Limping :(

[Bettyna]

Natsu went out saturday morning and did her usual run at the back fence to make sure there aren't any intruders during the night. When she came back she was limping! She didn't make any noise when I felt her feet and legs (and she's usually a real wimp, screams at any pain)

We went to the vet on Monday and it seems she might have injured or torn a ligament

Got pain killers and she's still not putting any pressure on her back right leg. We go for a follow up tomorrow, and x-ray since it's not better. If she's torn her ligament, she'll have to have an operation

Thank God we have insurance!

In Singapore we hardly see the vet, since we've moved here 4 years ago, we've had what seems like one major incident a year!!

Kobe eating glue, me cutting Kobe while grooming him, and now Natsu being injured!

[yintzy]

On no. I hope it's not surgical.

I've had the same thing, no vet bills forever and now about 12k in 2 years!

[SherriA]

Oh no, poor Natsu! Fingers crossed that she doesn't need surgery.

[connie]

Oh no! I hope it's only a soft-tissue injury and not a strain or tear to a ligament!

Right with you on the vet bills also, I was thinking 'normal' was reasonable vet bills annually and then WHAM this year. Ugh!

[Bettyna]

The vet says that Natsu has torn her Cruciate Ligament.

http://www.copelandvets.co.uk/fact-shee ... tears.html

Since Natsu is smallish and not overweight (approx 12kg), she is a candidate for the lateral suture procedure, which involves surgery to put a suture into her leg bones and hence stabilising the joint (sounds super painful to me). and then fibrosis happens around the joint, further stabilising it. Oh yes and the injury sounds like it was a traumatic one and not chronic degeneration of her joints. This procedure can be done in the vet surgery itself.

The other more dramatic procedure is some TPLO or TTA which involves cutting up bits of her bones and moving them around to stabilise the leg. (sounds even worse than the previous option) This has to be referred to a specialist surgery.

I'm inclined to go with the lateral suture procedure. Does anyone have any views? However, one drawback is that they won't know if she's damaged her meniscus as well, which might mean lameness even after the lateral suture.

I'm glad we bought insurance for both of them when we moved to London...

On the bright side, she's been putting some weight on her lame leg now, and is much happier compared to a week ago.

We see the vet on wednesday to make a decision.

[SherriA]

Did he offer an option of a brace? I know that some ODO dogs have had good luck with that.

Are you connected with Claire on FB? She went through cruciate tears with her previous Weims and used to be a regular poster on the CCL yahoo group. She was a great source of info.