Sudden intermittent lameness in front legs of dog?

[Jon P]

4 yr old GWP - over the last 2 weeks has been slightly lame intermittently on front right leg- went lame out stalking- thought she must of stood on something. Then walked it off - over the next week , sometimes lame after getting up from resting . No obvious nail issues, or cuts / thorns- did poultice for 24 hours , nothing showed- now gone suddenly badly lame on front left leg- will get her to vets in am - I am suspecting Lymes disease as have two dogs previously with it over the last 15 yrs.

We are out regularly on deer and regularly pulling ticks of me and the dog.

Any one with any other ideas on what it could be?

 

[308rws]

I once had a Lab with something similar, unfortunately turned out to be a tumour in the shoulder.

 

[Jon P]

I once had a Lab with something similar, unfortunately turned out to be a tumour in the shoulder.

Was that going in lame in both legs or just one?

 

[308rws]

Was that going in lame in both legs or just one?

Just the one leg.

 

[Selous]

4 yr old GWP - over the last 2 weeks has been slightly lame intermittently on front right leg- went lame out stalking- thought she must of stood on something. Then walked it off - over the next week , sometimes lame after getting up from resting . No obvious nail issues, or cuts / thorns- did poultice for 24 hours , nothing showed- now gone suddenly badly lame on front left leg- will get her to vets in am - I am suspecting Lymes disease as have two dogs previously with it over the last 15 yrs.

We are out regularly on deer and regularly pulling ticks of me and the dog.

Any one with any other ideas on what it could be?

It is possible that it could be Lymes, especially as you have had other dogs with it, but in another way you are hearing hoof steps and looking for Zebras! More likely (statistically) to be elbow dysplasia, humeral intercondylar fissure, shoulder injuries such as Osteochondrosis or biceps tendon injury or tenosynovitis (have seen a few GSPs with that) , cervical spinal disease, radial carpal bone fracture or sesamoid disease. It’s also hard to rule out foreign bodies but normally they affect a single limb.
First step is a detailed examination to see if a site of pain can be localised to a region followed by diagnostic imaging (X-rays or CT). Joint fluid should be taken from any swollen or painful joints to look at cytology and perhaps culture. Blood sampling may be needed if Lymes is suspected though I’m pretty sure that a PCR could be done on joint fluid if found to be abnormal. With two legs being affected a cancer is far less likely.
Good luck !! Let us know what happens.

 

[Jon P]

It is possible that it could be Lymes, especially as you have had other dogs with it, but in another way you are hearing hoof steps and looking for Zebras! More likely (statistically) to be elbow dysplasia, humeral intercondylar fissure, shoulder injuries such as Osteochondrosis or biceps tendon injury or tenosynovitis (have seen a few GSPs with that) , cervical spinal disease, radial carpal bone fracture or sesamoid disease. It’s also hard to rule out foreign bodies but normally they affect a single limb.
First step is a detailed examination to see if a site of pain can be localised to a region followed by diagnostic imaging (X-rays or CT). Joint fluid should be taken from any swollen or painful joints to look at cytology and perhaps culture. Blood sampling may be needed if Lymes is suspected though I’m pretty sure that a PCR could be done on joint fluid if found to be abnormal. With two legs being affected a cancer is far less likely.
Good luck !! Let us know what happens.

No obvious pain in any specific location, she is still bright and alert, eating well and still marking a rat under the shed as the neighbours still insist on feeding the birds- have recently moved her back in to live in the house as moving house soon and no kennels at new place yet. So quite easy to check her over know as taking over most of the sofa. Ran her for 40 minutes up the mountain earlier and she was sound as a pound on both legs- have checked the diary and she has been intermittent lame on the front right since 11 October, but acting more like a thorn or broken / bruised nail - nothing evident though on inspection- nothing on poultice either. tonight she got up off sofa struggling to weigh bare on the left leg- have removed a few ticks off her recently. But she is in contact with deer every week at present- also lots of mountain sheep with us that don’t get dipped, so they are a good host for ticks too.
Will see what vet says tomorrow. Will WhatsApp him early on before he starts his visits

 

[Jon P]

Dog was seen by the vet today- slight temperature of 38.7, heat in the left leg, right one that has been intermittent since the 10 October seems normal- has gone down the Lymes Disease route as symptoms do fit, and my previous experiences. If no improvement can look at scans etc- no point doing bloods to confirm as needs antibiotics now if Lymes and it is extra expense.

 

[bullet chucker]

A very seasoned Vet we used many years ago diagnosed a Standard Poodle we had as a young dog with lameness, he used to gently feel for heat in the ankle joints (inflammation) . It was noticeable after the dog had been running very fast, then limping later.

BC

 

[Buchan]

I’d be really surprised if it was actual Lyme as the bacteria that causes it is rare in the UK. Positive serology is only a measure of exposure, unless found in joint fluid

 

[Jon P]

I’d be really surprised if it was actual Lyme as the bacteria that causes it is rare in the UK. Positive serology is only a measure of exposure, unless found in joint fluid

I had a positive test in a Patterdale terrier around 18 yrs ago- that dog died as vet only gave me 7 days antibiotics then test results came back 12 day and break in treatment caused the antibiotics not to work- it may be rare but not impossible- this dog never went within 20 miles of where deer were- she was getting ticks from local sheep.

Second dog was a GWP around 15 yrs , I removed a tick on centre of hips- - week later bullseye appeared, dog started loosing use of back legs- long course of antibiotics saved dog but not without side effects.

This dog - 4 yrs old GWP- as symptoms detailed above - this dog is run though the same sheep fields as Patterdale terrier and also around a lot off deer on a weekly basis- cull figures for us is around 150 plus a year. So not short on places to get infected.

I certainly hope it is not Lymes disease, but what is the coincidence of high tick burdens- had intermittent lameness showing after resting. Slight high temperature- Once dog has been up and moving lameness was easing off .

I have not paid for blood / fluid tests yet as an added expense and a wait for results is not going to help the treatment- NHS don’t often test humans now. Just treat if you get symptoms and have had been bitten by tick-

I have had antibiotics twice for tick bites- never have I been tested but had symptoms of swollen areas around tick bites , high temperature . Headaches and lethargy.

On paper the infection rate may show low incidence as the tests are not being undertaken.

 

[Buchan]

The bacteria that are associated with Lyme for dogs are a different type to that for humans - based on current thinking. But a dog will have an antibody response to any bacteria introduced by the tick and that could have been some time ago - I've seen a paper suggest years duration. This is the difficulty of diagnosis, and you are right, with poor testing, not much is done, so it could be being missed.

 

[Jon P]

The bacteria that are associated with Lyme for dogs are a different type to that for humans.

That is good to know.

 

[Dunwaters]

Maybe check her toes. I have a similar problem with one of mine, run her hard and she may or may not go lame.
She has a noticeable swelling on one of her toe joints from an old injury.

 

[Jon P]

Maybe check her toes. I have a similar problem with one of mine, run her hard and she may or may not go lame.
She has a noticeable swelling on one of her toe joints from an old injury.

Have checked toes, no reaction to pressing etc , also warm poulticed the right foot for 24 hours, nothing at all showing .

 

[SikaSeeker]

Get her to a good greyhound bone man for a once over,