Stiffness in back legs - normal?

[PollySpaull]

Hi all,

We've had a few problems with intermittent lameness in Monty's back legs. We've been to the vets who thought it was muscular, and a few days of rest and the lameness/limping was gone.
I've been noticing recently that when he wakes up from a snooze, his back leg (can't quite work out which one) is very stiff, causing him to limp until he has taken a few steps when it eases up. Is this normal in an 8month old pup? Is it just he's been sat still for too long or something else? Any answers much appreciated as always, thank you x


Love from Polly and Monty!

[MaggieR]

Hi - I don't want to worry you at all, but intermittent lameness should be looked at. Could be nothing at all, but alternatively could be something.... what you have described were the symptons Maggie showed at about the same age but with her front leg - in her case it turned out to be elbow dysplasia and I'm not trying to scare you at all with that.  Like I say that was front leg and I'm not sure how the equivalent which I guess would be hip, shows itself at that age...
We did several bouts of rest and metacam before x-rays confirmed there was an issue there. 
Like I say, I really don't want to worry you, but go with your gut and if you don't think its right ask for further investigation. 
Hope he's ok.

Lisa & Maggie xx

[PollySpaull]

Hi Lisa, thank you for the reply.

Am starting to worry that it might be something more serious as you say. Was Maggie in pain at all or was it just the intermittent lameness you noticed? Will be making a vets appointment for Friday to get it checked and try to push for an X-ray to see what's really going on. Am really hoping it's nothing serious :-( he doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain at all, he's happy to run around and play etc and when touched there aren't any painful spots that he reacts to.

Off to book a vets appointment, thanks again xx


Love from Polly and Monty!

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I can't offer any advice, but it might be worth recording it, so that when you go to the vets they can see what you mean, as it never happens at the vets...

Hopefully it's nothing serious

[Markr64]

Hi Polly

Unable to offer anything to this but just want to send my best wishes and give you support. I imagine it is nothing but it is always a worry when something out of the ordinary happens. As said keep a diary of when it happens and also note down any activities that or previous days. Monty is such a cutie and I love seeing his pictures you post.

Mark

[PollySpaull]

Good plan, thank you will film him! Got an appointment on Friday morning. Have just terrified myself by reading up about hip dysplasia... :-( fingers crossed its nothing like that xx


Love from Polly and Monty!

[PollySpaull]

Thanks mark, that's really kind of you. Going to be counting down the hours until his appointment. I hope it's nothing... It would break my heart :-( xx


Love from Polly and Monty!

[Countrygirl]

Hope everything goes well at Monty's appointment on Friday and it turns out to be nothing serious.

[Mudmagnets]

Hope Monty's appointment goes ok and there is nothing seriously wrong 

[PollySpaull]

Thanks both, really is much appreciated. My other half is refusing to believe there is anything wrong at all which is frustrating. Think he's quite worried too but doesn't want to think anything bad. He's claiming "all dogs are stiff when they wake up"... It's just not right to me. I think my little world has something wrong. Am dreading it if it's serious, I really am:-( xx


Love from Polly and Monty!

[JeffD]

Of course have it checked but Teal was the same, quiet a few times over a couple of months I was worried about her legs / hips , vet said growing pains and was dead right it all stopped at around 10 or 12 months

[PollySpaull]

Thanks Jeff that's reassuring! Fingers crossed! X


Love from Polly and Monty!

[chrisp]

This sounds very much like Mollie had when she was a puppy.  I filmed her and took it to the vets with me so they could see what was happening.  Mollie would get up from a sleep and then one of her back legs would be stiff and she would literally be hopping until all of a sudden it was fine.  We were told she had a luxating patella.  This normally meant an operation to resolve this but they said as she was only a puppy they didn't want to do this as it could quite easily stop when her bones had stopped growing.  They wanted to see her when she had grown out of the puppy stage.  Her leg was fine then so no op needed.

[JEM95]

Hi,

This is my first post since becoming the exceedingly proud owner of my very gorgeous blue roan girl Molly.

We have been experiencing stiffness and limping as has been described here. Molly is 4 and a half months old, and although stiff on waking seems fine once she is moving.

We've seen two vets at our practice, neither could find anything wrong, in fact M fell asleep on the examination table the first time despite being prodded, pushed and pulled ! (She's very laid back!).
We are on day 5 of anti inflammatories and there is no sign of stiffness at the moment.  There appears to be no explanation for her stiffness, however once the anti inflammatories have finished I will take her back if the stiffness returns.

I did wonder if it could be growing pains - Molly has shot upwards from about 9 inches high to just under 13 inches all in about 5 weeks.

I am glad, and relieved to read others have had similar but the pups have grown out of it.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.

It's a great forum - I've learned so much from reading everyones' posts.

[PollySpaull]

Thought I would post a little
Update on Monty for you. We had our vets appointment on Friday. The vet prodded and poked and pulled all of his legs, felt his back, hips etc. She said she can't feel anything abnormal at all. He was slightly reluctant to extend his back legs out backwards if that makes sense but she said he had the same reaction on both legs. She has advised one month of on lead walking only and.... NO TENNIS BALLS! Monty is forlornly walking round the house with one in his mouth feeling sorry for himself! She wants to see him again in a month where, depending on the situation she might x Ray.
So nothing awful at the moment x


Love from Polly and Monty!