Sheba may have Hip Dysplasia : (

[Ann Kendig]

Yesterday I took Sheba to the vet because she was limping on her right front leg.  (She has done this before but vet didn't find anything torn or broken).  She plays pretty hard and she's the kind of dog that doesn't stop, always has to be busy.  

Recently I noticed some slight changes in her walking and trying to stand up from a sitting or lying down position. It didn't happen all the time, just when she had played hard.  I thought maybe it had more to do with her activity level and how hard she would play and that it was probably was due to sore muscles.

I did some reading on hip dysplasia on the internet and became more concerned.  I also checked into Lyme's Disease as I have found a couple of ticks on Sheba, but that was last year.  The vet said that when Sheba got her yearly heartworm test they test for Lymes and she was negative so her mobility issues were probably not due to Lymes.  

Vet put Sheba on Previcox (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) for 7 days to see if that helps her.  If her limping on her front leg gets worse I need to take her back in.  The plan is to get her hips and back x-rayed soon along with her front leg if the problem persists.

It would just break my heart if my sweet, beautiful, athletic, happy-go-lucky girl has hip dysplasia.

 

I know there are other members here that have dogs with this condition.  Anything you could share would be helpful.  I'll keep you all informed. 

 

 

[Barb, Murphy, Emmet, & Hudson]

 We will keep Miss Sheba in our prayers!! Keep me posted......

[Ann Kendig]

Thank you Barb, I'll let you know.  Hug the boys for us!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

We have no experience here but we are sending Sheba love, hugs and prayers!!!

[Yvonne N]

Such a kissable face.  LOVE ~ ASTRO

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Our last Lab - Bogart - had hip dysplasia - I'll have to ask dh (Bo was mostly his dog) but I think it started to rear up about the time Bo was 7 or so.  We started to give him human glucosamine - I think it was Conjointon - per our vets advise.  This helped with the symptoms and he lived to a ripe old age.  In those last few years he would get severe stiffness if he over did it - mostly at our cabin where he still though he was a pup and would run and run, then he would get a little perscription pain meds.  I hope that your vet can clarify for you if Sheba has it or not, we are crossing our paws that she doesn't but if she should - at least for us - it was something that was easy to manage and was not a life style change until those last few years.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Our Lab and my daughter's Lab also had hip dysplasia.  My guy was around 8 or 9 when it was first diagnosed...my daughter's Lab was a year or two older than that.  I don't remember exactly what the meds were (that was quite a few years ago, and I barely remember yesterday), but I do know they helped a lot.  It slowed him down a little, but not that much.  I do remember that he tended to be overweight and we had to be very careful about that after the diagnosis.  We needed to keep him pretty lean.  Anyway he lived a very happy active life for years after the diagnosis (same with my daughter's Lab). As I recall our Lab lived to be 13!  So, I'm praying that isn't what it is, but I really do believe it can be controlled through meds for most dogs.  I love this picture of Sheba....sweetest eyes ever!  Keep us posted, and know you have TONS of support here.

[Pam & Trixie]

Awe Sheba, What a Sweet girl you are.

 

I hope the anti-inflammatorys help & that she ends up not having HD

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Oh, I do so hope that Sheba hasn't any hip problems.  She is gorgeous.  But maybe there is hope, since its her front leg shes favoring?  I sure hope it's something else.  What is her coloring called?  It is just smashing!

[Ann Kendig]

The limping on her front leg is unrelated to what is happening in her hind end.  I guess I should have been a little more clear in my post.  : )  She has been having the symptoms with her hind end before the front leg was even hurt.  I'm not sure what her coat color is called.  People have said sable, brindle, merle...I have no idea but I wish I knew.  Her mother is a beautifully colored poodle.  I've wondered if I shaved Sheba down to the skin (not planning on doing this) if she would look like her mother.  Thank you for the nice compliments, DeeDee.  : )

[Adina P]

If you did shave Sheba, you would see the brindle if she's brindle.  It would be a distinct pattern that is tough to see on long haired dogs.  But I think my guess is a brindle sable =)  I think she's both!

[Ann Kendig]

Thanks Adina.  You have probably seen this photo of Sheba's mother.  I wonder if this is what Sheba might look like.  Pepper looks possibly brindle??

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sheba has a gorgeous and very distinct diagonal stripe pattern on one of her rear thighs; It looks more merle than brindle to me.