My golden Portia is 7 months old. Two weeks ago she sustained an injury to her left ankle. When it happened she had a case of the zoomies and zoomed into her kennel. She did not yip or anything so we didn't know anything had happened. Later that day she was limping but not terribly just after she had be laying down. She was exhibiting strange fear behavior (which I posted about on the puppy board) that day and for the next 5 days so her gate was odd due to this weird behavior. On the 5th day she started acting herself and was less afraid, the next day more herself but then noticed her limping. Didn't really see the limping since 5-6 days before. I need to mention the day after the zoomie fear thing happened I took her to the vet because she was acting so strange. The vet checked her out very carefully and even tested her eye sight. Couldn't find anything but thought perhaps she had a UTI because other findings (excess saliva staining on her vulva) but was unable to due a urine test. So the vet sent me home with a collection kit and some Rimadyl to help with 'possible' inflammation caused by a possible UTI. So from day 1-4 I gave Portia the Rimadyl and in the meantime able to get a urine speciman. No UTI so I stopped the Rimadyl the next day noticed the limp. Anyway, when I noticed her limping I felt around to see if I could find a painful spot that is when I found her ankle swollen!! Took her to the vet again. The vet took a look and wanted to do xrays. Well, we simply can't afford the xrays So other vets took a look and felt around. They feel that it may be a tendon/ligament strain. So we were given the recommendation to keep Portia quiet for 4 weeks (then a follow up and possibly extend the keep quiet rule). Give her a small doseage of a sedative, continue Rimadyl and added Tramadol. Since the vet visit I have read A LOT and found a sight that supports this kind of conservative treatment.
My question is have any of you had this happen. Were you able to avoid surgery. Also, if there was swelling how long before the ankle (or whatever joint) wasn't swollen??
BTW the injury occured two weeks ago now. I didn't notice swelling at the beginning, neither did the vet. It was about 5 days later the swelling was found.

A couple things:

1. Ice that area
2. There are foundations that will help you with medical costs. Here is a thread with links:

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...ssistance.html (Donations and Financial Assistance)

I wish you all the best.

__________________

Would icing be a benefit two weeks out from initial injury? Also what are some of your thoughts on using Rimadyl for pain. I've been reading to not use pain meds because it allows the dog to feel their limitations. I've been giving her Rimadyl to help with the swelling. It has anit-inflammatory benefits. BUT I've also read it could harm the kidneys and liver. Conflicted on whether to continue the med or stop.

If your dog is healthy, Rimadyl won't hurt her and it seems that she will need the anti-inflammatory properties of Rimadyl right now.
My Golden is 9 years old and on Rimadyl for arthritis. I am having a geriatric profile done on him every six month. He is fine.
How did you come up with the dog needing surgery?
If the vets seem to think a sprain, then do as they said, rest and pain meds and icing, like dborgers said. Putting an ice-pack wrapped in a thin towel will still help now. Ice several times a day for about 8-10 minutes at a time.
It will take a few days for the swelling to go down, but the dog does need to rest, no long walks, jumping and running right now. For potty breaks, controlled, short leash walks only.
Good luck!

__________________
My boys from left to right:
Thunder Dachsi Toby




http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...is-issues.html

My Toby, my heart dog 3/12/2003 - 3/30/2013, I miss you Toby!


Christa

She may have at min. a sprain or possibly a small tear. I've been reading that for a tear the only option is surgery until I came across a site that talked about other conservative methods of treatment which is rest for 8plus weeks. I just want to hear if others had great success at icing and rest. We can not afford surgery. We couldn't even afford the xrays needed to come up with a firm diagnosis.
I started icing today so hopefully the swelling will go down.

What tear are we talking about? You are saying ankle, do you mean the knee as in cruciate ligament? Or are you talking achilles?

__________________
My boys from left to right:
Thunder Dachsi Toby




http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/...is-issues.html

My Toby, my heart dog 3/12/2003 - 3/30/2013, I miss you Toby!


Christa

If it is the ankle(hock), dogs can get OCD of that joint and it can be coincidental that she seemed to injure herself.

__________________
Janice and The Celebration Gang -
"Samantha, George, Tiki, Emily, Mick and Basil" Gone but not forgotten, Sally(Windjammer's Ima Country Girl CDX CGC), Laney(Mandell Marlenes Celebration UD RA CGC), and Cookie(Starseeker's Kissmas Cookie CDX RE CGC).

OCD is a definite possibility. They can also get HOD. Does she have a fever? Does the joint feel warm?

__________________
Karen, Chance, Lucy and Savanah RB



“Everyone needs a dog to adore him, and a cat to bring him back to reality”

The swelling is at the joint the juts out towards the tail. The small joint above the paw where the achilles is attached. No fever. I don't know the technical name of the joint. Portia stands normally on the paw. Attached is a picture. You can see the difference between the two legs.

Attached Thumbnails

 

A couple of Danes on my other board had this...let me go look up the thread and I'll post it...

__________________
Karen, Chance, Lucy and Savanah RB



“Everyone needs a dog to adore him, and a cat to bring him back to reality”