We acquired Max as an orphan by some new construction model homes (I've since decided this is a dog drop off zone). I thought he was an adult, as it turned out he was so young he hadn't lost a tooth even, and was already 37 pounds! He's now almost 2 - we have given him Halloween for a birthday which would be about right per the vet. He is now 109 pounds, probably a shepherd/rottie mix. Even as a pup he had a limp, we had the vet check and she could find nothing wrong with him. The weird thing with this limp is its not a specific leg or side! It travels around! We do suspect maybe he was given to a child for Christmas, grew so quick, and was so OBNOXIOUS they dumped him off, but had abused him some before doing so. As he has grown this limp has travelled between legs/feet he favors, was always a sure sign of a growth spurt fixing to happen and is worse in the cold. A week ago he started again, he is refusing his baby aspirin and buffered doggy aspirins (right to crying when he sees them now, he is a big baby) and is limping bad and lifting his back foot off the ground. I've checked him feet, his toes, between the pads, have felt up and down his legs comparing both side, his hips, etc... I don't know... This time is doesn't seem to be letting up, he is not wanting to eat either (but did when I sat on the floor with him as he laid across my lap). But when letting him and my other 2 dogs out (male, 39 pounds and 13 years old, female 35 pounds and 12 years old) they run out the door like banshees with their tails on fire and he never misses a beat! We tends to run heavy weight wise so he is on large breed weight maintenance and has slimmed down some...
Anyone has a clue? My DH is bringing him to the vet this afternoon for me... I sure am baffled. Normally he is fine, had problems a few days and then is back to fine. Is this common in the larger dogs like this? The largest we had until him were sisters from the same litter (shep/lab mix) but they got to 70 lbs each with no problems until arthritis set in.
THanks for any enlightenment.
Noreen
