Good vibes needed

I feel like such a bad mom right now, yesterday at the dog park someone mentioned to me that Starlight was really moving funny in the rear and seemed to be favoring one leg, I watched her for a minute and sure enough, her right rear leg was giving her trouble. Then I realized she's been doing this for a while now and until someone brought my attention to it I didn't even pay attention to the problem I'm suspecting either a patella luxation or a bad hip, I can't quite tell. She'll be going to the vet on Thursday (my vet was swamped and that's the soonest I could get her in ) and I'll have him do x-rays and a patella exam ansd see if we can figure out what's going on. My heart is just breaking right now as now I can see this is NOT a new symptom, and I don't even know how long she's been hurting that I haven't noticed and done something about it!!! Sadly, if it's something expensive to repair like a patella or, even though uncommon in small breeds, hip dysplasia, I may be forced to return her to the breeder I recently lost my job due to my own health taking a turn for the worse lately, I still am staying with friends and have no where to call home really, I've been so lucky to be able to hold on as long as I have, but financially, now that I'm no longer working and fighting the system to get on disability, I just don't know how I'd pay for this on my own!!!! I'm praying what ever is going on can be managed somehow without expensive surgery at least until I can find a way to get money coming in, because right now I just don't know how I could do it Please keep Star in your thoughts and prayers, after all I've been through and given up to keep my dogs the last couple months, I hate to think of being forced to loose her now!!!!!

Just as an afterthought - is it normal for a cav to always put it's legs behind it when it lays down on it's belly? I've never known Star to lie any other way, none of my other dogs do that.....

Don't beat yourself up too badly. It's hard to notice every little thing when you're with them all the time. Casey had SM symptoms for 2 years before I even considered they weren't "normal". You'll feel better after you go to your vet, and they may not even need to do an x-ray to be able to tell you what you're dealing with. These are tough times financially for lots of people. Keep hanging in there.

Yes, the "frog legs" are very normal.

hi
frog legs are the most normal thing with cavs
Almost all do it that way So don't worry about that!
if it is patella, there might no need to do a surgery right now.. you might be able to postpone the surgery then and if you say you'd bring her back to her breeder.. Didn't the parents get tested? Perhaps the breeder can help you on this?

And don't worry too much.. it can also just be that she hurt herself while playing or something.. That's how Qwick injured his knee when he was still a puppy!
Just make sure she gets enough rest and don't let her jump to high (as puppies intend to have no fear at all )

We'll be crossing our fingers for you and hope for the best!

Cody lies with frog legs and so does my 2 shih tzu's
I really hope it's nothing serious with Star l know you've all been through the worst of times lately and it's just so unfair you've got another problem to worry about now,
take care and I'll keep you both in my thoughts on Thursday when she see's the vet

Star's breeder and I discussed in depth, she said she'll work with me if Star needs surgery, she knows how much Star means not just to me, but to Amber. She's been a totally different dog since Star came home!!! She has never played with the IGs, but she'll play with Star! She's a "breedest" as my friends affectionatly call her, she much prefers other cavaliers! I'm just praying I can physically handle it if that's what is needed for her, I no longer am able to drive much, I know when I had Tina's knee repaired, it was a trip to the vet every other day for a while, then once a week, then every other week, and so on as she healed - normally that's no issue, but now that I can't drive that worries me a bit, but I'll find a way!!!

And to answer someone's question (sorry, to lazy to go back and find out who it was!), yes, both Star's parents have been checked, and while that goes a long ways to insuring no problems in the puppies, it's no guarantee, sometimes things can still show up! That's why good breeders offer a health guarantee, they know they've done everything they can to insure you get a healthy dog free of genetic defects, but they know that despite careful breeding and health testing, sometimes things still show up!!!

I'm anxious for Thursday to get here so I'll know what it is that is going on!! At least I know not to let the frog legs worry me!!!! Amber is my first cav, she's only been with me a little over a year now, and she was 5 years when I got her, so this whole cavalier puppy stuff is very new to me, they're a lot different then the Italian Greyhounds and Collie puppies I'm use to, but Star is a darling, everyone falls in love with her. But honestly, if the breeder said she'd only pay if I returned Star, I would have done it if I couldn't find the money somehow - I'd have rather seen that happen then have let her suffer because I couldn't afford the vet bills!!!! I've never had to do that, and pray I never will - but after having dogs turned into rescue for that reason before, I can now see the issue with a whole new view!!!

It's cold and rainy here today and I'm noticing it a bit more then I did before, I'm keeping her leashed or crated in the house to keep her from running and jumping until she can see the vet so she doesn't make it worse. She's not liking the restricted activity, but she's not fighting me on it to much!!!!

And to answer someone's question (sorry, to lazy to go back and find out who it was!), yes, both Star's parents have been checked, and while that goes a long ways to insuring no problems in the puppies, it's no guarantee, sometimes things can still show up! That's why good breeders offer a health guarantee, they know they've done everything they can to insure you get a healthy dog free of genetic defects, but they know that despite careful breeding and health testing, sometimes things still show up!!!

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I asked it And I know that you can never ever rule anything out so don't worry
I plan to breed Qnotje and she'll get all the tests as well (same as her parents and grandparents).. But I was just wondering

I really hope things turn out ok and that you'll be able to keep her.. I just couldn't imagine having to give one of mine up
So we will all keep thinking of you and keeping our fingers crossed!

Hi

And good luck for today its going to be a tough one for you but I believe at the end of today things will not be as bleak as you think ,its hard to do but pls believe your troubles will be overcome and good times again are just around the corner.

Warmest Wishes

hi caveymum

If youve read my posts you will know that harley has been dianosed with hip dysplasia, had him xrayed last monday and it is so bad his only course of action is to have the hip replaced. The vet did say that he wouldnt normally have a dog of just turned 3 years old operated on, there is countless other treatments that would help, tablets and injections, without an xray you are really guessing, and harley always lays like that, we were told when he was a puppy dogs that lay like that have good hips (huh) good luck, i hope it turn out well, keep in touch, im harleyfarley(well harley is) read up on my posts and see if you think it sounds similiar. If it helps harley has been having various symptoms for a while and like you it never clicked, several visits to the vets proved to be other things, he should have been xrayed ages ago really, the vet we saw this time has a springer (who is working and on pills and injections and is very well) and he noticed the way harley walks was strange, does your dog wiggle, ie they shorten their gate, its quite hard to tell, but now i know i could spot it also. di

I just wanted to say good luck for you and Star, and I hope it's nothing that needs surgery, and you manage to keep your family together.

Your breeder sounds fab - just what we all would hope for from our breeders if any of our dogs had major health problems. I know my breeder has always kept in touch, and because she is health focussed, has been very interested in Maddie's allergies, and the pattern (i.e. time of day/ year) of her scratching (as well as how she scratches if that makes sense). When I first mentioned it to her a couple of years ago, when it first started she was the one who brought up the subject of SM. No pretending it doesn't exist, or that it isn't in her lines. Shame she's not breeding anymore.

Cavymom..

Good luck today on your visit to the vet!
We'll be thinking of you and star!!!

Thinking of you and Star today, wishing you both well.

Just hoping that everything will be ok for you and Star. Hopefully things can be sorted out with rest and medicine. :xfngr:

what did the vet say???

Any news yet, we are all on tender hooks here, di

I'm so so sorry for not getting back on sooner, things have been nuts the last few days!!!

Anyway, the vet isn't sure what to think, he didn't want to do x-rays yet and sent her home on Metacam and she's restricted to leash only exercise for a week. He's suspects the problem may be in her back He said she doesn't have good muscle tone in the rear at all, and tons in the front, which sadly means what ever the problem is, it's been going on for a while now If she doesn't improve within the week I think I'm going to get a second opinion, and insist on x-rays this time (her breeder wasn't happy they didn't do that this time!!!). So I still have no idea what's going on, but at least the vet confirmed I'm not just paranoid!!! I just hope we can figure out what the problem is, and it'll be fixable, or at least managable!!!