My bull x pup

[collie/grey 238]

Hi all as some of you know my 6 month old pup damaged her cruciate knee ligament a couple of months ago, she has had strict cage rest for a good 8 weeks, she has only been out of that cage to empty herself about 4 times a day, this has had an adverse effect on her front feet and legs, they are totally flat unless she is held up and her legs slope so low to the ground that her stoppers touch the floor, it looks horrible and her stoppers are raw where she ran through the grass, is there anything i can do to straighten up her legs? I have started road work with her to see if this helps, her damaged leg looks like it will never be normal to as she still walks on it funny and it moves to freely by the knee, she can run but it looks like it's hurting her after a while, keeping her in the cage was hell as i could do no training or bonding with her and she was getting so frustrated! Here are some pics to show what i am trying to describe!

[Guest stewie]

i cant help you any more than you already no yourself mate but hope you get her sorted she is a cracking pup!!! :thumbs:

[andri 73]

I remember this dog, nice wee bitch. Hope she makes good progress. atb andri

[collie/grey 238]

Thanks guys, i knew she wouldn't be 100% normal after her cage rest but just annoying at another hurdle to cross with her, all i want is a healthy, strong dog and it's gone tits up! Just seems like the cage rest has done not much good and gave her another physical downfall!!

[k99yle 53]

Don't give up on this cracking looking little bitch. They said Michael Watson 'the boxer' would never walk again yet he went on to complete the london marathon! Keep gently pushing her every day and i am sure she will be fine. Good luck. Kyle

Hi all as some of you know my 6 month old pup damaged her cruciate knee ligament a couple of months ago, she has had strict cage rest for a good 8 weeks, she has only been out of that cage to empty herself about 4 times a day, this has had an adverse effect on her front feet and legs, they are totally flat unless she is held up and her legs slope so low to the ground that her stoppers touch the floor, it looks horrible and her stoppers are raw where she ran through the grass, is there anything i can do to straighten up her legs? I have started road work with her to see if this helps, her damaged leg looks like it will never be normal to as she still walks on it funny and it moves to freely by the knee, she can run but it looks like it's hurting her after a while, keeping her in the cage was hell as i could do no training or bonding with her and she was getting so frustrated! Here are some pics to show what i am trying to describe!

[LamperJohn 12]

could,nt you put her in one of those pools for injured greyhounds/horses a few times a week, i would,nt crate her them legs could end up deformed like that due to lack of use atb lamperjohn

[watchman 256]

is this pup a lost cause,i don't know the answer to that because im not experienced enough in dogs and their injurys to make a statement/judgement,can a proper dog man,if you like,give you the answers you need,i don't know,if it was mine id be devastated and maybe looking to get rid,if it aint up for the job and all that,not what you want top hear but, that's what a vast majority of people might be thinking reading this,because of our lack of knowledge,i really hope someone says,do this,do that and all will be well,best of luck to you and the dog but as we all know,be prepared

[Bosun11 537]

CG, i've seen this before on Bull cross dogs, all of my half breds have developed the condition BUT always when younger, about 10 to 12 weeks. Their legs would start to bend in exactley the same way BUT through 'free running', what I had to do was crate 'em up each day to lie, rest and ease the 'pressure' on the legs and each day it would right itself. Give 'em a lot of free running and 'hey prestow', back to the crate again! They all grew out of it.

 

Yours appears to have happened the other way round, maybe standing too long in the crate, longing to get out and its caused the legs to go? The greyhound men I know, said that it was the heavy bone of bull blood on greyhound legs...... Maybe I don't know???

 

Only seen one pup out of the same line that didn't come right, its owner kept the dog in a high kennel and the pup had to jump to get in and out everyday, I recon it was to much pressure on them greyhoundy legs, with the drop every day but the dog never made it.

 

I don't know what the answer, in your case would be but my best advice would be to seek out a running dog specialist vet asap, thats a bonny pup, i hope it makes a bonny and rewarding adult.

 

I hope this is of help.

 

Very best of luck

Edited May 16, 2010 by Bosun11

[Guest fence_hopper]

never listen to a vet me, half the time there just after the cash, get down there and tell him you done what he told you,now her legs are like that, whats he going to do about it, after all you trusted what he siad

[gav22 24]

get the dog somewhere to swim the dogs legs are like that due to lack of exercise they will be fine if you get it swimming and short walks its hard to explain its not muscle its like elastic and it has streached with her standing and not walking or running

it will tighten up and she should be fine just dont over do the walking swimming is the best cure if you can keep her out of a kennel let her walk about her self it will help

[Bosun11 537]

That does sound right Gav, like I said it happened to mine the other way round, with free running, playing type stuff, Daily swimming 'could' really help i recon, with 'mild' walking and deffo don't road work.

[collie/grey 238]

Thankyou for all the advice people! She will definately not be gotten rid of, not a chance, if she turns out not good enough to work then she will just be my companion end of. She doesn't have to be crated ay longer, and i will not put her back in anyway. She has been on a couple of short walks and has free range of the house all day long, before she injured herself her legs changed shape all the time and that was due to too much exersize but since being in the cage this is what's happened! I hope for her sake she will turn out physically sound and hopefully wll have a normal working life with me. I would take her to a hydrotherapy pool but at £20 a session it's abit pricey when my funds are low already!

[collie/grey 238]

That does sound right Gav, like I said it happened to mine the other way round, with free running, playing type stuff, Daily swimming 'could' really help i recon, with 'mild' walking and deffo don't road work.

 

 

Why not road work bosun? I would have thouht that would help tighten her up?

[collie/grey 238]

must be lake, pond or bit of river or summat you could take her swimming in

 

 

tho tae be honest 8 weeks in a crate wont have done the socialising any good for the pup an if a vet told me too keep them in for 8 weeks id a laffed,

 

 

hope the pup comes good for you

 

 

True dotty but getting into the lake with her to swim is abit off putting!

 

She is sound in character though, gets on well with other dogs and is very people friendly, i geuss im lucky on that part, it hasn't effected her socially. I am young and maybe i put to much trust in the vet as i was told he really knew his stuff and i wanted to do whatever would make her injured leg better, we live and learn, i just hope i haven't caused more harm than good.

[collie/grey 238]

lol dont get in with the dog find a bit where you can attach a long lead an let dog in you walk along the bankin

 

i have used piers, fisheries when closed, rivers, allsorts

 

 

Thanks for that lol, you have just twigged my memory to where an old canal is that i used to take the dogs to, i will take her along tomorrow and see how she gets on.