# Acting strange first thing in the morning?



## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Could he have a joint problem, like luxating patellas ("loose knees")?


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## Shipper (May 14, 2010)

LEUllman said:


> Could he have a joint problem, like luxating patellas ("loose knees")?


That's the reason for the post to see if anyone has had a similar experience. So far this has only been observed twice but twice in three weeks. He just turned two this month. He was a rescue puppy from a breeder's last litter when she went out of business-so no history. Seems too young for joint problems, but I'm pretty green concerning poodles.


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

Toy and mini poodles are at risk for luxating patellas, a genetic condition that reputable breeders screen for and breed away from. It can appear at any time, including at a young age. It would not be a bad idea to have his knees examined by a vet.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

This may sound like an X-rated reply, but it reminds me of Jake. Jake (my previous mini) was neutered around a year.....and it was odd but once he was neutered he started having erections and humping this or that. I joked with the vet that he was fine UNTIL he got neutered.....maybe he did something wrong. But, I digress.....I noticed for a while for no particular reason he would stand and sheepishly look at me and could not walk (muscles tight in his back legs) and then I saw, wow, a huge erection. Maybe he was having good dreams or something? (doggie dreams that is). It did subside, but I had never seen anything like it and yes, the erection went down and then he was fine. Either way, I'd probably have a vet check the knees, tho.


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## Shipper (May 14, 2010)

He shows no sign of any problems after he starts moving around and for the rest of the day. Only when he first wakes up. It appears to be more spine related than joint; at least it would be if it were me. I'm "locked up" when I first get up, but I'm pretty old and he's just a kid. He does these great cat-like stretches in the morning except for the two times I've noticed the problem.
He's 16" tall and weighs s trim 21#, so I think a standard was in the mix somewhere-probably why the breeder went out of business.


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## Shipper (May 14, 2010)

liljaker said:


> This may sound like an X-rated reply, but it reminds me of Jake. Jake (my previous mini) was neutered around a year.....and it was odd but once he was neutered he started having erections and humping this or that. I joked with the vet that he was fine UNTIL he got neutered.....maybe he did something wrong. But, I digress.....I noticed for a while for no particular reason he would stand and sheepishly look at me and could not walk (muscles tight in his back legs) and then I saw, wow, a huge erection. Maybe he was having good dreams or something? (doggie dreams that is). It did subside, but I had never seen anything like it and yes, the erection went down and then he was fine. Either way, I'd probably have a vet check the knees, tho.


BINGO! That's exactly what he seems to be doing. Our vet is coming over for dinner tonight so I'll run that by him. Thanks for the X-rated reply! :adore:


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Shipper said:


> He shows no sign of any problems after he starts moving around and for the rest of the day. Only when he first wakes up. It appears to be more spine related than joint; at least it would be if it were me. I'm "locked up" when I first get up, but I'm pretty old and he's just a kid. He does these great cat-like stretches in the morning except for the two times I've noticed the problem.
> He's 16" tall and weighs s trim 21#, so I think a standard was in the mix somewhere-probably why the breeder went out of business.


Interesting he is a big boy, too; so was my Jake -- at that age he was 17" and ended up around 30 pounds. Maybe it's a big boy thing? ahhhhh Anyway, he was more what know people refer to as moyen or klein -- at 10 weeks vet said he'd be 28 - 30 pounds, and I was floored but bingo! And, a healthy sex drive AFTER neutered!


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## Rowan (May 27, 2011)

Shipper said:


> He shows no sign of any problems after he starts moving around and for the rest of the day. Only when he first wakes up. It appears to be more spine related than joint; at least it would be if it were me. I'm "locked up" when I first get up, but I'm pretty old and he's just a kid. He does these great cat-like stretches in the morning except for the two times I've noticed the problem.
> *He's 16" tall and weighs s trim 21#, so I think a standard was in the mix somewhere-probably why the breeder went out of business.*


Not necessarily. A number of us on here have oversized MPOOs and there were no SPOOs in the line.  It can happen, and I think oversized MPOOs are the _perfect _size! 
(Alex, the black pup in my Sig, is 17.5" and 18 lbs. His father was oversized but his mother was within MPOO standards. In fact, his grandfather was a very small MPOO.)

*liljaker*, your x-rated reply made me laugh. Alex will sometimes er, "air hump" in the mornings and he turned 10 this year. He's done this off an on for years! Boys will be boys.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Rowan - I agree with you on the size. Actually I had two breeders mention to me that since the 3 other pups were small (3 pounds at 12 weeks), and Jake was larger (5.2 pounds at 12 weeks), there could be European line (larger mini -- moyen) in the breeder's line. Funny, since the sire of Jake's litter was from England, so that may have had something to do with it. Who knows -- but I miss that little guy every single day.


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## Shipper (May 14, 2010)

My vet (35 years experience) had not seen this particular symptom, but told me to bring him by in the morning and he would do an anal gland exam. This morning he found pus in the anal gland excrement and put him on antibiotics.
As they run their course, I'll watch to see if the morning symptoms disappear. He did say that he might have to pack the cavity if the antibiotics didn't work.
Riley (dog) does seem to be down and draggy now; so maybe we are starting to see the effects of the infection. Thanks for all your replies and Merry Christmas!


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