Advice~~ worried

[MooseGooser]

Ran a HRCH Finished test last weekend. Dog did OK,, but I noticed an old ghost sneakin back into the mix.

The limp has returned! very slight,, but it showed up at the end of the test. Bailey hurt her front shoulder a couple a years ago. The Vet thought it was a slight soft tissue injurie. We kept her quiet for about 6 to 8 weeks. Crated, and on a leash when She went outside to do her thing. We swam her as she started to get better, but limited land work, and no blinds cause of the quick stop and start action. She got better, and has been training again,, but on a very careful basis.

I called my Vet about the returned limp.. and he prescribed Rimadyl. He thought it would be on an as needed basis for right now, and to see if it helps with the pain. I have read all the information and precautons about the drug. I have talked about the possible side effects with my Vet, and he assures me that they can happen,, but it is rare, and most dogs do well with the drug.

So,, heres the dilemma! She is entered in a Senior test this weekend, both Sunday AND Monday. After a few days of rest without the medication, the limp has gone away again. Do I give her the drug startin tomorrow morning (Saturday), and go ahead and run the test?? Or would it be better to scratch her from the test, and see how she reacts to the med, to make sure She will be Ok on it?
If I dont give her the med, and run the test, do I take a chance on her hurting herself even more?

Dog is 8 1/2 years old,, Is still a hard charger, and loves doin this stuff!
Have any of you had similar circumstaces?? How has the dog done with that med??

Thanks in advance

worried

Gooser

[Steve Hester]

I think the main thing is this; Do you trust your vet? If so, I would give her the Rimadyl and run her. If not, then don't run her.

[Patrick Johndrow]

For me the answer is easy…no ribbon is worth my dog’s long-term health or taking a chance of loosing her for hunting season.


You will never regret NOT taking a chance.

[frontier]

I had a re-current problem in an older male dog I purchased a few years ago...xrays didn't show anything..and the problem persisted for months.treated with rest..and pain medicine and limp would go away..went back to training and limp would start up again.

The orthopedic vet finally put him under and pulled fluid from the shoulder and tested it. He had a certain type infection that wasn't being solved with previous antibiotic regime. Treated him for three months with the right antibiotic, and never had a problem again...was not an injury after all, and he never limped on that shoulder after that.

[KwickLabs]

Dog is 8 1/2 years old.....is still a hard charger, and loves doin' this stuff!
Have any of you had similar circumstaces?? How has the dog done with that med??

Can't tell you what to do, but here are some anecdotal "stories" related to your quote.

My friend had an HCH Finished titled dog a bit younger (not much) that demonstrated shoulder "issues" when worked hard or after a weekend of testing. Vet perscribed Rimadyl on a "need" basis. Baylor ended up being a 500 point dog, did a lot of hunt tests and was sore often. He loved to run and "rested" afterwards.

Many years ago we had an 8 year old harness horse named Swan Bay. Both his front ankles were distorted with huge calcium deposits called osselets. We trained him very lightly (if at all) between races. "Swanny" had a huge heart and absolutely loved to race. After each race, he would lay in his stall for two days. It was too painful to stand up for very long. But on the third day he would get up, ready to "go at it" again. What a great personality he had. After a race that he didn't win, you'd think he was never going to make it back to the barn. If he won, he pranced around the track and all the way back to his stall. The pain was something he tolerated and accepted because he loved what he was doing.

I'm nearly 70. Last fall I went to South Dakota for the first time with some younger friends. My left knee (the doctor says) will soon need a replacement (basically bone on bone). It was a struggle at times. It is painful and reminds me more so when a bad step is taken. Each day ended with a silent "I made it."

The medication helped and I figured what am I "saving myself for" if I baby it and don't do anything? This fall I am going back (twice) because I plan on using both five day "segments" of the license. Loosing some weight will help some.

So the knee hurts....it is not that big of a deal when you consider the alternative.....sitting around doing nothing. Just took my "meds" and no 16 year old kid is going to mow the lawn with my walk behind mower this morning.

So if the dog loves what it does.....the vet is on the right track.....waiting for a better time is only a choice. My oldest is going to be 9 this August, she is titled out, but I'm making sure she gets to do all the things she loves to do. The most important to her are training (setup test dog) and hunting. There are no signs of her age causing a problem.....but we aren't going to miss a day until we absolutely have to.....even if it involves a little discomfort.

Pain comes with getting older.....you deal with it (or not).

[Sundown49 aka Otey B]

GREAT post Jim. I have an EIC dog that hunted 60 days last duck season. Absolutely loved it. The getting old part I can fully understand because I am starting to fall apart with all the health problems i have had. BUT the thing that keeps me going is my dogs. I have a 15 year old Lab that is front and center at all training sessions. She gets her one mark even if its only 20 yards and takes 5 minutes to do but she is happy then to watch. Gooser at 8 1/2 your dog is like us old folks still has the heart but just needs the time to recuperate ....... OH to be 20 again............LOL..........Run her.

[pupaloo]

My two cents:

Rimadyl will mask the pain, so it will hurt less or none while she is running. Pain is something that lets the body know something is wrong, so without the pain, she risks further injuring whatever is making her limp.

Since it is a recent injury, the most prudent course is to take her to an orthopedic specialist and find out what the injury is. It might be something that can be fixed and then you won't have this dilemma. If it can't be fixed, then you can follow Jim's excellent advice and evaluate to the best of your ability what would make THE DOG happy, and go from there knowing what the options are for maintaining her soundness.

The fact that the limp returned means that whatever the injury is has not healed despite you doing a nice job resting and rehabbing her. That's an indication that it is more serious than just a soft tissue injury-again why an ortho visit is a good idea.

The "reaction" issue with Rimadyl is a liver toxicity, mostly in black labs, and occurs with long-term use-every day for months type of use. Blood tests are used to monitor liver levels. You can safely not worry about it. If you give her the drug and run her, problems will be with aggravating the injury, not from taking the pill.

I have older animals, too. Part of our responsibility is keeping them comfortable. I use joint supplements and pain relief as necessary for that purpose-horses and dogs. I also know, for my old gal Scarlett, that while she needs to be active, that overdoing it will make her unhappy for longer than the extra activity gave her joy, so I limit what she does. She's still happy-and she gets Adequan shots every week to help limit arthritis forming in her knees, both of which had TPLOs. She's almost 10.

If Baliey was my dog, I'd scratch this test, and get her checked out. There will be other tests-and you'll know what you're dealing with. If you run the test, and she injures herself severely and ends her career, you'll never forgive yourself.

[KwickLabs]

"If Baliey was my dog, I'd scratch this test, and get her checked out."

That's why I said 1) "can't tell you what to do" and 2) this must be true....."the vet is on the right track". You do need to know exactly what is going on.

[gmhr1]

We went through this for close to a year than we had an Orthopedic Spec go in scope the shoulder and fix what he found, torn tendon.

[MooseGooser]

Thank you all!!

She is MUCH better today! Though I understand that there might still be a problem..

I'm gonna run her,, BUT,, if She shows ANY signs of problems or pain,, I'm gonna pick her up and scratch Mondays tests!! She will NOT run Monday if She is sore Sunday Night!!!

Thanks again for all the input!

It is MUCH appreciated!

Gooser