My 9 y/o dog...

[Fez Hammersticks]

My 9 y/o pitbull started limping yesterday. The night before he was totally fine and the limp is still there this morning. There's no swelling on his left shoulder, where the limp is obviously coming from. I checked his paws and there are no cuts or any visible sores of any kind.

Does this sound like a strain or maybe even arthritis?

 

[crandc]

Either. Might need to take him to the movies (my euphemism for taking my cat to the vet), especially if limp persists.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Ha! I'll have to use that one.

I think I may end up taking him to the vet (movies) as soon as I can get the time.

This all kinda freaked me out as my golden retriever had a persistent limp that turned out to be bone cancer but his symptoms, even early on (lumps), were so obvious. I'm hoping it's just merely a strain.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I have an appointment tomorrow but I just reexamined his shoulder and there's no swelling but I felt a lump.

Shit, not again!

 

[oldguy]

My experience with dogs is that, if the lump will move around when you move the skin around, it's probably not a big deal.

Go Blazers

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I'm pretty scared.

It's solid-ish and right on that bad shoulder area.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

I think I may end up taking him to the vet (movies) as soon as I can get the time.

.

You have time to sit & post on this message board but not to take your dog to the vet?

I hope your pooch is ok!

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

My experience with dogs is that, if the lump will move around when you move the skin around, it's probably not a big deal.

Go Blazers

It's semi-solid but I can indeed move it around.

 

[oldguy]

I'm kind of a 'dogs are pets, they're not people', kind of guy. If the lump will move with the skin, I wouldn't pay for a trip to the vet specifically for that. If you take him in for the limp, I would ask the vet about it then.

I would give the limp a couple of days before I took him in, too, assuming he isn't badly stove up from it. I would give him one aspirin a couple of times a day if his limp seems to be bothering him.

I'd also get a bright light to look carefully at his paws. Look between the toes from the top and the bottom. Feel around between each toe, too. He could have a fox tail, or other kind of seed, working into his paw. Tis the season for that problem. This can be serious, but if that is the problem, he would probably be licking his paw continually.

He could have just tweaked his shoulder/hip in the yard. My lab jambs his front shoulder fairly often, and he limps around for a day or so, then gets better pretty quickly.

Hope you pooch gets better soon.

Go Blazers

 

[donkiez]

How did this turn out? I have a 9 year old pit who limps from time to time. I couldn't tell if it was the shoulder, elbow or paw causing the limp. As the breed is pretty tolerant to pain and he didn't wince at all to my touch. Took him in for some X-rays and turns out he has some minor displasia (sp?) in his elbows, which is common for the breed. Nothing to be done except some pain pils for him. Anyway good luck with your dog.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Hope your dog is alright, about a year ago my Corgi passed away after battling bone marrow disease, fungal sinus infection, and diabetes. After he died they also found out he had an enlarged heart for his whole life.

Sorry for the bad mojo!

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Hy Fez, get him to a vet as soon as ya can, ty an asprin and see how he responds. If he acts ok with it, probaly a sprain, if he still limps, could be soft tissue damage in the joint. My boxer tore an ACL and it was a bitch for him, took a long time to heal and I did not have the three grand to get it repaired so...

 

[Fogojam]

Awhile ago my dog was limping on his front leg and it turned out to be a pinched nerve. That wouldn't explain the lump, but it did cause a noticeable limp which started suddenly and persisted until he saw the vet. Supposedly it was from playing tug of war, I dont know if it could be that for your dog too, but it was just a thought.

 

[crandc]

Can you give aspirin to dogs? It's toxic to cats, I know. In general NOT a good idea to give people medicine to other species without consultation first. We aren't the same and meds that are safe for us are not always safe for them.

Although when Orlando got acid reflux the vet said to give him 1/4 tab of Prilosec. I wonder about Orlando. I get arthritis in my hands, he gets arthritis in his paws. I get acid reflux, he gets acid reflux. I told Orlando he doesn't have to prove he loves me by coming down with all my ailments. If he starts needing contact lenses I'm really going to worry.

 

[oldguy]

Aspirin is not good for dogs, but I've had vets prescribe it on many occations. Just want to keep it at a minimum.

Go Blazers

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Aspirin is not good for dogs, but I've had vets prescribe it on many occations. Just want to keep it at a minimum.

Go Blazers

yep, that is true. For a one time thing to see how he responds, your ok. Long term, you would want something more puppy friendly.

 

[ehizzy3]

Hope all is well with your mutt Fez