[Sam I Am]

Hi, I just stumbled across this site. I have a 6 year old (turns 6 on Fri.) st. poodle named Sam. Over the past couple weeks we have noticed him sleeping ALOT. He has always been very laid back and lazy, but lately he just seems to never want to get up. He doesn't follow me from room to room as much as usual and today he started having a really hard time getting up and down. He has quite a few stairs to go down to get out into the yard and he takes them very slowly and gently. He used to race up and down them. Also when we go for a walk, we don't even get around the block once and he is lagging behind. He still wants to go, but he just doesn't get as excited as he usually does. I'm going to call the vet on Mon., but does anyone have any ideas of what might be causing this or something I can do to make him feel better until he sees the vet? The only other symptom he has had that could be related is a few months ago he started limping after playing hard with the neighbors dog. They love to chase each other around the yard and Sam tends to make sharp turns at an all out run. This happened twice. The first time he limped a little but was fine by morning so we didn't think much of it, the second time he limped for 3 days, we figured he must have pulled a muscle. He favored his front leg though and now it seems like he is favoring his back legs or hips. The only things I can think of are Hip displasia(sp?) and arthritis, but would the symptoms of these things come on so quickly?

 

[T o d d]

Do you have air conditioning and is it hot where you live?

I know you said it looks like favoring... but it could be due to heat.

We don't have AC and when it gets 88+ in the house moose is in 'relax' mode on our cold wood floor to cool down. He gets up and moves for ice cubes and water and to go outside and that's about it. He will follow me but not nearly as much as he used too. Luckily it's only that hot here a few times so far and only a couple hours.

 

[Sam I Am]

The weather has been very mild, and when it does get a little warm, the air is on. The house stays under 80 usually around 78. When it's warm he tends to sleep on the hardwood floor, when cooler he sleeps on a rug. Last night our bedroom was pretty chilly and I thought maybe that was bothering him so I covered him with a blanket and he left it on all night. This morning he seems to be getting up and down a little easier but he is still really careful on the stairs.

 

[Jehn]

Aww... Well I hope it's just aches and pains and not hip dysplasia or arthritis... but it is possible. My family dog, a giant schnauzer got arthritis around 7 years old but she did ok and lived a healthy active life until almost 14... Poodles are definitely prone to hip dysplasia so you'll probably want to get that checked out.

Good luck!!

 

[Jako]

Do you have ticks? Dogs can get lyme disease. Some of the main symptoms are joint pain and exhaustion.

 

[Sam I Am]

I didn't think about ticks. I haven't found any on him. Once one gets on would it leave on its own if it wasn't noticed? He was really fluffy there for awhile and I suppose a tick could have gone unnoticed. He certainly doesn't have any now. I took him to the groomer today and apparently there was some miscommunication and they shaved him ALL the way down, top knot, ears, and all. The only thing they left was his tail. I couldn't believe it. I was fuming, but I suppose it's just hair and it will grow back. He looks so pathetic. He sees the vet on Wed.

 

[Jako]

That's too bad about the haircut!

Yes, after a few days of feeding ticks will drop off. And the kind that carries lymes disease, the deer tick, is so small it would be easy not to notice it.
I hope the vet finds out what is wrong!

 

[MarleysMom]

I took him to the groomer today and apparently there was some miscommunication and they shaved him ALL the way down, top knot, ears, and all. The only thing they left was his tail. I couldn't believe it. I was fuming, but I suppose it's just hair and it will grow back. He looks so pathetic. He sees the vet on Wed.

I totally feel your pain about the groomer! I took Marley to the groomer for his first visit since I've adopted him--and he was TOTALLY SHAVED!! He used to look like a little lion (his face all fluffy and sweet...) now he has a 'poodle face' which is still adorable...but I miss his little lion face! Groomers never listen!

 

[Sam I Am]

Just got back from the vet and shows what I know, she doesn't think it his hips or legs at all. She suspects he has a neck injury. She put him on muscle relaxers and he goes back next week to see if there has been any improvement. Last night he was barely getting around and seemed to be favoring both front legs, when we fed him he was really struggling, I put his bowls up on a box and he had no more trouble and ate all his dinner, he had been eating sporadically. It has been about 2 hours since he took the muscle relaxers and he is getting around wonderfully! I don't know what happened to hurt his neck, but hopefully with a little rest he will be back to normal soon. The little rest might be a little hard to enforce, he seems so perky compared to the last week. I thought the pills would make him sleepy. AAAWWWW!!!! He just walked in here with his ball I'm so happy it wasn't something more serious! I have my Sam back!

 

[Jako]

That's great! I'm glad you found out what was wrong, and that he feels better.

 

[Roxy]

Hi, I'm happy also that it wasn't something more serious. I had a Newfoundland that had something similar happen. FYI - it did repeat itself so if it does happen a second time make sure you have the muscle relaxants on hand. We also had our Newfie on a steroid to reduce the inflammation. Best of luck - hope it's a one time fluke thing!!

 

[Sam I Am]

Here is another update on how Sam is doing.
His burst of energy after taking the muscle relaxers didn't last long. He came down with a middle ear infection and that has been treated, but his neck is not getting better. I have never heard him cry out or whine and that is all he is doing now. He can't get up by himself anymore at all. He weighed 82lbs when I took him into the vet, a week later he weighed 80lbs and I'm sure he has lost quite a bit more this week. Now she thinks he either has something more serious going on with his neck (although xrays were clear) like a pinched nerve or he may possibly have bacterial meningitis. He is going to start a different antibiotic and pain killer today and if he still isn't showing any improvement by Monday she has referred him to an animal hospital that will be able to run more tests than she can. I haven't been able to get him to eat much, so today I was looking around the kitchen for something he could have that might get him excited enough to eat, I opened a can of green beans and he gobbled them up. I think I will try to stop at the store today and get him some chicken and rice and make his meals for awhile, at least he will eat.

 

[Roxy]

Hi, I hope all goes well and it is only a pinched nerve. As far as food goes, I just lost my 13 yr old standard a couple of days ago and she did not eat for two weeks. Try some ground lamb or beef cooked up, my Roxy loved lamb. I knew she was sick when she didn't eat that. If all else fails, try some baby food, it has a strong scent. Hopefully chicken will do the trick for you. Keep us posted. Good Luck, Suzanne

 

[Sam I Am]

Roxy,
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Sam has been to the new vet for a second opinon, and still we have no answers. We've been to the vet 5 times and have spent over $900 in the last 20 days and he is still miserable and getting worse. I left him sleeping for about an hour while I ran an errand and when I got home he was lying where I left him howling, I don't think he was really in pain but he couldn't get up and I think he was frustrated. The only other time he howls is when the tornado siren goes off. I don't know what to do. I won't leave him alone anymore, my neighbor will watch him if we need to all go somewhere at the same time. He is now on Deramaxx, just started it today, so hopefully that will make him feel better. He has had his whole body xrayed and has had 3 blood tests, everything is normal. Everything they have thought it might be has been ruled out except some sort of soft tissue injury that we can't pinpoint. He's been on muscle relaxers and 2 different pain meds nothing has even phased it so far. The new vet is suppose to call Fri. to see how he is doing and then I don't know where we go from there if he is still the same. Gotta go get him up now he is whining:-(

 

[Roxy]

Good luck to you, I certainly hope they can find out what is. It is so hard when the vets don't know. Give your baby lots of hugs and kisses. Suznane