Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Bird Dogs => Topic started by: BurleyDog on December 29, 2011, 07:03:05 PM

Title: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: BurleyDog on December 29, 2011, 07:03:05 PM: Mods please feel free to move to another section if this is the wrong one I appologize.

My best friend Burley, a 9 year old male yellow lab, had a hard time today.
We were quail hunting about 2 miles from the truck and all the sudden his back legs just gave out on him.
He couldn't walk or stand.

He had plenty of water so it wasn't dehydration.

We sat down and rested for about 30 minutes and then he gingerly walked back to the truck.
When he got in site of the truck his legs gave out on him again, he was falling over.

Anyone have any advice or encouragement? I am taking him to the vet in the morning.
Just wondering if anyone has been through this type of thing before.

Hopefully its just arthritis but I am quite honestly sad and afraid I'll have to retire him from any
strenuous upland hunting.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: sakoshooter on December 29, 2011, 07:08:49 PM: Sounds like his hips but I'd recommend taking him to a vet.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: bobcat on December 29, 2011, 07:09:27 PM: How is he doing now? Was that just a temporary condition? The only thing I can think of is could he have just run out of energy? Did he do better once he got some food? Did he eat before the hunt?

My German Shorthair ran himself so hard one time, or actually I think it happened a couple of times, that he got disoriented and was walking in circles. I had to go back and find him and then carried him for a while. Finally got tired of that and gave him half of a Payday candy bar that I had. He ate it right up and within a few minutes was back to normal, and hunting again.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: Fowlweather25 on December 29, 2011, 07:18:16 PM: Probably a combination of arthritis and possibly hip displacia. Hip displacia is pretty common in a lot of large breed dogs. Labs and German shepards especially. My female lab started having troubles around 8 or 9 and we had to slow her down. It cane down to her ridin in the pickup while grouse hunting and getting to make retrieves then being lifted back on the truck. Probably start takin it easy on him as 9 is starting to get up there in age. I would recommend glucosamine and chondroitin supplements and maybe some bufferin for the pain. :twocents: good luck :tup:
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: t6 on December 29, 2011, 07:23:28 PM: Sister has a Springer that was beginning to slow down considerably. She started to feed him canned salmon. Since its cooked and de-boned, it wont poison them. Damn thing acts just like a puppy again... you cant slow him down.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: low97ram on December 29, 2011, 07:24:28 PM: Quote from: Fowlweather25 on December 29, 2011, 07:18:16 PM
Probably a combination of arthritis and possibly hip displacia. Hip displacia is pretty common in a lot of large breed dogs. Labs and German shepards especially. My female lab started having troubles around 8 or 9 and we had to slow her down. It cane down to her ridin in the pickup while grouse hunting and getting to make retrieves then being lifted back on the truck. Probably start takin it easy on him as 9 is starting to get up there in age. I would recommend glucosamine and chondroitin supplements and maybe some bufferin for the pain. :twocents: good luck :tup:

:yeah: my 4 yr old lab was just diagnosed with hip dysplasia. they got her on pain meds and anti inflamatory meds. although her legs didn't give out, she def went down whimpering when my other lab ran into her. i think that aggrevated the hip dysplasia that she probably already had. i'd get your dog to vet like you said and see what they say. FYI...over $300 for my dog's xrays...just be ready for that.

pete
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: BurleyDog on December 29, 2011, 07:25:57 PM: He's still having a hard time. He's acting like its hard for him to stand up on his back legs.
I am pretty sure its not an injury because he hunts pretty slow now a days.

When we got home he got in his bed, my wife brought him his feed (to his bed) and he still isn't any better after eating.

Its like all the sudden he's an old dog. Man it kills me.

I'll report what the vet says.

Thanks
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: Fowlweather25 on December 29, 2011, 07:30:38 PM: You bet! That's exactly what my female did. Same exact thing. It was a few days before she was movin right again. She was stoves up for a while. Small chance it could be a pulled muscle too. But usually they will limp with that. Not collapse.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: HighCountryHunter88 on December 29, 2011, 07:39:46 PM: take him to the vet my roomates lab has it happen often she is about 5, he took it to the vet and they said it was some disorder that is genetic and is spread through poor breeding (not saying your dog has poor breeding its just how they said its spread) she will run aways and then her back legs go limp, hes had to carry her a few times.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: Stomper on December 30, 2011, 09:21:39 AM: I just lost my lab to this in September.He started to have a hard time getting up after lying down for long periods of time.He finally couldn't get up at all,he was paralyzed from the middle of his spine back.I took him to the vet,the vet said large breed dogs have degeneration of the spine due to the weight of their bodies.The spine collapses,and crushes the nerves leaving them paralyzed.My lab was eight years old when I had to put him down,it was the saddest day in my life thus far. :sry: :ACRY:
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: Happy Gilmore on December 30, 2011, 10:20:18 AM: don't rule out tick borne disease either depending upon where you hunt.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: BurleyDog on December 30, 2011, 07:34:35 PM: Update.

Burley will be OK. I am very thankful that it is just bad arthritis and possibly a strained muscled.

The vet gave him Rimadyl which I can give him prior to a hunt. He'll be out of commission for the
rest of the weekend but thats OK.

We really ask a lot of our hunting buddies. I am glad he'll be OK.

Thanks for your advice! Its sad to see him get older.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: bobcat on December 30, 2011, 07:40:30 PM: My Golden Retriever had hip dysplasia and arthritis pretty bad. I used Rimadyl but mostly only when we were hunting, and it helped her a lot. She was able to hunt a couple more years because of it.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: Birdguy on December 30, 2011, 11:49:13 PM: Glad to hear he will be OK. Might be time to start thinking about a pup to run along side him if you are ready for it :chuckle:.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: RadSav on December 31, 2011, 02:07:50 AM: My little Sandy dog used to hunt non-stop until the squaw and I called "Uncle". This year she started breaking down quick and we've only been able to hunt her for less than an hour due to arthritis in the back legs. Man! Is it hard on the heart strings. She still beggs to hunt and loves it when she's out there. But, for two days after we get home she struggles to stand up. We give her Rimadyl and have her on "S3" chews which seems to help and quicken her recovery. Though we know it is only going to get worse from here. I've never felt so inadequate and helpless as a puppy dad.

When the "Hunting With Hank" show was on at night she'd come get on the couch with me as soon as the music would start. It was our special daddies little girl time. I don't know how she knew it wasn't just the same old TV show, but she did. Most people could only dream of having a girl this good. Both as a hunter and a companion. I've been blessed to have had two, Upland Dancer and the little Sandy River dog. So the outlook at getting anything close again is slim to none.

I'd sell my house, my guns and all my bows if it would take away her discomfort so we could do all the things we used to. And that she still wants to do. But, reality is cruel. So I've chosen to spoil her rotten for the rest of the time we have together. Special bed, fresh toys, homemade pheasant jerky, lots of cheese and BBQ sauce (her favorite) and lots and lots of special "Dad Time" after everyone else has gone to bed.

MAN!!! The next few years is going to be tough. I feel for you Burleydog. I'll pray that you handle it better than me. Because I'm just not handling it too good right now. God Bless.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: akirkland on December 31, 2011, 09:41:42 AM: Glad he will be ok. I learned the hard way and this is just advice. When my labs turn 8 i retire them. I pushed my first lab way too far (i think) and i regret it to this day. She has been gone for 5 years now. She had cancer and passed at 9. I just think i pushed her too hard. I hunted her back to back to back, day after day. My labs are our kids and although we hunt them, i will never push them like i did Belle. Your boy is getting up there. I hope he will be around for years to come. With conditions the way they are with him i would slow down a bit and let him recover from hunts. Just my opinion. Obviously you care for him. I just had to share my experience and thoughts. Good luck and give em a bone for me :tup:
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: BurleyDog on December 31, 2011, 10:19:50 AM: I appreciate the advice.

He's my first REAL hunting dog and he's my best friend.

I think I am going to limit him to grouse hunting and waterfowl. Upland is just too tough on an older dog.
Title: Re: Advice please on hurting dog?
Post by: akirkland on December 31, 2011, 04:09:33 PM: Good choice and very respectable :tup: I have a 7 year old black lab (female) and a 3 year old chocolate (male). To be completely truthful i only hunt birds because i have labs. Since i wont live a day of my life without a lab, i suppose i will alawys hunt birds. They bring me so much joy and they are so fun! We hunt pheasant, duck and goose. We dont hunt hardcore but we make stuff happen. As much as they like to hunt they like to swim, go on walks (thats what we call grouse hunting) or just ride in the truck. I tie Drake in the back but sometimes i say hell with it and let him ride up front. It doeasnt matter if its huntin or playing catch. As long as they are with their dad they dont care what they are doing. Enjoy the time you have with your boy, he does for sure :)