walk every five days to allow him time to heal up a bit. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, but he is a bit limpy now and then. So we wait a few days until he seems normal, go for a walk, and then he does it again.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to walk a dog off leash without him being a fool beast and ending up limpy every time? I've not had a dog be this silly about his own personal leg health before. Frankly, if I don't walk him, he ends up like a nutty jack in the box, so he does need some vigorous exercise, just some which won't leave him limpy.

 

Any tips?

[sparkysmum]

Hi, I'm sorry your pooch is limpy, have you tried rimadyl or metacalm? If Sparky over does it ,he occassionally needs Rimadyl for a couple of days. I think it's anti inflammatory and seems to do the trick. Hope he's better soon. Ax

[Blackrocksrock]

Would say he has done something which is going to take time to heal and he needs really to be walked on the lead till this has resolved - letting him off the lead can sometimes make the problem last longer and longer. He should be able to go longer and longer walks on the lead and after a few weeks then be let off for short periods - the fact they run and go mad off the lead is unfortunately not good for a sore leg!.

The vets may give him some antiinflammatories but he needs still to be on the lead as it will mask the problem and make him run even more if he does not feel it!.

[Seagazer]

I too was going to say that you would just have to walk him on the lead. I know its frustrating for both of you but its the only way you can make sure that he doesn't do any more damage.

[Chucky Mama]

The impact on his leg when he stops suddenly will make him sore so ball and stick chasing are the thing that you want to avoid. Up and down stair and on and off furniture also are not good. The problem with walking a dog like yours on a lead is that they will go potty the first day that they are allowed off a lead and then you are back to square 1. Can you let him walk with something is his mouth but don't throw it for him to chase? Some anti inflammatories and perhaps some glucosamine would be a good idea and then look at either a low energy walk off the lead with a ball in his mouth or a longer tiring walk on the lead to ensure a low impact walk. Failing that perhaps look at swimming him.

[moochoo]

Firstly, avoid ball and stick chasing as this often involves jumping. Older dogs benefit from having one glucosamine sulphate tablet each day (no more that 1000mg). Their cartalidge and ligaments do start to deteriorate and injuries that cause mild lameness take longer to heal.

Larger dogs like labs that weigh at least 40kg can take a childs dose of ibruprofen too - short term whilst he's healing to help with the inflamation. Obviously if this is a long term issue veterinary advice should always be saught.

[Chucky Mama]

Larger dogs like labs that weigh at least 40kg can take a childs dose of ibruprofen too - short term whilst he's healing to help with the inflamation

I wouldn't advise ibruprofen, given at low doses (found in children's ibuprofen) it will be ineffective and at a higher dose that would perhaps be theraputic it can be extremely toxic. It is the most common poisoning that vets treat. Previously 'suggested' effective doses for dogs weighing 40kg (5mg per kg - equivalent to 1 adult tablet) has been proved unsafe and toxic causing gastric ulceration.

I wouldn't recommend home medication of pets with human medications. The smallest amount of paracetamol causes irreversible liver damage in cats for instance.

[BeckyBoo]

Hi there, I've got a big dog that tore a ligament through bounding about like a lunatic. I rested her completely for about two weeks (and yes, it was hell and yes, she hated me for it and yessss, she gave me resenteful baleful stares every time I walked out without her! ) Then I started her off on short walks, we're normally out for about an hour, but I took her out for about 10-15 minutes and on the lead or on the school run which is 10 minutes each way. She would be fine during the walk it was after she really struggled as though she'd got stiff from lying down afterwards. But as her recovery from the short walks got better we stayed out longer and longer and in fact (as she's not a particularly bouncy dog) I did let her off the lead after only a week or so of walks. It's actually taken the best part of three months for her to recover properly and still, if you stare at her bottom when she walks ( ) you can see a very very slight limp sometimes. But it was worth it because otherwise we were looking at a major op with a 12 week cage rest recovery - and THAT was pretty much unthinkable to me!!

 

Anyway, imagine it will be hard with such an energetic dog but hope he recovers soon

 

BeckyBoo

[Ain't Nobody Here]

When Riley dislocated his hip, we had him on lead only walks for about 3 months . He's not particularly boundy and didn't mind too much (despite being a dog who loves to run!)

 

He's made a full recovery but it did take time .

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Jess my eldest Lab had cruciate problems in both her back legs....due to over enthusiastic jumping games in her previous life ...........we got her at 22 months & she was (and still is ) quite a handful, why walk when you can run like a lunatic . We had one leg operated on...thankfully she's insured ...and were told the other leg would very likely need doing in the foreseeable future That was 3 years ago & *touches lots of wood* we are ok at the mo...........we gave her sessions of hydrotherapy (swimming on a lead in a canine pool) before the op and afterwards & so far she's fine, she's even started to jump in off the side of the pool in the past few months which she had never even attempted before Louts R Us !!!!

 

Poppy also had hydrotherapy when she had her luxating patellae (sp?) sorted, they now all swim for fun..........and to soak me once a fortnight. I think this is what has strengthened Jess' muscles & prevented her other cruciate ligament from becoming damaged again....maybe I'm wrong but it works for us, no more limpy dogs

 

Sha x

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear that, lots of good advice here. Does your vet have a hydrotherapy tank for dogs?

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

We have a river nearby. That's water and affordable. Thanks all!