New here - My 2 Year old cav is limping after getting up

New here - My 2 Year old cav is limping after getting up from lying down

Hi - "My 2yr old (almost 3 year old) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has started limping. It seems only to appear after she gets up from lying down, and the limp is in the front leg. She doesn't appear to be in pain, just limps for the first few steps after getting up...then after a few steps, seems to walk OK. Checked her paw and can find nothing there, and when we manipulate her leg she doesn't pull away or show any sign of pain. What could be causing this?"

This was actually written on another board and I could have written it myself. I took her to the vet and he gave her Previcox to see if the limping would stop. It is just slightly better, maybe 5-10% better, but she is still limping after getting up. She has nothing else out of the ordinary, still jumping, running, eating, going to the br as normal. The vet wants her to have an x-ray done, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any info as to Cavs re: this since someone else posted the exact quote above and it's just as if I had written it myself.

Any ideas would be really great. Thanks!!

Hi Jenn:

Your question got pushed down to the second page after there was a lot of posting in this section so a lot of us missed it! I am bouncing it back up to the top of the section and posting my own perspective and others might have some ideas, too.

I'd say, definitely get the x-ray done -- that will provide the answer if it is anything to do with the bone. I presume the vet has checked the joints as well?

If the vet cannot see anything wrong I'd ask for a referral to an orthopedic specialist. A vet is the equivalent of a GP so may miss a problem that is not obvious or is more unusual.

One other consideration should be syringomyelia -- and making sure your vet knows about this condition. Other possibilities need to be eliminated first before this consideration but SM *does* often cause weakness in the front and/or hind limbs and can cause limping when there is no other apparent reason. I have a website on this condition here:

www.smcavalier.com

where you can find a symptoms list and a list of what to do if you suspect you have a cavalier that might have SM. Also, Dr Clare Rusbridge's explanation of SM and treatment diagram is there. Several of these files are set up as downloadable documents that can then be printed from your own computer and brought in to your vet. There is a very high incidence of SM in the breed, so even if SM isn't the issue with your cavalier's leg (it probably isn't if you haven't seen any other potential symptoms), it is a good idea to make sure your vet is familiar with the condition, as it is quite rare in other breeds.

I'm with Karlin as far as the x-ray. Sounds like there's definitely something going on since a young pup shouldn't be limping like that.

I'd definitely be getting the x-ray done as Karlin & Cathy have already stated. This could even be something in the shoulder. I have found with my dogs that if it is a deep limp that they seem to be really falling into then it seems to be the shoulder involved, but if it is more of a hoppity hop kind of limp then it is further down. Only real way to be sure is with that x-ray.

Keep us posted. :xfngr:

When Joly was about that age, I took him to an all day show and then he had a 90 minute journey home, snoozing most of the time. He was fine until he had another snooze, after being fed. Then he limped but only for a few steps and only after lying down.

The vet examined him and found some tenderness right up in the armpit. She said he had probably pulled a muscle, but been to preoccupied , at the time, to notice the pain. She advised not to let him jump up or down from things and that it would take quite a long time to disappear. This proved to be the case.

Hej
If my dogs have limping / back problems I go to a vet. learnt kiropraktik and neurologi, in the US, she is realy good

Thanks everyone.

I took her to the vet and he did the x-ray. She got injured in her elbow??, the soft spot area in the back of her left arm. They said they have never seen such an injury in that specific location. It was a very confined injury - they said that they couldn't even find it in the vet books. The area was swollen on the inside. She was on a splint for about 2 weeks and then with a bandage for another week or so and, of course, crated practically the entire time (and not happy about it).

The limp is pretty much gone. I still see it every so often when she gets up. Maybe I should still keep here inactive for a little longer just so that she can completely heal. She is very active when she's awake - as I guess most cav's are. I was very relieved to see that it was just an injury and not something more serious since cav's are prone to so many sad hereditary problems.