Limping, Potential Causes?

[KnotSock]

So, Little Red has been limping for a few months. It wasn't so bad at first, but it seems to be progressing kind of quickly. I've taken him to the vet twice since I noticed, which was pretty much right away, but he gets so focused/excited to go for rides that he seems to stop reacting to the pain by the time we get there. He is getting older, which is why I started to share so many of our videos, (I am getting older too) but I really didn't think he was old enough to be exhibiting these types of age related issues. I actually don't know how old he is, because I got him third-fourth hand, and he was abused/starved pretty badly. I think he was about 2.5 years old when I got him, which would only put him at about 8-9 at at the oldest. I'm starting to wonder if his past treatment, neglect, and starvation from a young age isn't the cause of his limping. It seems to be most obvious in his front lets, but he is starting to struggle getting up more and more every day. He also has scars on his legs, either from chains, or having potentially been a bait dog at one point, which may also be a key factor. The other thing is that he really has only recently started to go grey in the face, so I don't believe he is old enough to be having these types of problems simply due to aging, especially since he is a medium sized pitbull. I am taking him to the vet again tomorrow, but I would really like input from anyone who has ever faced these kinds of issues with their partner Pitties. It's getting really hard to watch him on our walks, because he used to love to run, but is now very reserved about moving quickly. Whether it's aging, infection, or bad nutrition as a puppy, I will be here for him until the end, but if there is anything I can do to make it better for him now, I will.

 

[mikefrancini385]

Pitbulls are prone to hip dysplasia, but the vet should have picked up on that.

 

[KnotSock]

Pitbulls are prone to hip dysplasia, but the vet should have picked up on that.

Definitely possible, although he has been licking his forearms a lot, as if the pain was concentrated in the muscles/tendons there. They seem to be sensitive in those areas to touch. The vet wouldn't necesarily pick up on something he isn't exhibiting in the moment either, and since I pay very close attention to all of them, it was probably more obvious to me. The cold weather could also have something to do with why it seems to be getting worse quickly.. There's a good chance you're right, but all of my dogs have some pretty complicated medical issues that are out of the ordinary, so I know how important it is not to jump to conclusions.

 

[YanchaOkami]

A full size x-ray (often better in two images: lower half and upper half) would clarify if it is linked to central nerve system issues, as example spondylosis which presses on joints of the spine and can cause irritation, inflammation or partial dysfunction of nerve signals or some sort of calcification / delubrication of the joints (which wouldn't be visible on an x-ray, if it is not longer self-lubricated - but the wear of the bones would be visible). Or hip dysplasia, but as it seems you already got this checked for.

Bone tumors would probably as well be visible. With some luck and the right angle of X-ray.

Nine years is not young.. and "not a grey snout" doesn't have to resemble anything, unfortunately. Not all dogs even get "that" grey. Before they die.. due to other circumstances, but linked to old age.

I don't know about your countries certification / release standards in terms of medical treatment. But there are either older pain killer treatments with more or less severe side effects for such causes which are not really "correctable", even with "gold implants" and comparable. Some newer nerve / bone / joint related pain medicals for dogs are coming with even less side effects, but can get very expensive. Here, at least.

Some human medicals work as well with animals, but I don't give any hints in this regards as you don't have a clear diagnostic yet and without this.. it's like hammering around blindly and the risks are unknown and could actually result in more damage. As such to clarify the cause(s) is the first step.

As long as he actually wants and enjoys participating on life.. all is fine. Even if the illnesses might limit his movement later on, depending on the causes.

With some luck it is a well treatable temporary infection or inflammation, could as well be cold or dryness related (cold air is dry and dries out tissue).

Definitely possible, although he has been licking his forearms a lot, as if the pain was concentrated in the muscles/tendons there.

Or the skin. Aside grass mites which try to find a warmer place at autumn.. (often) and can overgrow on some (weak immune system, as example) dogs and cause rash / biting / licking, there are as well other potential causes. Skin cancer is a possibility for dogs, unfortunately. But quite rare.

Personal hint: check his paw pads. If you see hyperkeratosis building up while he actually wears his paw pads leather skin down by walking / running and as such without any acute cause for the growth which is to be found, then let a veterinary get a small piece of biopsy of his paw material tested in a labor for cancer cells / abnormal growth. Not only can this cause a lot of pain which could be projected onto wholly unrelated areas of his body, as the paw pads are nerve-linked to almost all areas of the legs and backbone.. but it as well could spread.

What you do.. is your decision. It's just my opinion. For finding the cause those thoughts might give an idea of possibilities, but don't let them stress or panic you, please.

 

[KnotSock]

Nine years is not young.. and "not a grey snout" doesn't have to resemble anything, unfortunately. Not all dogs even get "that" grey. Before they die.. due to other circumstances, but linked to old age.

Thank you for getting back to me with such great information. I know that took a while to type out and I really do appreciate it. There isn't a thing I wouldn't do for this dog, but you're right, 9 is not young. Sometimes we have to lie to ourselves to make light of a situation. He has had an incredibly rough life, and is lucky to have made it this far. The vet I prefer won't be able to see him for a little still, but I did take him on a ride today to a nearby park which he loves. (even though we have a great back yard) He is still enjoying life for the moment, but it's definitely hard to get on his brothers about playing too rough with him, and just as difficult to see him not understand why he cant play like he used to. Anyways, I'm starting to ramble now. I will absolutely take all of this into consideration while trying to make him as comfortable as possible. Thank you again.

 

[YanchaOkami]

Thank you for getting back to me with such great information. I know that took a while to type out and I really do appreciate it.

No problem.

The vet I prefer won't be able to see him for a little still, but I did take him on a ride today to a nearby park which he loves. (even though we have a great back yard) He is still enjoying life for the moment, but it's definitely hard to get on his brothers about playing too rough with him, and just as difficult to see him not understand why he cant play like he used to.

I know your pain, unfortunately. I guess any animal (companion) owners suffer themself if their companions get ill or limited in their activities and freedom by age / accidents.

But regarding the breed and your good care your dog can still have years of happy lifetime expectancy, don't imagine the worst as long as the origins of his symptoms are not verified. Dogs can - even if limited in movements - live quite well with bone or joint pains, if that's the source of the problems. They get used to enjoy life in a more relaxed way. As long as no serious and quickly processing causes are a diagnosed fact, you've a lot of possibilities.

I wish you both all the best and Little Red a well-treatable and non-critical diagnosis.

 

[KnotSock]

I wish you both all the best and Little Red a well-treatable and non-critical diagnosis.

You are so kind. I only worry because he really doesn't seem to know his limits at this point, and the random yelps are definitely upsetting. I am glad that I am great at building things, and he has taken to the ramp over the last year. At least I had the foresight to build that before he started showing any signs of pain. Next I'm going to build a cradle so he can ride in my vehicle, because he loves rides so much. Thanks for showing care towards him. He is an amazing little goober.

 

[Strayward]

I hope things get sorted out quickly for him. I think once you and your vet figure out what hurts and why, you'll be able to find something that helps him get better.
Although you don't want him to overdo it, it's probably better for him to stay active then be bedridden, it's good that he's still into walks and sniffs.

 

[KnotSock]

it's probably better for him to stay active then be bedridden, it's good that he's still into walks and sniffs.

I couldn't stop him from walks if I wanted to. They all love the property, minus the psycho deer. We went down to the river today, and I was worried about it being a bit much. He seemed to do alright, but you could tell he was starting to feel it at the end. I know it was worth it to him though.

 

[KnotSock]

Well.. About 10 minutes after my last response, I looked down at Red who was laying on me feet, and noticed there was blood dripping out of his sheath.. I threw him in the truck, and rushed to my vet. I blew past a state trooper going 65 in a 40, and just floored it even harder. I am amazed I didn't get pulled over, but honestly, there was nothing that would have slowed me down at that point. I barely heard what the vet was saying to me I was so upset, so I'm glad my friend met me there, because they also know I am not great with verbal information due to my autism. They took a urine sample, and had an ultra sound done on him. It's too soon to say for sure, but they are almost certain he has BPH due to the mass they saw in him/the cloudy urine. He's on antibiotics right now, but they are telling me that neutering is likely going to be the best option for his health. If it is BPH, and I do neuter him, (which I reluctantly will..) there is a good chance that he will be okay, assuming it actually is BPH. I don't know what to say other than I am devastated... He is happy and resting on my lap at the moment, exhausted from the long walk/unplanned vet visit. Our relationship is so much more than sex, and I am glad that I will likely get to be with him for a while longer. I also know how much sex means to him, and weirdly enough was a key factor in gaining his trust/respect. He was heavily abused by many people from the little I know about his past, but he took to me, and trusts no one else.. I'm going to crawl inside a bottle for the rest of the evening, and spend tomorrow at home, with my real family.

 

[YanchaOkami]

Hopefully the diagnosis is on-point and there's no different reason for the other described problems and pains.
BPH at least doesn't have to cause long-term problems if you decide into neutering, but it's surely a complicated decision.

As he knows your intimacy and seems to enjoy it, there's as well the chance that he will still have an interest after such a surgery. But there's no guarantee.

I wish you both the best, really.

 

[YanchaOkami]

The B in BPH is benign, it's not a serious condition but something to address when you can.

That is correct, as long as it stays without further side effects (or is cared for by medical treatment), it might be acceptable to keep him intact.

My own knowledge status was that neutering is suggested as the best choice practice if medical treatment doesn't help or the enlargement further proceeds - even with medical treatment. As this might bring permanent side effects which are more problematic than the regular outcome of neutering. But nowadays there might even be new medical treatments available which have a better effect or less side effects.

The actual status / size and complications as well plays a role, but that's something only a veterinary with ability to check the dog can analyze and give a recommendation about.

 

[KnotSock]

Hopefully the diagnosis is on-point and there's no different reason for the other described problems and pains.
BPH at least doesn't have to cause long-term problems if you decide into neutering, but it's surely a complicated decision.

Thank you so much, but the fact that they are likely on point is almost more upsetting. He almost died from heart worm, and the anesthesia used in the neutering process could easily prove fatal since he has such a weak heart from all the holes those bastards put in it. Ironic that it would also leave a hole in mine... I do very much appreciate the sentiment though, really.. He can also barely stand after our extended walk today, and I even had to help him off of the couch earlier which has never happened before. I feel awful, like I pushed him for my own desire to see him happy and ''young'' again. I know he enjoyed it, but I still feel like his pain is my responsibility..

A CBC blood test can also check for infection. It's likely he didn't need antibiotics at all and it was given out of an abundance of caution, unless there was a test that confirmed a need for it. BPH normally isn't treated with antibiotics. The B in BPH is benign, it's not a serious condition but something to address when you can. There are also alternatives to neutering to consider based on their pros and cons.

You are correct. They started him on antibiotics as a precautionary, but his age and very recently developing physical limitations, are a stressful sign of something possibly worse. I am waiting for the results, and hoping for the best. There is nothing I wouldn't do for this dog. I would split the rest of my life in half with him, were it an option.

 

[YanchaOkami]

Oh, heartworm is a very high-risk parasite, unfortunately. And it reads as if it had enough time to cause heavy damage in the past.

There are at least less risky anesthetics nowadays than even 15 years ago, a good development.
Modern veterinaries use not only possibilities to give an anti-anesthetic (wake up initiating) if something shows wrong symptoms with the compatibility of anesthetics and dog (allergic reactions as example), they as well use full-time monitoring of the health related factors.

It's still a risk, as every anesthetic deems to be. The older the animal, the more risky it gets, that's unfortunately true. Even without a damaged heart muscle.

.. and I even had to help him off of the couch earlier which has never happened before.

If the walking problems are bone- or joint-based, you might have to get accommodated to carry him partly. This at least doesn't resemble anything bad for the dog, many actually like being carried, but it's physically stressing for you. It usually means that a dog can still live an enjoyable and happy life, even with less movement.

BPH (at least from what I know) shouldn't cause specific bone- or nerve-related walking issues with the described "pain-yips". But inflammations of walking-related body parts could, as such the antibiotics might at least prove (or not) that there is a bacteria-related infection / inflammation active.

I guess you have mentioned the other symptoms to this veterinary (if he/she wasn't the one you were visiting for those beforehand as well) and wish you that the results allow a better idea where the symptoms and pain come from - and if they are linked to the BPH.

 

[YanchaOkami]

I suggest you get him x-rays to check for arthritis and hip dysplasia. YanchaOkami said it sounded like you got him checked for this but I didn't see where you said that.

No, it was in regards of hip dysplasia, which was communicated about above my first posting, which he answered to with:

Definitely possible, although he has been licking his forearms a lot, as if the pain was concentrated in the muscles/tendons there. They seem to be sensitive in those areas to touch. The vet wouldn't necesarily pick up on something he isn't exhibiting in the moment either, and since I pay very close attention to all of them, it was probably more obvious to me.

As such I said:

A full size x-ray (often better in two images: lower half and upper half) would clarify if it is linked to central nerve system issues, as example spondylosis which presses on joints of the spine and can cause irritation, inflammation or partial dysfunction of nerve signals or some sort of calcification / delubrication of the joints (which wouldn't be visible on an x-ray, if it is not longer self-lubricated - but the wear of the bones would be visible). Or hip dysplasia, but as it seems you already got this checked for.

There were no x-ray taken as far as I see. While hip dysplasia is - at least in regards of the symptoms - quite easy to "check for" for a veterinary, as the pain often raises in specific positions of the hind legs combined with pressure on related points.

To clarify about the proceeding of it and the actual status would need further inspection by as example x-ray.

 

[KnotSock]

Oh, heartworm is a very high-risk parasite, unfortunately. And it reads as if it had enough time to cause heavy damage

(Knotsock) :

Aside from the physical abuse that lead to heartworm, there was mental trauma from the neglect/abandonment. I start shaking from anger if I think about it for too long.. I was told from his, ''rescuer'' that a group of kids used to regularly stop by after school and beat him for fun as he was chained up out back. This really hits me hard because one of my best friends as a kid was a dog that was beaten by kids with a crowbar as a puppy, and they cut his tail off with scissors, ''for fun.'' He ended up getting put down for biting a kid when I wasn't there. (sorry, I ended up accidentally making this a quote when it wasn't)

Modern veterinaries use not only possibilities to give an anti-anesthetic (wake up initiating) if something shows wrong symptoms with the compatibility of anesthetics and dog (allergic reactions as example), they as well use full-time monitoring of the health related factors.

It's still a risk, as every anesthetic deems to be. The older the animal, the more risky it gets, that's unfortunately true. Even without a damaged heart muscle.

As someone who personally has had multiple major surgeries, I already worry far too much about anesthesia. I even woke up, and hopped off the operating table during the end of a correctional surgery. It's not the same for him, but I do recognize that anything can go wrong in an instant from personal experience.

If the walking problems are bone- or joint-based, you might have to get accommodated to carry him partly. This at least doesn't resemble anything bad for the dog, many actually like being carried, but it's physically stressing for you.

I wish he would let me carry him, but he freaks out whenever I try to lift him in any way. I will try building something on the back of the tractors hitch so that he can feel comfortable, but he is always skeptical of things he is not used to..

BPH (at least from what I know) shouldn't cause specific bone- or nerve-related walking issues with the described "pain-yips". But inflammations of walking-related body parts could, as such the antibiotics might at least prove (or not) that there is a bacteria-related infection / inflammation active.

I don't think the BPH is causing all of these problems, but I do think that age is finally setting in. I will do my best to make sure he is comfortable, and happy, as the rest of his time goes by. I do believe I will get to spend many nights watching movies with him still, even if our ''walks'' aren't as long as they used to be. I will continue to do everything I can for him, and thank you again for the kind words of concern.

 

[KnotSock]

As of now there have been no xrays. We are due back in 2 weeks to see where he stands as far as infection/BPH goes. Until then I will try to keep physical activity to a minimum. To be fair, all boys (including myself) have been limping a little since the hike. It is quite a journey to the river. Red and I used to take it all the time before the others came along, but we spent quite a bit of time down there splashing around today. (Far more than we usually did)

 

[19cowboy62]

So, Little Red has been limping for a few months. It wasn't so bad at first, but it seems to be progressing kind of quickly. I've taken him to the vet twice since I noticed, which was pretty much right away, but he gets so focused/excited to go for rides that he seems to stop reacting to the pain by the time we get there. He is getting older, which is why I started to share so many of our videos, (I am getting older too) but I really didn't think he was old enough to be exhibiting these types of age related issues. I actually don't know how old he is, because I got him third-fourth hand, and he was abused/starved pretty badly. I think he was about 2.5 years old when I got him, which would only put him at about 8-9 at at the oldest. I'm starting to wonder if his past treatment, neglect, and starvation from a young age isn't the cause of his limping. It seems to be most obvious in his front lets, but he is starting to struggle getting up more and more every day. He also has scars on his legs, either from chains, or having potentially been a bait dog at one point, which may also be a key factor. The other thing is that he really has only recently started to go grey in the face, so I don't believe he is old enough to be having these types of problems simply due to aging, especially since he is a medium sized pitbull. I am taking him to the vet again tomorrow, but I would really like input from anyone who has ever faced these kinds of issues with their partner Pitties. It's getting really hard to watch him on our walks, because he used to love to run, but is now very reserved about moving quickly. Whether it's aging, infection, or bad nutrition as a puppy, I will be here for him until the end, but if there is anything I can do to make it better for him now, I will.

Ok? He's 8 or 9? Need alot more info. My daughter is a vet. I'm very educated. Don't think it's a older abuse thing. Probably more just age. Sadly pits are in middle of age so that age is like 60s to people. Many remedies out there not vet drugs.

 

[Strayward]

FWIW, Finasteride was well tolerated in the few dogs I've heard were taking it but I have no first hand experience with it. @alabaisdrool had a link to @RTR's experience. BPH returns if the medication is discontinued.
If you opt for surgery but are worried for his heart, you can get a heart ultrasound done beforehand to make sure everything's working as it should and figure out if there are any increased risks for anesthesia.
If he's got prostate infection, it's unlikely to get resolved without addressing the BPH. Hope they look into his limping at his follow-up visit. Good luck

 

[KnotSock]

Red had a lot of issues come on rapidly, so I had to get his testicles completely removed. There was a mass that was becoming visible, and the standard neutering procedure didn't work as planned. It all happened very quickly, but they ran as many tests as possible for his heart. I'm not sure if it was related to the joint pain/limping in any way, but he is on pain meds now. He has perked up quite a bit! I'm just glad he is feeling better.

 

[someotherdude2]

How's he doing?