German Shepard's hurt leg?

Question

My shepard has been limping for two months. He has been to the vet on numerous occations (costing me well over $1,000). I have asked another vet's opinion and none of them can tell me what is wrong with him and THINK it may be sprain. I talked to the vet last week and she told me I need to think about his quality of life and sugested I put him down. Are they telling me this to cover up their incompetence? Whould anyone actually kill thier dog because he limps?

Other facts: Shepard is only 9 months old, does like to play, and does not limp when he takes doggie ibeprophen. He can move and use the leg, but he does not put pressure on it. And I love him very much!

He hand xrays of his elbow, hip, and foot. His front right leg is hurt and they exrays showed no injury.

The vet fully sudated him, so they could get good xrays and they found nothing. (I had it looked at by two different vets). It is his front leg, vet thinks elbow.

Answer 1

It sounds like your vet is incompetent. Shepherds do have a tendency to get osteoartritis when growing, due to the fact that they grow so fast. Speak to your local AKC dog club and try to find a referral to a quality vet. If your vets have already taken x-rays, get them and take them with you, that way you hopefully won't have to repeat them. Try to limit your dog's activities (I know - easier said than done with a 9 month old shepherd) - no running, jumping, etc. Good luck!

Answer 2

First and foremost, I would ask all the vets you have been to already for a copy of your dog's medical charts - that way you will have a full medical history on hand when you go to talk to another vet.

I would take your dog to another vet to have him examined - if you can find a college of veterinary medicine, it might help, as they have experts in many fields and are sometimes better equipped to diagnose and handle unusual problems than your regular vet. If you can find someone who specializes in German Shepherds, that's even better.

I would assume that a new vet should, at a minimum, do hip and elbow x-rays, and possibly x-ray the spine as well. They will also need to rule out diseases like Pano and do a blood panel to help them find the cause if it isn't bone, joint, or muscle related.

You may also want to try the health section in the forums at www.germanshepherds.com , which is the world's largest community of GSD owners. Chances are, no matter how rare it is what you're experiencing, there will be someone there who can help!

Answer 3

I'd absolutely go for a second opinion at an entirely different veterinary office. For one thing, have they ruled out pano? That is incredibly common for German Shepherds at that age, and it should be visible on x-rays.

Does he limp all the time or only when he plays? I can see quality of life becoming an issue for some dogs, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here. The vet could certainly be seeing something that we don't know about here on the Internet, but I'd most definitely get a second, or even a third, opinion about it before making such a drastic decision. You certainly sound committed to helping him, and I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 4

You could have a case of Pano or panosteitis. Pano can be very painful to a dog. It has to run it's course, and might end up in some of his other legs. Have you had this dog x-rayed? Is it a rear or front limb? The reason I ask about x-ray's is to look for either hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia. On the other hand if he is limping on a front limb, he could even have OCD in a shoulder joint. If this keeps up , find a good orthopedic vet to go to.

Answer 5

First and foremost is to get a definitive answer to why your pet is lame before making any decision. A good veterinarian with an emphasis on neurology ans orthopedics would be a good place to start. There have been some good suggestions as to a possible cause but any speculation from here is just that, speculation. Get a referral to a specialist or a veterinarian who has a strong professional emphasis in orthopedics.

Answer 6

Were me I'd seek yet another vet. Have they taken ex-rays? No I would not put a dog down just for limping. I would keep trying to find out WHY he limps. Have you thought about a specialist? Your vet could probably recommend one.

Answer 7

you want to have him taken to the vet and performance his condition analyzed. this can require him to stay in in the course of the day (merely to sedate him and make constructive he's effective) and get X-rays finished. they are going to provide him a shot of anesthetic, and then favor to position him on his decrease back to position his hips to get the right perspective (yet they are going to clarify this to you) there are countless things you could do besides merely surgical operation, it is managable, yet regrettably no longer curable. He may be placed on drugs; Glucosamine or Chondroitin for the discomfort and to lubricate the joints or if needed, he may accept surgical operation for a hip change of alternative techniques. regrettably even with the actuality that, it isn't everlasting. i'd not recommend at THIS element that you're taking him for a stroll, as you do not understand how a lot discomfort he's in, and the burden causes even extra rigidity. talk to the vet about having a nutrition routine plan for him, AND an exercising schedule it truly is least perplexing on him, and enables him deliver his weight down with little discomfort as a threat. reckoning on even if the condition is mild, or seriously stepped forward...you want to attraction to close that FIRST in the previous you're making any judgements. i'm sorry that you're having to bypass by this. :( i understand the heartache and difficulty it causes of attending to observe them in a lot discomfort. My eldest Golden has mild hip dysplasia that he change into clinically determined with 2 months in the past, and that i have change into very very defensive over him, inspite of if it would not look causing him as a lot war as your new boy of direction seems dealing with. i am hoping the vet can help you and him as a lot it truly is needed. Please undergo in ideas even with the actuality that, it is no longer a lack of existence sentence, and with the medication, remedy or maybe existence-sort adjustments, he CAN nevertheless stay out something else of his existence with extra high quality than he does now.

Answer 8

Sheppard's have a common problem with hip displacement? go to another vet this one needs to go back to school and learn some good old customer service skills not the hold out the hand for payment skill, I would be sooooo mad. Good luck

Answer 9

OMG. thats EXACTLY what happened to my cat when we found her. She broke her leg and we brought her to the vet...and they said to put her to sleeep and my dad REFUSED and said NO FIX IT. You just have to put your foot down, if it is sprained or broken he will just have to were a stick along the bone to striaghten it out with a bandage around it. No big surgery. Vets are unbelivible these days, just ask them to fix it and bandage it so at least it feels better for your dog

Answer 10

Hind leg or front legs? I know German Shepard's are noted for Hip Dysplasia. Read up on the link and see if any of it helps.