Don't Ask Don't Tell, or Maybe I should follow my own advice.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am an advocate of wait and watch regarding many health issues. I once even wrote about it:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/are-vets-necessary

I noticed sometime, I don't really know when, that Calla's hind legs tended to "toe in" a bit. That is they veered toward her midline, especially the right leg. She had absolutely no complaints and she ran and played as ever. So I decided I'd ask the vet at her next visit, which was about 3 weeks ago. No vet had ever complained about Calla's gait or noticed anything. Maybe I shouldn't have asked or told : )

The vet called her walk slightly "wonky", which I took to be an non vet term: ) Calla yelped when the vet did something to her leg but I've noticed both my dogs don't like to have their legs moved in certain ways. The vet said it could be hip dysplasia which made me very upset. She recommended x-rays.

I made the appointment but debated with myself about it. I asked what would we do if she did have HD? Glucosamine chondroitin, in which I have little faith, and weight loss. Calla could still lose a few pounds but she has lost 2-3 and she is far from obese. And she would have to be sedated. I started reading. I decided I wanted to know and I took her in Tuesday for the xrays.

The vet said Calla's hips were good but she thought Calla might have a partial ACL tear on the right. She recommended resting her--a month of only leash walking. She also wanted her on 2 weeks of anti-inflammatories, namely Rimadyl. She gave me the name of an orthopedic consult if I wanted to see someone. She said he was excellent and honest.

I tried the leash walking and realized it would be a long month. Calla kept walking me to the gates in our yard because she figured a leash meant a walk to somewhere else : ) And Calla loves to go out, a lot. I realized it was pretty crazy to go from at least months of noticing something and letting her run etc. to this rest her business. I also searched my computer and realized we discard most rear end pictures of our dogs. But I found a couple from 2010 in which Calla legs  looked pretty much the same as they do now.

I did not start the Rimadyl. I had asked the vet about labs having some reactions to Rimadyl and she said that there are lots of things on the internet and not to rely upon it.  Ha, I wonder what she'd say about DK. She said that Rimadyl is very safe.

I decided once again I needed to know. I called on Wednesday and was shocked the orthopedic consultant could see us today. He examined Calla's xrays, and her. He had me walk Calla up and down a long hallway. At one point when the doctor was listening to Calla's heart, Luca started  licking the doctor's ear, which he found amusing. He was a terrific guy. In the end he decided Calla is fine. Her joints are stable and not swollen. He said it was just her conformation and nothing to worry about it, which was the conclusion I had started to reach myself but I didn't trust my own judgment : ( So we came home and Calla jumped and played. I love my girl with the wonky walk. In the end it was much ado about nothing but I have peace of mind. Hopefully we will live happily ever after.

Calla's opinion:

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks.

[Carol and Banjo]

I'm so happy lovely Calla has just a "wonky" walk.   F, she is simply beautiful!  Wishing you three a Happily Ever After!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks.

[Pat and Traveler]

So glad the pretty girl with the wonky walk is okay!  You do have that picture I love--Calla and Luca dragging their leashes and walking ahead of you...

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks. Funny, that was one of the pictures I took to the orthopedic surgeon but it's hard to see. And that was from January this year.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

peace of mind is priceless. I think we all worry about our dogs for small reasons, but sometimes they can turn out to be big problems. Glad Calla is ok

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks.

[Leigh & Allie]

Calla's picture is so cute :) now you can sleep well at least.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Calla is such a pretty girl. I am so glad it all turned out to be nothing (except expensive!). So happy you have peace of mind and are not worrying yourself over hip dysplasia or torn ACL.

Rimadyl was not a good drug for our old Golden Retriever. He had arthritis, and we had him on it for awhile. He was lethargic and seemed depressed. (I know that is reading human emotions into his behavior.) We took him off of it, and he became his happy self again, much happier with the arthritis than with the Rimadyl.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks. Interesting about the Rimadyl.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Calla is so so so pretty! I'm so happy she is fine. I totally understand that feeling of knowing you are going down this expensive path for no reason whatsoever but can't help yourself anyway. It is nice to have peace of mind. :)