Theo has a soft tissue injury

2100 Views 54 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Skylar, 2 mo ago

Skylar

Discussion Starter · 3 mo ago

My trainer in obedience class noticed Theo was walking funny throwing one leg out as he heeled next to me. Then I saw he was sitting funny, like a floppy puppy so we made a vet appointment.

He was sedated for an X-ray which was normal. The vet called it a soft tissue injury and he’s on two weeks of bed rest and Galliprant medication. No running, jumping, stairs etc.

I have no idea when or how he was injured. He never cried, I saw no accident. He was jumping and bouncing around like normal. I assume he wasn’t feeling much pain, or enough pain to avoid jumping on and off couches or rearing up to walk on his hind legs when he wanted.

I have him tethered to me on a 6’ leash. I’m so glad I had him tethered as a puppy for several months because he understands what it means and doesn’t fight it.

However he still wants to be active. It’s driving me nuts trying to stop all his jumping. I have to be quick to get him up or down before he does it himself.

I’m also thankful I can carry him up and down stairs.

What I didn’t expect was how it would change the dynamics with my other minipoo Babykins. I’ve had to stop them playing and they miss it terribly. She’s upset because Theo is often in her spot (tethered and can’t move). The dogs are used to going back and forth between couches and dog beds so they each get special time with Me and that’s disrupted.

We normally have an active schedule, and now we stay home, doing nothing. The only thing we have been able to do is a little Scentwork. But I have to be careful where I set hides so he doesn’t jump up or want to run and bounce while hunting.

We have one more week to go and I can’t wait. It’s exhausting to keep a 2 yo minipoo on bed rest when he doesn’t understand and wants to be active. I hope we all survive this last week.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #3 · 3 mo ago

Here’s a picture showing how funny he’s sitting. We had a rally trial just before we saw the vet and before the vet told us bed rest. I wouldn’t have gone except he was acting completely normal at home.

I also set up his pen hoping he would rest inside and I would get a break from tethering. This is what he did. Oops, back to tethering.

Dog breed Vertebrate Dog Carnivore Pet supply

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #4 · 3 mo ago

Thanks Twyla. I suspect this would be easier if he had bed rest prescribed after surgery or if he seriously felt pain and wanted to avoid it. It is interesting.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #6 · 3 mo ago

twyla said:
Oh Skylar, sometimes even surgery doesn't slow certain dog's down.
Cue fond memories of Bea scaling gates and pens post both of her knee surgeries

Yikes

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #8 · 3 mo ago

Kukla the Tpoo said:
Ugh, keeping a dog on bed rest can be so difficult for both you and the dog. I hope this second week of bed rest goes by quickly for you and Theo!

Thank Kukla I can’t wait for it to be over.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #11 · 3 mo ago

fjm said:
Ouch - crate rest is so important but can be such hard work. Ottosson toys, Kongs to chew and - as you have found - carefully staged scent games worked best for us when Sophy was on three weeks complete rest for her back. By the final days she was trying to run zoomies on a 6' leash...!

I haven’t pulled out the feeding puzzles because I’m afraid Babykins will get jealous, even if Theo has them in his pen. They are like 2 toddlers. It doesn’t matter how many or how evenly distributed the special toys are, they both want what each other has. if I did feeding puzzles I would have to have my husband take Babykins on a walk outside. I have taken out several bully sticks for both dogs. They haven’t had them in a while so that was special

Kongs are part of our evening ritual so that is going well.

Minie said:
Poor Theo. Praying for a speedy recovery

thanks Minie

The worst part is pilling Theo, he’s the worst, I’m using every trick in the book and bacon flavored pill pockets. Chicken, cheese and peanut butter isn’t good enough. I’m feeding him so many pieces of empty pill pocket to slip his pill in that he’s not eating well. Oh well, this will all be over in a week and quickly forgotten. Babykins is enjoying this part because he sees her gobbling down the pill pocket pieces which is encouraging him to eat his “treats”.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #13 · 3 mo ago

twyla said:
I am a firm believer in not hiding pills I just straight up open their mouths and pop them down back of mouth, but there still has been a time or two I have crushed up pills and mixed them in a little meat baby food most recently it was Nellie soooo, I do understand

Twyla I do the same with Theo for smaller pills, put them at the back and hold his mouth while I tickle the throat to swallow. But these pills are too large for that. I might try mixing with baby strained meat. Thanks

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #18 · 3 mo ago

ShamrockPoodle said:
I have had two relatable experiences. When Toula was a baby she had orthopedic issues which ended with surgery after she turned a year. The only way I could cope with two minis that wanted to play was to set up an extremely large expen in the family room with yoga mats and non slip rugs on the floor. Toffee could come in the expen only when I was in there with Toula to supervise the little games I made up. Funny—they still play those games!!! My previous mini poo Teddy Bear often had some tissue injuries from jumping. He was the only poodle and learned to settle down and ask for assistance to get on and off of couch. Hoping Theo heals soon and you can resume your normal schedule!!!

Thank you, I can’t wait for our normal routine. I wish I could let my two play, but the play is too vigorous, definitely not bed rest. I never thought to play quiet calm games with the both of them. Theo is learning to look for me to lift him, but not consistently.

I did have a tpoo who developed a patella problem when she was older and she learned quickly to be lifted up and down. It did make life easier and safer knowing she wouldn’t jump down.

fjm said:
We have a daily pill round for all three dogs - Poppy gets Denamarin and a vitamin B+E pill, Sophy a glucosamine supplement broken into two pieces and Freddy half a B+E - all are wrapped in chicken or a blob of tinned food and Freddy gets an extra taste to keep things fair. It means that medicines are considered treats and greatly anticipated which makes life so much easier when there are drugs they have to take.

Fjm, Theo is hard core awful to pill dog. He goes to a lot of training classes and I’ve had him try so many high value treats that my friends use and he spits them out. Freeze dried stinky salmon, fresh cheese, home cooked chicken Etc. Then he will work the pill pocket off in his mouth and spit the pill out. I’ve tried coating pills with all kinds of tasty foods and they get spit out. I play the random game, several random pieces with no pill followed by a pill and then more with no pill. I also sit Babykins next to him using the pressure that if he doesn’t eat it quickly, she will. But I’m always worried she will eat his pill if he spits it out. I hope I never have to pill Theo daily, small pills I can put in his mouth to swallow, but large ones would be awful.

Thanks PtP and Starla.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #20 · 3 mo ago

Streetcar said:
Oh this is so tough on all of you. A thorough and rapid healing to Theo, Skylar. All the best this next week.

Thanks Streetcar.

Babykins and I are competing in a scentwork trial this weekend. Daddy will be reinforcing bed rest during the day which will give me a nice break.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #22 · 3 mo ago

Rose n Poos said:
I'm sorry to hear of the troubles you're all going thru. Sending wishes that this next week is easier, and that Theo will recover uneventfully, in spite of his efforts to the contrary .

Thanks Rose n poos. It’s really hard on him and he doesn’t understand.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #25 · 3 mo ago

94Magna_Tom said:
Where is the injury? Or is it not specifically determined?
Get well soon Theo! 🙏

Tom, he had an X-ray and that was completely normal, no arthritis or bone issues. With a normal X-ray the vet said it had to be a soft tissue which could be muscle, tendons ligaments etc. Pretty vague. A friend mentioned it could be his lower back and not his leg. The prescription for any of this is bed rest, anti-imflammatory/pain medication. If that doesn’t work then I will have to take him to a specialist.

He’s sitting normal so I’m hoping that indicates he’s feeling well.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #26 · 3 mo ago

Phoebe's person said:
Greenies makes pill pockets for pills and capsules in beef and chicken flavors.

Right now I’m using Costco’s bacon pill pocket. I’ll check out Greenies pill pockets. thanks.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #28 · 3 mo ago

Asta's Mom said:
Hope this next week passes quickly.

Thanks, I can see the end of the tunnel now.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #32 · 3 mo ago

94Magna_Tom said:
Thanks for the details. As a 1st time doggy Dad, I need to educate myself on such matters, just in case. So more like a sprain or strain I guess? Or maybe worse, like a torn ligament? Sometimes (with humans anyway) these types linger for a looong time. Hopefully Theo heals quickly and completely. 🙏

Sorry I didn't get back sooner.

This is my first experience with this and it has made me realize I have to be more vigilant on any changes. Clearly Theo got injured and never made any sound nor did he change his level of activity. But he was indicating the injury by how he walked and how he sat.

Keep an eye on Elroy, watch how he is moving when he does a recall, chases a ball or sits. I plan to make it a habit to pay attention to Theo's movement so if there is a change, I'll notice it. I did notice it when he sat and was sprawling instead of tucking his legs neatly close to his body in the sit stay.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #34 · 3 mo ago

Mfmst said:
Keeping a young dog in restricted activity is SO hard on both owner and dog. Buck’s neuter and then a sprain, put us in that boat where everyday felt like a dog year for both of us. I coat Buck’s pills in braunschweiger and let him lick the spoon afterwards. No fuss.

Tomorrow morning our two weeks of pure torture ends. I have become worn out and cranky and look forward to getting back to normal. I know Theo will be thrilled to get his freedom and bounce back.

I’ve tried braunschweiger, he just licks it off and spits the pill out. Today he figured out how to eat the thick pill pocket and spit the pill out. Quite the game, I kept picking up the pill and stuffing it in another pill pocket. I did this 4 times and 4 times he spit the pill out. But the pill kept shrinking so by the fourth time it was small enough to put in the back of his mouth and tickled his throat to swallow.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #36 · 3 mo ago

94Magna_Tom said:
Elroy doesn't like to take his tick or heartworm medicines, even though they're supposed to be tasty. Sometimes he does, but usually he doesn't. When he doesn't, I open his mouth and put the chew way back in his mouth, on his tongue, then hold his mouth closed and stroke his throat until he swallows it. This works every time, so long as the pill (or chew) is way back in his mouth. If it's put up close to the front, he just holds it until I think he's swallowed it, then when I let go, he spits it out.

Tom I’m doing the same thing.

The size of the heartworm and tick medicine is so large that I have to cut it. The tick pill is cut into 8 pieces and my ability to pill him 8 times like that in a row is so difficult. For Tick pretreatment this year I’m getting the dogs seresto collars from the vet. Both my dogs do not like the flavor.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #38 · 3 mo ago

94Magna_Tom said:
I know. Why are they soooo large! It's only mg's of medicine. If they can't get the flavor irresistible, just give me a small pill. It'd be so much easier.

I asked my vet if she could prescribe the medication in a small pill without the ‘added flavored Ingredients“ and she said there is none. Through research I discovered that the active ingredients, the actual medication is unevenly distributed in the pill so if you miss feeding a piece, that might have been the area with a concentrated dose. IOW you have to be sure to feed the whole pill to be certain you gave the correct dose.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #40 · 3 mo ago

Meisha said:
Fortunately, I've never had trouble with pilling any of my dogs. Wrap in some cheese or hide in cottage cheese and they never notice. On the other hand, I was completely hopeless at getting my cat to take a pill. She would only eat dry kibble so I couldn't hide it. And trying to put it in and make her swallow was a good way to lose a fair amount of blood (mine).

Anyway, yay for Theo's recovery.

Thanks Meisha, it was so nice to let him wrestle bitey face with Babykins this morning then he walked down stairs without a leash. Hooray for Theo and hooray for me.

Babykins is average for pilling. She doesn’t want to take a pill, but I can always find something enticing to wrap it in. Theo eats the wrapper and spits the pill out. He’s always been very fussy about texture. He’s a terrible finicky eater too but I don’t give in with escalating toppers.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #42 · 3 mo ago

Looniesense said:
For pills I use Kraft cheese slices. They’re malleable and it’s easy to wrap some around a pill. I also used small pieces of it as treats so my pup already associated them as good. You may want to try using some as treats so when it comes to pill giving your dog will be more enthusiastic to eat it right away.

Loonie, alas, you have never met my silly boy Theo. Wrapping in cheese works easily with my girl Babykins, but Theo would suck the cheese off and spit out the pill. He’s hard core difficult. And he gets cheese as a treat sometimes so he’s not suspicious of cheese. Plus when pilling I give several pieces with no pill then randomly give him the pill hoping he will eat it not realizing a pill is inside.

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Skylar

Discussion Starter · #45 · 3 mo ago

Mfmst said:
I coat the pill in braunschweiger, hold it in my hand with a spoon lick immediately on the horizon after the pill. Buck quickly takes the coated pill, and then eagerly licks the spoon which has just a whiff or a crumb of the braunschweiger. He always ate the cheese and left the pill. Not comfortable jamming pills down his throat or buying special pill jackets. Something you have in the refrigerator is going to work,

I haven’t tried offering him his covered pill on a spoon. He’s not that crazy about Braunschweiger. I used to use it as a treat in training but he preferred nudges or pupperoni.

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