UPDATE on Harleys leg and now also ears

[Sabby]

Vet just rang. XRay didn’t reveal anything. All the bones are ok so the vet thinks its soft tissue damage. The general blood tests (kidney, liver diabetes etc) came back clear. He had to send of the test for lymes disease. As he also found that Harley had a ruptured eardrum he took an Xray of the middle ear and that looks fine. He also took a swap from that ear. The vet agreed that Harley having yet another ruptured eardrum is not normal, but he wants to wait for the swap to come back and he said maybe the next thing is an MRI. So he has given me an ear wash that is safe to use with a ruptured ear drum, antibiotics for his ears and very expensive pain killers for his leg. All and all £570.

I don’t know what I am worried about more his ears or his leg.

Harley has always had problems with his ears but never enough to put in a claim with the insurance. I just hope they are going to pay out. I think I will ring them to see where I stand.

[Brian M]

Hello Sabby
Poor you two ,have been reading every post so pls continue .I am sure the ins comp will be
fine with everything and do so hope that nothing else occurs ,you have all had more than your share of
problems with Harley and Ebony this year .

[Sydneys Mom]

Poor Harley.....sure hope he's not in too much pain as they try to figure out what's wrong. At least we know you're doing your best to keep him comfortable in the meantime.

[RodRussell]

I think the x-ray result is good news. If Harley only has a pulled muscle, which is possible considering his symptoms, then he just needs to rest that leg. No agility training, no running, no long walks, etc. for a few weeks.

I think having any dogs over-do the A-frame is a big mistake. It takes the hardest toll on dogs of all agility stations. I have witnessed dogs over-trained on the A-frame actually permanently damage their shoulders. One time on the A-frame per run is enough for any dog, and especially the smaller ones. Cavaliers are not border collies, and regardless of how fast they can run and how much they seem to enjoy it, they are not built for a lot of hitting-the-ground-running from high heights. That would include a lot of jumping training, too.

The ear problem ought to heal okay if properly treated.

So, overall, I think Harley's report is pretty good. Just limit his A-frame work for the rest of his agility career. If he can do it well, then I would not even practice it every week.

[Sabby]

I think the x-ray result is good news. If Harley only has a pulled muscle, which is possible considering his symptoms, then he just needs to rest that leg. No agility training, no running, no long walks, etc. for a few weeks.

I think having any dogs over-do the A-frame is a big mistake. It takes the hardest toll on dogs of all agility stations. I have witnessed dogs over-trained on the A-frame actually permanently damage their shoulders. One time on the A-frame per run is enough for any dog, and especially the smaller ones. Cavaliers are not border collies, and regardless of how fast they can run and how much they seem to enjoy it, they are not built for a lot of hitting-the-ground-running from high heights. That would include a lot of jumping training, too.

The ear problem ought to heal okay if properly treated.

So, overall, I think Harley's report is pretty good. Just limit his A-frame work for the rest of his agility career. If he can do it well, then I would not even practice it every week.

I totally agree with you Rod. It has put me off agility as I hate thinking that I am to blame for his injury. And I do love agility but not at the cost of the health of my dog. It all started when he done the triple A Agility (competition where you do the A Frame 3 times in one run) He was only lame for half a day and a month later I run him only once doing the A Frame only once and he was ok. 2 weeks ago at training he refused the A Frame and I knew then that it was the A Frame that was coursing the problems. He is limping so badly for the last week it just seems that it never going to get better. No more agility.
The vet things it is not normal to have a perforated eardrum again. It also happened last year. Could it be POSM?

[RodRussell]

... The vet things it is not normal to have a perforated eardrum again. It also happened last year. Could it be POSM?

It would be PSOM only if there is a mucous ball in the inner ear, on the other side of the eardrum.

By the way, as you did, whenever one of my well-trained agility dogs refuses to take an obstacle, even just a single jump, I assume he knows better than I do, and I do not make him take it.

[Nicki]

Sabby I'm pleased that it appears to be "just" a soft tissue injury and I hope that rest will be the answer.

It is a bit worrying about Harley's ears, but hopefully they will heal and be of no further concern.