Hind foot knuckling under - HELP - Page 1

I need some advice please!

My six month old female just recently has exhibited some strange moves.  Normally she is high drive, tearing through the house and around the yard...play play play!  The last three or so days she has been very low key, will play if invited but rarely demanding someone to play with her.  I have noticed when she has been in a down position and gets up she uses her front end to pull herself up and the back end wobbles and her hind feet sometimes cross over funny but in a few steps she looks ok.  Last night I saw her get up and her right rear knuckled over for several steps as she moved across the floor.  She doesn't limp or act as if she is in pain but on occasion she will let out the briefest of cries usually when she is layhing down.  She has been a very clumsy puppy, often falling on the hard surface flooring or when making sudden turns as when chasing a ball in the yard.  I gave her an aspirin last night and didn't see any problem first thing this morning but as the day has progressed she is starting to wobble some.  Do you think she has just pulled something?  She seems too young to be showing any signs of HD or DM.  Is there something else going on here?  We plan on getting her to the vet on Monday or Tuesday.  Horrible blizzard conditions right now.  Any ideas as to what is wrong with my baby girl?

Thanks! Deb

Have your Vet check her out... could be a spinal injury of some kind.  Probably will need X-rays at the very least.  Could be something you can have treated with Accupunture, but I'd really recommend a Vet diagnosis before you decide. In the mean time limit any kind of jumping/twisting games like chasing a ball or Bite work.

Hodie,
Thanks for your quick response!  Do you think she hurt her back with all her jumping and playing and tendency to fall.  She is a wild hare or part kangaroo.  We have worked hard at getting her to slow down and stay on all fours but she is a pup after all.
Thanks!
Deb

Accupuncture?

The foot knuckling under, and the dog not realizing it, has a fancy name. It's called proprioreceptor deficit, and is a clear sign that your dog has suffered some sort of nerve damage. Get her to the vet ASAP. There are a number of things that could have caused it: spinal injury, an inherited problem with the spine or discs, or possibly even a tumor, though that would be rare in a dog this age.

Hope the weather breaks soon so you can get her there ASAP.

 Debi,

A dog, especially an active dog, can easily hurt itself. Dogs are like children. In emergency medicine we always very, very carefully assess children and the same should be true of dogs. Why? Because they do NOT give good indications normally that something is wrong. She has given you indications, with the infrequent whine, the wobbly gait and the knuckling under. None of this is normal. Hopefully it is just a pinched nerve and with some rest and possibly anti-inflammatories, she will be fine. But it is something you want some professional help on. The likelihood that it is something permanent and very serious is much smaller, but again, if there is a nerve being compressed, it needs to get uncompressed as soon as possible.  A good vet is your best option. In the meantime, keep her quiet. The aspirin was not a bad idea, but if it allows her to feel really spunky, it might not be such a good idea. In such situations one would like the dog to self-limit, meaning they realize they are hurting and remain more quiet on their own.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Accupunture has been used effectively in some spinal / neuro problems...  John Jaeger, DVM did a lot of work with it, and a number of equine and other animal practice's incorporate it with other methods.  It can give immediate relief to pain and reduce inflamation.  I get nervous when people go directly to it, but when done by or in conjuntion with a Vet diagnosis it can help.

Thanks once again for the replies. 

Looks like we will have to wait until Monday,  I was kinda hoping the Vet would be in today but the weather has shut everything down.  It's not likely we could get out of the drive anyway.  At least the snow has stopped.  We received several inches of freezing rain topped with a few of inches of snow.  The good news about that is it will probably ge gone by Monday.  Crazy Kansas weather. 

We will keep her quiet and moving slow until we can have her seen.  She has cabin fever and is bringing me every toy she owns in hopes I will take the hint.  I can hear her in the kitchen with my husband, Paul and she is talking up a storm to him asking to be let out.  Think I better go supervise.  Again, thanks for the quick replies.  I will let you know what we find out.

Deb