# A lesson learned....



## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

I have, for some time, been grumbling about Pippin's propensity to snap and bite and recent dislike of being groomed - particularly around her rear end. 

As her grooming has been neglected recently due to my illness I had to take her to the vet today to have her shaved nekkid under sedation, and took the opportunity to speak to the vet as well. We decided to have her hips x-rayed as the vet thought from initial examination that she had some stiffness in her left hip.

So, bad news, turns out she has arthritic findings in that hip, and her muscle tone is decidedly lacking on that leg - now that she's bald you can actually see the difference between the left glute and thigh and the right! 

She is growing some bone around the head of the hip joint which is why she sometimes walks a bit stiff legged. Vet used a technical diagnosis but I cannot remember it...! (Don't get old!!)

But the worst thing is - she has obviously been in pain!! And I've been getting cross with her!!! I'm absolutely mortified, but if you saw the way she runs at 90 mph and leaps up and down things with nary a whimper you would maybe understand why pain didn't immediately leap to my mind.

The vet thinks it is damage from when she was run over 2 years ago, although she was fully x-rayed then and nothing untoward found in that area, but there was obviously something wrong.

So my grumpy snarly girl was trying to tell me something... 

She had a more thorough exam under sedation and now is in a bit of pain and discomfort but has pain killers for a week, and is still a bit dopy. She is also going to start on a joint supplement (I will NEVER be rich!) and she has to have rest and short leash walks this week. No more 3 mile daily hikes for a while... The vet has also suggested that in the long term some hydrotherapy would be good for her to build up her gluteus area (bankruptcy looming!!). There happens to be a good one here on the Island that my colleague used for his lab so that's a plus I guess!!

So! Got a pooch that is snarly and grumping for no apparent reason? Get it vet checked!!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh dear I am so sorry to hear that news, but you are so right to remind the rest of us that we know our dogs very very well and that we shouldn't ignore it when they act like they are not themselves. I bet the swimming will be great for Pippin.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

In one way not good news, but in another it is helpful to know that there is a reason for her occasional grumpiness, and it is definitely a salutory reminder to us all that dogs are very different from humans in the way they show symptoms of pain. My Pippin-cat began to get arthritis in his hips some time ago, also following a youthful car accident. To my shame, it took visiting friends to suggest he might be in pain - he had slowed down gradually, and self-limited activity, so I had got used to the change and didn't really see it. He is now on a small daily dose of Loxicom (Metacam), carefully and regularly monitored. It can affect kidneys, but I have decided the risk is worth it for the huge improvement in his quality of life.

Of the supplements, Yumove seems to be the only one that has actually been tested and proven to be helpful. I have heard good things about it, and they provide a fairly generous free sample - nothing worse than investing in an expensive supplement and discovering your dog loathes it!


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Poor girls, the pair of you! *Manxcat*, I can understand how your heart aches at the thought of Pippin being in undiagnosed pain.:Cry: Hard to imagine a poodle who usually bounds about with gusto is somehow hurting. Dogs are notoriously stoic and masterful at cloaking their pain. (Perhaps a remnant of their survival instinct to show no weakness.) What matters is you're now getting Pippin the comfort care she needs and doing _such a good thing_ by spreading the word on the value of vet checks when there's a behavioral issue. Now go spread yourself out on the couch, have a good cry, then a cup of tea and think of how LUCKY Pippin is to have survived her run-in with car and to forever be in your loving, competent care! (Feel free to exchange the tea for something stronger.):liquor::drink:

I know your devotion to keeping her feeling her best will make it so! :hug: Sharing your story may change things for the better for many other dogs. This makes you a real hero! A champagne toast to you is _clearly_ in order.:cheers:


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## SeoulTeddy (Jan 8, 2015)

Oh dear, so sorry to hear about lovely Pippin. Thankfully you got it diagnosed and now you know what is causing her to be a grumpy-bum, and she is now also getting appropriate treatment. 

Don't blame yourself. You took the initiative to get it checked out and are now doing all you can for her. Sending very supportive and gentle hugs to you both!


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Poor Pippin. I hope she feels better soon. Killa has the same muscle atrophy in her deformed leg and shoulder. It's very weird to look at when she is shaved. I keep two different kinds of pain meds on hand for her just in case. She might get some 2-3 times a month when she has her bad days. Thankfully she is no longer on steroids so she can get pain meds. We had to rely on laser therapy for pain when she was on the steroids. Which to my surprise did help quite a bit, it also helps promote healing. You might see if it is an option for Pippin. We have also done Hydrotherapy with Killa. Unfortunately she uses that leg the same way under water as she does out of water so it's not much help. We are working on different ways for her to move in the water to see if we can get her to use the leg though, but I am not pushing it. If she doesn't want to use I won't make her. I'm sure it will help Pippin. It's a great way to reduce the stress on the joint during exercise, but still gets that muscle to work like it should be.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Aww, I am really sorry to hear this, but you are such a good poodle Mom, I know that you will take very good care of her!
Perhaps you could watch a couple of water therapy sessions at the facility, and duplicate it at home with a kiddie pool?
Also many dog rehab facilities use fitpaws equipment to build muscle, and it really is not that pricey to buy a couple of pieces for home - Timi has a couple that we use when the weather is too bad to go to the park.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Thanks, the vet also said to walk her slowly up hills... not a problem in our neck of the woods!! Apparently that is good for the glutes too!


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

fjm said:


> Of the supplements, Yumove seems to be the only one that has actually been tested and proven to be helpful. I have heard good things about it, and they provide a fairly generous free sample - nothing worse than investing in an expensive supplement and discovering your dog loathes it!


The vet has given us one - think it is fairly new - called Nutraquin+. They reckon it is showing good results but we will see. As far as I can make out it is pretty much glucosamine so if she stays on it I'll see what I can get cheaper maybe - although I don't know how much this cost today as we're now on a monthly account with the vets! And reserved parking... and discounted food... LOL!

She's also got Metacam in tablet form for a week and maybe will need it now and again. Early days yet


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Metacam is wonderful stuff. We keep a bottle of the liquid form on hand with instructions to use it as we would tylenol or advil (sparingly but as needed for life's little aches and pains). It was great for growing pains and we've given it when there have been little spills or heavy duty running days accompanied by groaning dogs. Hopefully that will do the trick. We had Lily need tramadol once when she took a hard fall. She misjudged a jump flying onto our deck from the lower part of the yard and trying to skip the four steps altogether. She skidded about 20 feet across the deck and only came to a stop when she hit the side of the house. She couldn't figure out what she could put weight on, so I took her to the vet. The tramadol made her very loopy. I hope you won't need anything more than the metacam.

PS Lily had no defined injuries.


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## hopetocurl (Jan 8, 2014)

My Annabelle (RIP) also had a hip problem and muscle atrophy. It was weird to see a fat leg and a skinny one. Glad you were able to get to the bottom of it... Now for the healing!


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

I'm so sorry little Pippin has been in pain. This is a good reminder to us all, so thanks for sharing. I hope she feels better very soon. (And that her treatment isn't too costly!!)


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Thank you for sharing a great reminder. In the daily rush of things, sometimes stuff gets overlooked. I know you always have their health and well-being as a top priority, though. Try not to be too hard on yourself.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Poor Pippin! Hoping she feels better soon.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

You really need to have a 'reserved' parking space and an invite to your Vet's vacation home since you are helping him pay the mortgage on it........................Oh my! Pippin (& Pushkin) may have health problems, but you are the best Mum they could possibly have! It seems even with your own health problems your care and concern for them is outstanding!!! Hope you all get to feeling better!!!!!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

"So! Got a pooch that is snarly and grumping for no apparent reason? Get it vet checked!!"
Should I get my wife vet cheaked??

Grace today, playing chase with a poodle collie cross, body_slammed a solid post by mistake. Had it been me I would have been in hospital for a week. The impact very nearly brought down the structure. She continued the chase game un-interupted. No sign of soreness now next day. She is VERY stoic about pain. We are crossing the Nullabor plain. 1200 Km of nothing much. Nearest vet 400Km away. Guess I have to put up with the " snarly and grumping "
Eric


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

ericwd9 said:


> "So! Got a pooch that is snarly and grumping for no apparent reason? Get it vet checked!!"
> Should I get my wife vet cheaked??
> 
> Grace today, playing chase with a poodle collie cross, body_slammed a solid post by mistake. Had it been me I would have been in hospital for a week. The impact very nearly brought down the structure. She continued the chase game un-interupted. No sign of soreness now next day. She is VERY stoic about pain. We are crossing the Nullabor plain. 1200 Km of nothing much. Nearest vet 400Km away. Guess I have to put up with the " snarly and grumping "
> Eric


LOL! Poor wife!! I'm really not going to get drawn into the women dealing with pain better than men argument though!! :biggrin:

And most men put up with women being snarly and grumping regularly...! 

Enjoy your tour!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

*Tour*

Slowly.









Eric


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Awww...poor Pippin. I'm sorry to find out that she's having this pain. I hope the lowered activity and some meds will help make her feel better. What a good lesson you learned and it is a good reminder to us all that if our dogs get grumpy and it's out of character for them, it might be some medical thing. Thanks for sharing your lesson learned. I think the hydrotherapy will be great but yeah....expensive. So, the idea of something at home is a good one. You could maybe do both. What about acupuncture? I always wondered about that for certain things. Might be worth a try. Hope she will improve soon. It's tough when our babies have troubles like this. (((hugs)))


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Thanks PB and all. She seems a bit easier physically from the lack of exercise but mentally has been going a bit stir crazy. She's on a different pain killer as the Metacam upset her stomach so is now on Previcox which seems to suit okay. 

Saw the vet again this morning who seems fairly happy with things, but wants her to stay on the Previcox for a month so Pippin has a stable period and we can check her gait. Also to help as she starts hydrotherapy on Saturday.

The joint supplement apparently has a natural anti-inflammatory in it, which she will probably stay on now but will hopefully mean she shouldn't need NSAIDS or even steroidal AIs much in the future.

She's still a grumpy git though... 

Though we do see an improvement in the morning post-pill and during the day, the evenings are still not great!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Manxcat said:


> And most men put up with women being snarly and grumping regularly...!


But not all. The only grumpy person I have to deal with is me...


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks for the update Manxcat. I hope the hydrotherapy helps.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Aw, Manxcat, you are a wonderful Poodle Mum! Even while you yourself are going through health challenges, your pups are your top concern. I hope the meds, hydrotherapy, and slow uphill walking (really, is there any other way LOL) all help Pippin feel much better. Your two have the best home they could have!


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