# Injured Dog



## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

I have a question for you dog owners. I have a 2.5 year old lab. I hunt him very often. Over winter break (I am a teacher) I hunted Iowa and S. MN for pheasants for five days. When I got home I noticed that my dog was limping a little after laying down. I checked to see if I could find anything on his front left leg....but found nothing. It comes and goes but primarily after he is lying down for a while. I think it is his shoulder but he is not tender to the touch anywhere. It is almost like he is stiff. He did run into a fence pretty hard the first day of the trip but I didn't notice any immediate problems.

Last night he wouldn't jump out of the back of the trailblazer (for the first time ever).

I know labs are prone to hip problems but my dog has ZERO cases of problems in his blood line.

My question is at what point do you bring him to the vet? Could it be that he is sore after the fence incident and a long, hard hunting trip? Again this is not a massive limp but as a first time dog owner, I want to make sure that I am doing the correct thing while not over reacting. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Its probably just a minor strain or injury from the trip I would rest him and crate him, walk him only on a leash for a couple weeks and see if he improves. If he does keep doing it until one week after no sign of lameness to avoid a relapse.

I don't let my dogs jump out of vehicles never ever.

I've seen too many over the years get hurt doing that. Grab his collar with your left hand and slide your right arm under his gut until you right bicep is agasinst his side and lift him down, its easy if you do it that way even with big dogs.

A dogs muscles are stiff and not warmed up just like yours after riding in the car.

Do not give him aspirin or any nsaid.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

If it were my dog, it would be at the vet by now.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

vet visit now.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

the vets going to tell you what I just told you, send me a check. :lol:

The key is keep his activity to a minimum, on the leash or in a crate. No of leash running at all.

I've been through this many many times give it some time to heal.

If you pull or strain something its going to take a couple weeks of rest to heal, same with the dog.

As minor as you describe it its going to be hard for the vet to tell anything because of the high tolerance to pain most dogs have combined with their insecurity when at the vets.

If after a couple weeks he doesn't improve then its time to go to the vet.


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## wirehairman (Oct 31, 2005)

Bobm is, as usual, right on the money in my opinion.

Dogs twist and sprain joints and get bruised just like their human companions. If he is "not tender to the touch anywhere", he is likely just sore from twisting a joint or running into the fence you mentioned.

You can take him to the vet, but I'll bet a frosty beverage that the vet tells you exactly what Bobm posted.


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## cedarsedge (Sep 21, 2006)

If it was my dog I would be at the vet, it might be a strain but if you are not a vet how do youknow. It might be somewthing minor that could get worse off. dan


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

I agree with Bob, I have been through this two times with my six year old first time it was the front shoulder second time it was the rear end. Both trips to the vet I heard Bob's advice . (Bob is alot cheaper) The rear end injury took 3 monthes to heal, they figured it was a deep muscle bruise, but it did improve with time. We walked two miles a day 5 days a week for three monthes with a bumper in her mouth the whole time, she seemed to get bored just walking but if she had a bumper she was happy.
Some of these injures take a long time to heal, so don't push it.. If you don't see improvment in a few weeks then go to the vet.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Well Dan I unsderstand your concerns but lots of experience tells me that the probablility based on his description is that its a minor thing.

Vets are wonderful people and extremely well educated but like all doctors they cannot change the speed or outcome of the healing process of minor pains in most cases.

I have some very good friends that are very talented vets, owning 8-12 dogs, several horses and assorted other critters continously for 35 years gives you plenty of opportunity to befriend vets.

I met my wife at the vets she was his assistant.

You mentioned worrying that it may get worse, well thats a possibility but very unlikely. In 99% of these type injuries if he follows the rest and restrain plan the dog will heal on his own. He will be able to tell in a week or so if the dog is on the mend.

ligament and tendons get poor blood flow and are slower to heal as a result, that why I recommended keeping the dog restrained for a couple weeks to give it a chance to heal without reinjuring the strain.

With 10 dogs training and hunting them regularly I have went thru this process 4-6 times a year for the last three decades with good results everytime.

Spend money at your vet but like every area of life, spend it wisely.

Most of us, me included, fret about our dogs because we always are at the disadvantage of not being able to ask them whats wrong when they are ill.

Marrying a girls thats worked for the vet taught me the above lesson, she has more sense than me about most things. :wink:

If money is no object then by all means bring the dog to the vet it probably won't change this particular case but it will put your mind at ease which is worth something. If money is short try what I recommend as long as the dog is kept very quiet no addtitional harm is likely.

A good crate can be bought for the cost of a vet visit and is something every dog owner should have and use anyway.


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## kevin.k (Dec 31, 2005)

My dog did the same thing one time after hunting, i hunted her very hard in thick catails and then we went home and after she laid down a bit, i noticed she was limping after 2 days of resting and not alot of running she was fine... and back to chassing roosters :wink:


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## apeterson (Aug 3, 2005)

asprin will help... but based on his weight you can only give him so much... My GF is a vet and with my lab (70 lbs) he can have one asprin twice a day... I would do this for the pain...


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

According to most veterinary sites, here is the stuff on common meds for dogs. Our own vet recommends aspirin for our old lab and talking to vets in our area, all are opposed to tylenol (acetaminophen) and don't think much of nsaids like ibuprofen. Note also, Tylenol kills cats quick. Never give to a cat.

"Based on reactions in our canine patients, this is the ranking I would give
these medications: safest = acetaminophen (Tylenol tm), also safe =
aspirin, less safe = ibuprofen (Advil tm, Motrin Rx). However, this is
the ranking that I would give them based on the reports in the literature
and factoring in the likelihood of a bad reaction causing death: safest =
aspirin, also safe but less so = acetaminophen and less safe = ibuprofen.

The reason for these rankings include these things. Aspirin is reasonably
likely to cause gastric ulcers, which can be life threatening if ignored
but which respond to withdrawal of the medication. Acetaminophen doesn't
seem to cause ulcers but there are uncommon reactions to it in which liver
failure occurs and this may not respond to therapy, so death is a
possibility. Ibuprofen is very likely to cause ulcers, with 100% of dogs
developing ulcers with the use of ibuprofen in at least one study. On the
other hand, lots of my clients come in and tell me "I gave my dog an
ibuprofen last night" and I have only had to treat one or two cases of
ulcers and I can't recall a dog dying from this medication, yet. "


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

Thanks for all the advice. I am going to wait it out for two weeks. The limp is so slight and it comes and goes. This leads me to believe that it is a sore tendon/muscle. If it were a continous limp or causing my dog pain, I would go in today.

I will keep you posted.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Bobm, there must be a story in this:


> I met my wife at the vets she was his assistant.


 Didn't Jon Arbuckle from GARFIELD meet his girl at the clinic?


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

The best dog I've ever owned died from a combination of a steriod injection and anti inflamatory drugs given and prescibed by avet about 6 months ago. They destroyed his intestine.

I would just let him tough it out and keep him still in a crate.


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

Hey just a quick update. I followed Bob M's advice and kept my dog under wraps for a couple of weeks. The slight limp went away and my dog is back to normal.

Thanks again for all of those who offered some advice, especially Bob who saved me a hundred dollar vet visit....I owe you a brew or two.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I would still be cautious and keep him on a leash for a couple more weeks.

I had to keep a brittany on a leash for about 6 months once to get an injury to heal, she kept looking like she was better and then would reinjure it when she was allowed to go full out. She did eventually heal and I hunted her for 7-8 more years after her injury with no problems.

Take it slow hunting seasons over :beer:


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

Will do. He is relatively inactive during January, February and March up here in Northern Minnesota (high of -7 tomorrow!). Thanks again for all your help.


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## jmburton (Feb 7, 2007)

the first time i took him, the morning after i noticed he was hurting. even before the limping. he was sent home for rest. he healed a bit and i let him play again. 3 weeks later. i have that same black lab in my kitchen (right now) healing from the same injuries in his legs. i can't get him to the vet now but will if he doesnt get better fast, i plan to keep him in for alot longer then 5 days this time. to further enforce what bobm said. he did rehurt himself a few times in a week and i think my neglect to bring him in right away made it worse this time..

but i pretty much have my mind made up to get him to the vet. if he has hip disease there is nothing i can really do. but stop working him


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