Periodic limp

[MikeMac0]

Hi.  About once a year our Cairn will refuse to get our bed.  When I do pick him and place home down he appears unable to walk - back legs seem sore.   Then either later in the day or the next day he is miraculously cured.   Anyone else have this happen?  Any ideas why it might happen?  

[bradl]

Hi and welcome. 

Yes we have, and some random guesses.   

Sometimes they get a "bone bruise" or muscle sprain or similar from jumping off things around the house or in the yard. Sometimes they pull or sprain something while racing around in Sports Cairn mode. If he has borderline luxating patellas a knee may pop out from time to time and self-correct after a short while.  If he's old, he may have arthritis that flares up occasionally. Hip dysplasia is not common in Cairns but I suppose it is in the universe of things that are possible, I would imagine it would be increasingly more frequent and noticeable if it were a degenerative condition.

If you need to track it down, or if it becomes a frequent or chronic concern,  a vet (or a k9 chiropractor) can palpate the joints to possibly identify if there are areas of concern mechanically. If you want to pursue imaging, your budget is the limit ranging from relatively inexpensive x-rays to soberingly expensive MRIs and the like.

Good luck and may your Cairn's days be many and joyful. 

p.s. anecdote alert: We had Cairn once who sprained a foot. Later in the day — and for days after — she would pitifully hold up a paw in hopes of a sympathy cookie, but about half the time it was The Wrong Paw. 

[BucksMum]

My dog has had 2x tplo surgeries, one for each back knee - cruciate ligament disease is very common in cairns as they have a high take off at the knee.
 

The intermittent hop / limp is likely because they have a high pain threshold, Buck did this for MONTHS but the longer you leave it to consider surgery the more likely they’ll have a meniscal tear which results in worsened pain and later arthritis - ask your vet for a review at an orthopaedic center!
 

We went to the super vet place - Fitzpatrick’s in Surrey and it was great, it was included on our pet plan insurance and they took it off insurance up front (didn’t have to pay then claim).

 

good luck!

Edited January 25 by BucksMum
Typos

[Newman]

On 1/25/2024 at 2:39 PM, BucksMum said:

My dog has had 2x tplo surgeries, one for each back knee - cruciate ligament disease is very common in cairns as they have a high take off at the knee.
 

The intermittent hop / limp is likely because they have a high pain threshold, Buck did this for MONTHS but the longer you leave it to consider surgery the more likely they’ll have a meniscal tear which results in worsened pain and later arthritis - ask your vet for a review at an orthopaedic center!
 

We went to the super vet place - Fitzpatrick’s in Surrey and it was great, it was included on our pet plan insurance and they took it off insurance up front (didn’t have to pay then claim).

 

good luck!

how much are those with no pet insurance? and do you think it'd be worth it on a senior cairn, like 14? i can ask my vet to see if fonzie needs it, but they might say he's too old

i'll withdraw my entire roth ira early and eat the fees like pet treats and put the $ into fonzie if i need to, just don't want him to suffer

Edited February 1 by Newman