Seamus is hurt ... long post *UPDATE - home from follow up visit *

[L.M.]

Hi all.  Though I've been checking in every so often, I haven't posted in a while.  Baby plus dogs, work, and grad school has been time consuming, but things have been going great.  My son turned one in April and while this year has been a whirlwind, Seamus, Stella, and Patrick (my son) have become the best of friends.  

Unfortunately, we've had a really bad week.  Seamus had begun limping last weekend.  I came home one day after work and he didn't come to greet me (not AT ALL like him.)  He was acting strange all day and limping a bit, but nothing I couldn't explain with maybe playing too rough with Stella the day before.  Well, he behaved like this on and off all week, but not constantly.  Last night, Seamus and Stella were outside.  Seamus came trotting over to my husband and all of a sudden began yelping in pain.  He was crying and holding up his front leg...putting no weight on it whatsoever.  *Little side note- this happened a few months ago....same leg, same symptoms...took him to our regular vet who said it was simply a sprain, did no X rays, gave us some pain pills and that was that.  I should have trusted my better instincts and paid more attention to the fact that he never COMPLETELY healed and still walked a bit with a very slight limp.  

Well, last night my husband took Seamus to a wonderful veterinary hospital in Red Bank.  For those of you from NJ, I'm guessing you've heard of it?  Everyone tells me it's the best of the best and so far they seem to be wonderful.  They were there from 7:30pm to 11:00, checking his vitals, doing x rays, and all that.  Turns out he either has a fracture in his shoulder or it's dislocated.  They gave him morphine so when he came home he was in an awful state....panting, completely dazed, and just about passed out.  He woke up at 3am crying, so I brought his water bowl to him and he took a huge drink...that seemed to be what he wanted.  He stayed in our dining room all day today...he likes the carpet under the table, and this is where he's been since 6:00 this morning.  Ate a little, has been drinking, but won't walk and cries a little now and then.  It's terrible.  When he does walk, his front left leg is up and his back leg on the same side shakes because all his weight is there.  

We have an appointment back at Red Bank Vet on Saturday with a surgeon who will do more x rays and examine hi to determine the next step.  Does anyone have any experience with either a fracture or dislocated shoulder?  We will undoubtedly get this treated, but any ideas how much it will cost?  Will the surgery even work?  Can this happen again after surgery?  (Of course I'll ask the vet all this, but I just wanted to reach out to those of you who maybe have experienced it firsthand.)  Are there other questions I should ask the surgeon?  As always, thank you so much for your help.  

UPDATE:  Well, we just got home from the vet.  We met with a wonderful surgeon...everyone there is so friendly.  EXCEPT for another little dog patient who snapped at Seamus and bit him in the nose while we were in the waiting room...lol what a way to start...the little thing actually drew blood!   Anyway, so far, all we really know is that it is not a fracture or dislocation.  It seems to be something systemic...an infection of some sort.  They drew fluid from Seamus' shoulder joint and immediately knew that something was wrong...the fluid itself was abnormal, had blood in it, there was a lot of fluid itself, and whatever else would lead the doctors to believe something was off... But of course we don't know exactly what is wrong with it because they will be sending it out for testing.  She said any number of things.....lyme is being considered, bacterial infections, and she said the dreaded word (cancer), but I'm trying to stay positive.  We will know probably mid week.  For now, we still have his pain meds and she prescribed antibiotics for him to start immediately in case it is, in fact, an infection.  Any other ideas you all may have in terms of what else could cause fluid in his joint?  Please keep sending positive thoughts our way.  

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

I've got no answers for you, just wanted to say how sorry I'm. Hope Seamus will be okay. Please keep us posted after the appointment. This must be really hard on you so please get some rest as well.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Poor guy.  You are doing the right thing.  Hope it works for him.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I'm so sorry, I hope you get it figured out and Seamus feels better.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Lindsay, I am so sorry poor  little Seamus is hurting. I really have no experience with this so I did a little research and there are options, some surgical some not but the outcomes sound positive either way. Please let us know how it goes, we'll be thinking of you and hoping for the best. 

[DJ & Chance]

Oh, my thoughts are with Seamus and his wonderful human family.  Wish I had helpful info--so sorry.

[Kyoko]

Oooh, I am so sorry to hear about this. It is always so sad to see them hurt since they cannot tell us nor explain to us to what happened or where is hurting.... I hope he feels better soon...

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

So sorry to hear about Seamus and I hope he gets better soon.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Red Bank Animal Hospital is supposed to be very good. But it seems like a long wait to see the surgeon for a fracture or dislocation which must be excruciatingly painful.Isn't this worthy of emergency intervention? Did they not splint or immobilize the leg at all. Poor Seamus. I am so sorry to hear this. Of course a fracture could recur but yes, I do think dislocated joints are more likely to dislocate again. My mother had a shoulder that dislocated at least twice : ( 

[L.M.]

I thought the same thing about the emergency intervention.  Seamus was seen by a general doctor and of course the x ray tech.  The doctor said that the x rays were not clear enough to determine a fracture or dislocation and by that point the x ray tech had already left for the night so they couldn't do them again immediately.  They did not splint it or anything...just ordered strict bed rest with pain meds.  I"m hoping that on Saturday when he meets with the surgeon, if the x rays show anything, they will immediately take him into surgery.  I can't stand seeing him this way and the thought that he could have possibly had this for months since our last vet visit drives me crazy   :(  

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Hopefully you didn't have to pay for the "non clear" x-rays!  Obviously this place has a good reputation, but it doesn't sound like you got your service from the A-team!  Hopefully Saturday's team serves you better.  I'm not sure we have had anyone here with a broken or dislocated anything ... hopefully they can fix him right up and he will be feeling better real soon.  Keep us posted.

[Adrienne]

I hope that Seamus feels better soon.  I am so glad that you sought a second opinion.

[a.k.a. Rodney]

Lived in Holmdel, know of whom you speak..great reputation....good luck to you all...hope no surgery is needed
Side bar...when we are in fl. Our vet there is also from Holmdel!! Small world!! Where exactly are you?