Poor, poor Ginger! :(

About two weeks ago she had a seizure which lasted about seven minutes, it hit her when she was laying at the top of the steps and down she went. About ten minutes later she went into another one that lasted about four minutes. She acted a little stiff, and her gait was not quite right, so I kept her home from her usual walk for a few days and since then have been limiting her walk and ball-chasing time. She seemed to be doing OK until a few days ago. I would throw the ball for her a few times (ten or fifteen) and I'd notice her gait would be off again. She wasn't quite limping she just wasn't walking normally. I'd take her home and the next day she'd be back to normal. When I walked her Sunday I threw the ball maybe five or six times and noticed her gait was off, so we cut her walk really short and went home.

Yesterday she was really not herself. She was barely following me around the house (which she always does), walked around with her head down and tail tucked, and when I'd pet her and love on her she's shake like a leaf. She was walking normally, but would hesitate sometimes when coming up the steps and sometimes would cry. I checked her feet and toenails, nothing. I pushed and squeezed her limbs and when I got to her left rear leg she cried out a bit, but only did that once. Today she's acting a little better, but her left rear leg slid out from under her on the kitchen floor (she was all wiggly and excited because I came home) and she cried out, so I know she's still in pain.

My best guess is she pulled a muscle while playing after her two seizures, but do you think perhaps she injured herself during her tumble down the stairs, and then injured herself more while walking and playing? Her joints, when she goes up and down the steps and when she gets up after laying down for a while are popping more frequently also, could this be arthritis? She's only five years old (a lab, for those who don't know), isn't that a little early? Her mom did not have hip problems, and neither did her father, so I don't think that's it.

All in all, what is your suggestion that I do for her? I haven't walked her in two days now because I want her to rest. I know she doesn't feel good because she isn't "asking" for her walk either. If it's a pulled muscle, taking her to the vet won't do much good, and I hate to stress her out for no reason. I know they can diagnose arthritis, but I don't think that's the problem since it was so sudden.

She's eating, drinking, pooping, peeing and sleeping normally. She hasn't had a seizure since the ones I mentioned. Sorry for the long post, I just feel bad for my puppy and want her back to her happy, wiggly self! :(

A pet will do anything to please so she did what you wanted her to do, played, etc.. She had seizures and if it was a human there would be absolutely no strenuous activity after, it would be a trip to the doctor to find out why. Of course there could be something wrong if she fell down the stairs after a seizure.

My Schnauzer (now deceased) had a seizure and l5 minutes after it she was bundled up and in the car and to the vet after hours, no less. You were somewhat lucky, my dog never recovered.

I would love to tell you to rest your mind as to what it could be but I know from experience and my dog that her inability to cope with activities of daily living was seizure related and I really didn't need a vet to tell me that.

My dear Schnauzy was l4 when this happened so her age was a contributing factor as well.

Thanks, tickle, but this wasn't her first seizure. She's had several and has been to the vet to be checked out for them. She was diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy and it was decided to not medicate her since she is so young.

Jillean,

My current situation may be coloring my viewpoint, but my Trink had many of the same symptoms that your lab does, and it turned out to be a protruding spinal disc. Which could be a result of the seizure, if she hit something while in one, or just age. (Apparently disc disease tends to show up in the 5-7 year old range in the larger breed dogs.) Or, it could be a muscle injury. The treatment is probably going to be that same: cage rest, and lots of it. But it may be worth a vet visit to make sure that you are treating the right thing. Or, you might want to try the cage rest for a while first, and see if that fixes things.

Thanks, froggy, I've never heard of a protruding spinal disc. I'll have to do some web research on that one... Does Trink have any other symptoms that I might be able to check Ginger for? I don't have a problem taking her to the vet, I'd just like to get an idea before I drag her in, she hates it so much...

She's doing better as time goes on, but she still isn't back to normal. She's shaking like a leaf every time I pet her, which I really just don't get...

From http://www.missionmedvet.com/encyclo...tive_disk.htm:

A dog with intervertebral disk degeneration, and resulting herniation, may have general symptoms including reluctance to move, decreased appetite, and crying out in pain, or hiding from others. The affected dog may stumble when attempting to walk, or be unable to rise.

When the disk herniation occurs in the neck, or cervical spine, the animal may also show symptoms of stiff neck and muscle spasms, with occasional lameness and pain in one front limb. The dog may hold its head low. Infrequently, paralysis of all four limbs may occur.

A dog with degeneration and herniation of a thoracolumbar disk, or a disk in the mid-to-lower back, may have an arched back, in addition to the general signs. Weakness in the rear limbs may be present, and may progress to hind-limb paralysis and incontinence, or inability to control bladder and bowel function. A severely affected dog will lose all sensation to the hindquarters.

======================
Trink was not bearing weight on one back leg (and occasionally totally having it go out from under her), "hopping" it down steps, refusing to go up steps, dragging one front foot, and a gait that was "off" (all intermittently). A few weeks ago she was also stopping on walks and just shaking like a leaf, which I put down to anxiety, but now think was a signal of extreme pain. That's the one symptom that has me concerned about your dog... if she has a bad disk, it may hurt when you pet her, causing her to shake. Disk disease is really common in some of the breeds, like the doxies, so a lot of the information you will find is on those breed sites.

Or, she may have just pulled a muscle. You know how it is when you only have a hammer... everything looks like a nail.

Thanks again, froggy. I hope Trink has a quick recovery!

Some of the symptoms sound like what Ginger is going through, but not all. The shaking when I pet her, I know I keep mentioning it, but she does it even when I pat her head. She a weird twitchy dog anyway who shakes from excitement or nervousness all the time, like when we open the medicine cabinet (her ear cleaning stuff is in there). So knowing her, it could be that she's shaking because she thinks her ears are going to get cleaned, or because she thinks she's in trouble since she hasn't been walked in days... I told my husband she's acting like someone beat the crap out of her and now she's afraid we are going to do the same thing!

If your puppy is in pain, the least you can do is go to vet for pain medications. Even if it is "just a pulled muscle." I simply wouldn't take a chance with one of my babies. My dog Missy, does what is referred to as "throwing out her shoulder" even though we are not sure what it really is, I take her to the vet each time hoping they can figure out what the problem is, while there is a problem. So far, no answer, x-rays are clean. Good luck to you both!

I just wanted to give you all an update on Ginger - she seems to be fully recovered!

As each day went on she started acted more like herself, and Thursday she was running around the house, jumping off the landing and all around spazzing out. Friday I took her to my mom's to get out of the house, where she continued to run around like a mad dog. She showed no signs of pain when joints and limbs were pressed, squeezed, etc. We went for a short walk with no ball on Friday, and when we got home she acted like she "forgot" she ever had one. Today she got another short walk, and she's now happily napping at my feet.

She hasn't limped, hesitated on the steps, or remained laying down when I get up since Thursday now, so I think she's on the road to recovery. I still plan to keep her walks shorter and without tennis balls for about a week (maybe more), but all in all, I think it was just a pulled muscle! Phew!

Thanks for the help guys!

Jillianleab, you really took a chance "waiting it out" with your dog. From your descriptions, it is obvious she was in terrible pain, and she could have had a serious injury. Even if it was a pulled muscle, you should always get these things checked out with your vet, particularly since she was presenting such symptoms. I wouldn't have waited even one night with those symptoms! Additionally, even if it was a pulled muscle, you should not allow her to run around and jump and such for a couple weeks until she's had proper time to recover. My dog has back problems now in her old age, and we've been through some injuries both small and serious, and it was always the wiser to have the vet check it out. I understand we all know our dogs to a good degree, and with some simple things you are able to discern the severity of a situation. But you should never fool around with a potential back injury. Regardless of whether you think the vet can do anything or not, the reality is that no matter how well you know your dog, the vet is THE VET who went to school for the training and the license. You are not the vet; that's why you pay him or her for their medical expertise. I am sure you love your dog dearly but I don't know how you could have let this go on so long watching her like that without getting her checked out. Unbelievable.

Can anyone help me my dog jumped in the air for a ball while out for his walk.As he landed he yelped and now for the last three days every so often he yelps when he moves.I am not certain where he is hurt as we have checked him all over and he doesn't seem to yelp.Wa wondering if this could be a pulled Muscle.He seems quiet and not as energetic but still plays with his ball in the house.Not sure what to do.Heather