Strange limping / hopping

[markorajevic]

Hi everyone!

We have a 1-year-old white miniature schnauzer and two months ago his right side legs became paralyzed all of a sudden. Since then, we have been to three different vets and got three different diagnoses.
The first vet didn’t offer explanation at all and he just suggested that the dog should rest.
The second vet said that a problem was the spinal cord (C5) and he treated him with corticosteroids for 10 days alongside rest.
There has been some improvement and right now he can use his legs, but he still lacks reflexes and drags his paw while walking.
Ultimately, we decided to seek another opinion this time from a neurologist and he suspects that dog actually suffered a ruptured disk, but in order to be sure he recommended an MRI scan.
He also gave him a new therapy in order to speed up the recovery. Finally, he said that we can do the MRI right now or wait another month until he finishes with this new therapy. We have in mind that MRI can be stressful for him and it requires complete anesthesia, so we have some reserves regarding that.
We were hoping that someone had a similar experience and could give us an opinion on this matter.

Thank you!

[zeta1454]

Hi everyone!

We have a 1-year-old white miniature schnauzer and two months ago his right side legs became paralyzed all of a sudden. Since then, we have been to three different vets and got three different diagnoses.
The first vet didn’t offer explanation at all and he just suggested that the dog should rest.
The second vet said that a problem was the spinal cord (C5) and he treated him with corticosteroids for 10 days alongside rest.
There has been some improvement and right now he can use his legs, but he still lacks reflexes and drags his paw while walking.
Ultimately, we decided to seek another opinion this time from a neurologist and he suspects that dog actually suffered a ruptured disk, but in order to be sure he recommended an MRI scan.
He also gave him a new therapy in order to speed up the recovery. Finally, he said that we can do the MRI right now or wait another month until he finishes with this new therapy. We have in mind that MRI can be stressful for him and it requires complete anesthesia, so we have some reserves regarding that.
We were hoping that someone had a similar experience and could give us an opinion on this matter.

Thank you!

Hi Marko - I have replied in more detail on your other post re this as well.

As you can tell from the many posts on this topic, there can be a range of reasons for a dog to skip, hop or limp when walking but the dragging of paws is a very specific sign which would indicate neurological or physical damage compared to just lifting a leg when on the move.

To be more certain of the diagnosis and to know the best course of treatment going forward it may mean the MRI is the best option. I have given some more information on your other post which I hope helps.

[markorajevic]

Hi Zeta,

Sorry for the double post. I had some issues with the forum not accepting the new topic. I believe that I have wrote to your administrator regarding it.
Again, thanks for your opinion!

[zeta1454]

Hi Zeta,

Sorry for the double post. I had some issues with the forum not accepting the new topic. I believe that I have wrote to your administrator regarding it.
Again, thanks for your opinion!

No worries

I do hope that you can find the cause and a solution to help your mini schnauzer. Let us know how things progress. It can be so helpful to learn from people's different experiences with any issues their dogs are going through whether health or behaviour.

Good luck.

[Ralphie]

Hi all, I joined up back in 2013 when my little Ralphie was just a pup, the last 7 years have been bliss with him bar a few scares at the vets..

One ongoing issue he does have though is the symptoms of a rear right leg hop and skip, he has had it a while now and we have investigated it with our vet who cannot find anything wrong.
With that Ralphie's leg dropped into a hole the other day, he jumped out of it okay but since its obvious something is playing him up, he doesn't want to jump up on the sofa or over the small step on the back door.

I'm thinking lots of rest, short lead only walks and I'll lift him up where its needed, hopefully this helps but it may be another trip to the vets soon or maybe I'll try a physio of some kind?

Either way I want my Ralphie back fit so we can enjoy those great walks together..

[zeta1454]

Hi Martyn - as you have probably seen from the previous posts on this thread, there can be a range of issues affecting mini schnauzers who hop or skip a back leg and many can be nothing to worry about.

The recent incident with Ralphie’s leg may be just a strain which will be resolved with the care you suggest - rest, lead walks only and lifting where necessary. If it doesn’t get better or he seems to be in constant pain, do take him to the vet. We have found canine chiropractic excellent with our dogs to keep fit as well as realigning their hips / spine if there is stiffness or imbalance in the same way a human chiropractor can keep people supple and balanced. However, I think any kind of treatment for a dog will require a vet referral or agreement initially to be examined by a physiotherapist, chiropractor or any other therapy by a professional therapist. It may or may not need the vet to see Ralphie again beforehand and wouldn’t need to be done every time he went to a specific therapist but you may find this is required initially.

[Ralphie]

Hi Martyn - as you have probably seen from the previous posts on this thread, there can be a range of issues affecting mini schnauzers who hop or skip a back leg and many can be nothing to worry about.

The recent incident with Ralphie’s leg may be just a strain which will be resolved with the care you suggest - rest, lead walks only and lifting where necessary. If it doesn’t get better or he seems to be in constant pain, do take him to the vet. We have found canine chiropractic excellent with our dogs to keep fit as well as realigning their hips / spine if there is stiffness or imbalance in the same way a human chiropractor can keep people supple and balanced. However, I think any kind of treatment for a dog will require a vet referral or agreement initially to be examined by a physiotherapist, chiropractor or any other therapy by a professional therapist. It may or may not need the vet to see Ralphie again beforehand and wouldn’t need to be done every time he went to a specific therapist but you may find this is required initially.

Thank you, yes lots of rest is on the cards although he does love his walks so hopefully frustration doesn't annoy him too much, my back also isn't great so perhaps we could both get checked in and realigned!

It is a strange anomaly the hop and skip, like many there isn't a definitive cause so it does make it hard to understand what is going on, I just wish he could tell me how he felt.

Hopefully the rest does him good

[mikegoodson1]

I have not posted in a while but was going to message the group asking for advice and saw your post.

My boy Oscar is nearly 5 (October) and recently started doing the same little hops/skip and holding up his back left leg. I assumed it was just a dead leg (pins and needles) as he tends to get it after he has been sleeping. My wife was more worried and so we ended up at the vets, after a brief inspection, it was advised that Oscar had an x-ray (£600).

It turns out he has a minor tear in his cruciate ligament and he has signs of osteo arthritis too - the ligament damage apparently has been there for some time.

Oscar is over-weight according to the vet (if I am honest with myself, he is), so this isn't helping. We have been advised to put Oscar on a diet then the vets will re-assess Oscar in three months time to see how he goes. They are hoping that with the mixture of weight loss and some steroids (that he is currently on once a day), it will reduce the inflammation and help him; if not, it's an op.

So, I'm asking everyone if they have any experience of this but also to mention to you to get it checked with the vet, what's the worst that happens, it costs you £60 and ideally you are told all is fine. The sooner you know there is a problem (if there is), then the sooner you can get it sorted.

I hope Ralphie is ok

[Oscar 12345]

Hope the rest, medication and weight change sorts him out Mike. I have always been a bit paranoid about Otto's limbs since he hurt his knee when he was a pup. A week's cage rest and some anti-inflams did the trick but I am always watching out for limps. He still occasionally has the wobbly/twitchy front legs if the weight isn't fully on them and I don't let him jump up and down stuff unaided (sister's schnauzer injured his back after jumping off the bed). Otto also occasionally licks his knees (or his hair on his knees) but only when sitting on the grooming table when I lift a front paw. As for the weight, Otto has been cut down on food again. He managed to get to 9.2kg somehow. His target weight is 8.5kg so we have a slow reduction going on and he is 8.8kg at the moment. I think the weight reduction will really help Oscar's joints. More and more vets seem to be a bit braver now in telling clients that their pets could do with losing a bit of weight. Does make you wonder because of his young age whether what he has is as a result of a developmental condition. Anyway, sounds like money well spent to understand what's going on.

[zeta1454]

So sorry to hear about Oscar and I do hope that he recovers well, with or without surgery. I have no experience of this condition with any of our dogs but I am sure there are Forum members who have had dogs with cruciate ligament issues who may be able to offer useful advice.

There are some links here which may also be informative for deciding on the best course of action for the future for Oscar:

https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/ ... nt-injury/

https://healthyandhappydog.com/cranial- ... ment-tear/

Although many vets do suggest that either poor breeding and / or that a dog being overweight are the primary causes of this condition, there is strong evidence that neutering is also a significant factor in cruciate ligament tear which has become a common orthopaedic issue in dogs around the world, as stated in the above linked website:

“It is acknowledged in veterinary studies that joint disorders such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and CCL tear can be directly associated to early spay/neuter. These disorders are painful for the dog and create a burden for those caring for the dog.... Still, the veterinary community fails to openly acknowledge early spay/neuter as the primary cause of CCL tear/rupture and other orthopaedic problems...”

Re the steroids, they can cause increased hunger and thirst so worth bearing in mind if you are trying to reduce Oscar’s meals. There is more general information on steroid use in dogs here:

http://www.michigananimalhospital.com/page/469789582

It may also be worth looking at a supplement to support Oscar’s joint health (although check with the vet, if you do decide to use a supplement that there are no contraindications re his medication) such as Yumove Plus or Nutraquin although the latter is only available directly through vet surgeries who stock the range:

https://yumove.co.uk/products/yumove-plus-for-dogs

https://www.nutravet.co.uk/dogs/nutraqu ... 0-capsules

[mikegoodson1]

Hi Julie and Leigh,

Thanks for your responses. Me, Oscar and Sasha are currently on a weight loss program with a wall chart tracking progress (I thought it would be easier to join in as I have to weigh myself first, then again holding Oscar or Sasha to work out their weight). Oscar's first weigh in last week was 13.5kg so I want to get him to 10kg and see how we go.

Really interesting point about the neutering, I'm not sure if you remembered but we had Oscar neutered early (just on 6 months) because he also had a hernia and the vet suggested both were dealt with at the same time. We were new to dog ownership then (nearly 5 years ago) and so we sort of took it as gospel what the vet advised (now of course, we are both older and wiser). The sniffing/bothering of Oscar by other male dogs only happened after the neuter and although that has stopped for the most part, we always worried we had him neutered too early.

So I'll read up on those links.

Thanks
Mike

[mikegoodson1]

Jut an update on Oscar. Although he has continued to lose weight, he now holds his rear leg up pretty much all of the time, the medication we were giving him daily probably helps a little but not enough.

On Monday we visited our vets and they said Oscar's joint was worse and suggested he had surgery. Last night I had a consultation with an orthopaedic vet and he confirmed surgery should be considered and that of the two types (suture procedure vs ligament removal), that the ligament removal is their recommendation. So Oscar is booked in for Mon 11th Jan, for surgery. I'm waiting to hear from the Orthopaedic surgeon who will actually carry out the procedure, to understand what one of the ligament procedures she will carry out, as there are variations on the procedure (TTA/TTO/TPLO).

I just want my boy back to normal. Where we can do a hour (or longer) walks. No more agility training or competitions for him, I just want him walking normally again.

I'm sure the recovery process post-op will be difficult (as Oscar is stubborn, a default Mini Schnauzer trait) and will probably want to run before he can walk!

Anyway, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a better 2021 than we had this year!

[zeta1454]

Hi Mike - so sorry to hear that Oscar’s joint problems have worsened. Good luck for the surgery in January and do keep us updated on Oscar’s progress.

Best wishes for Christmas and paws and fingers crossed for a happy healthy 2021!

Love the photo

[GaryThomlinson]

On Monday we visited our vets and they said Oscar's joint was worse and suggested he had surgery. Last night I had a consultation with an orthopaedic vet and he confirmed surgery should be considered and that of the two types (suture procedure vs ligament removal), that the ligament removal is their recommendation. So Oscar is booked in for Mon 11th Jan, for surgery. I'm waiting to hear from the Orthopaedic surgeon who will actually carry out the procedure, to understand what one of the ligament procedures she will carry out, as there are variations on the procedure (TTA/TTO/TPLO).

Sorry to hear but fingers crossed this works out for you all.

Penny has suffered with this for years and at nearly 8 she now has a permanent hop at a specific waking speed. I suspect we will have to consider the impact of surgery soon.

[Oscar 12345]

Hi Mike, sorry to hear about the need for surgery but as you say, you want your boy back to normal asap. Hope it goes well, would love to know hear about progress and which procedure. Good luck Oscar and don't be a difficult patient....
PS love the photo and the tree is fab.