Pooh Bear's back is still real sore

[JackieMaya]

I've been trying to keep all three kids quiet so that Pooh Bear's back can get better, but it's almost impossible. They'll be real quiet for quite a while, then something gets one of them up (a squirrel or other dog or whatever), and then they all start playing and running and jumping around. They all just LOVE playing with each other. I tried having Pooh Bear next to me on a retractable leash, but when Jackie and Maya started playing, he got real excited, so that wasn't working real well either.

He hasn't uttered a single whine or sound of discomfort or pain, but he limps real bad when he's walking and trotting. He looks fine when he canters around. In fact, he jumped right up into my truck today before I even had a chance to help him up there! And he hops up and down from the futon and goes up and down stairs.

I just don't know what to do. He's such a happy puppy, and all three of them just love playing together. I hate to separate him from Jackie and Maya to try to keep him quiet, and then they would miss out on all that bonding time. I wonder if maybe I should get a temporary chain link kennel like you can get at Petsmart like this:

They're $179, and if it would keep him less active but still be able to kind of hang out with the girls, it would be worth it. Then he could still see the girls in the back yard, but wouldn't be able to wrestle and jump and roll around with them. But I hate to have him in a crate when I'm gone, and then have to be in a kennel in the back yard.

I just want my little boy to get better so that I can let him play with the girls and not have to worry about him.

By the way, I took him to the groomer today that his foster mom recommended. She had to shave off huge mats behind each ear, and had to shave his butt below his tail because he was so matted. He looks just beautiful now! I told her that he had a sore back, so she was real careful with him.

[DogPaddle]

What is wrong with his back?

I would suggest glucosamine/chondroitin/yucca until the dog gets better. It will reduce discomfort and will reduce any damage that might be caused do to activity. It will also reduce inflamation. Also maybe let them have more but breif periods of play throughout the day. And in between practice down and stay or sitting on the couch snuggling. Even using the crate/xpen/dogrun depending on the seriousness of the back problem.

[JackieMaya]

I adopted him on Sunday, and about an hour or so after he had been at my house and playing with the girls, he came up lame on his left hind leg. I palpated his entire leg and foot, and his leg wasn't sore, but when I palpated his back, he flinched when I got back towards his tail.

I took him to the vet on Monday, both because of his back and to get my initial free vet exam because I adopted him. I got him microchipped too (and he didn't make a peep). The vet said that hip dysplasia could be a possibility, but that he thought it would be too soon to take xrays since he still has more growing to do. He's hoping that it's just a muscle strain.

I hope to Dog that that's what it is. I would hate for such a young dog have to have hip problems and have to have surgery. If he needed surgery, of course I'll have it done, because he'll be living with me for the rest of his life, and I want him to be happy and pain-free.

So cross your fingers that it's just a back strain. At his foster home, his foster mom's own dog was a 140-pound Mastiff that he played with. And now he's with Maya (72 pounds) and Jackie (85 pounds). So he should be used to playing with big dogs.

I think I'll ask my vet tomorrow about getting him on glucosamine/chondroitan (I used to give it to my crippled horse).

[DogPaddle]

I used glucosamine/chondroit. on Tyr. Tyr was a gsd cross and had 4th grade hip displasia and the beginnings of oesteoarthritis at 8 months. With the glucosamine/chondroit and an occaisional aspirin he was pretty much normal. Apparently using yucca may have reduced the aspirin use as well. Additionally some dog's symptoms of HD reduce greatly after 18 months and can easily be managed with a bit of glucosamine/chondroit until they are seniors.