I have a full bred but backyard bred 9 year old Chihuahua who is overweight and is on her second bought of Prednisone.
Daisy I think is a dwarf of some type but her vets disagree. I met her parents and a full brother but from the next litter. All 3 are about 5 inches longer, 2 inches taller and none have been as chunky looking as she has been her whole life.
Which might have nothing to do with now. 6 months ago she presented with a limp, pain and OMG she can scream really loud when she hurts. The vet office got to experience that when I held her, when I put her on the table and when they went to XRay her. This from a dog they had seen since she was 4 (when that office took over the cats/dogs from the farm office= from 5 miles to 35 miles away and a bump in the office visit price… but I love my pets and hubby loves me.)
Prednisone was prescribed and she got better. But then a month later same symptoms. Prednisone again prescribed (twice a day 2X for 3 days, 3 days of 1 pill, then every other day 1 pill) and today was the day of no pill and she’s holding her right front paw/ leg up and panting hard.
I guess a good thing that she goes in on Thurs. 10/11/18 (tomorrow morning) but… any ideas or suggestions for treatment that makes sense for me to pass on to the vet?
They need to put her on a long term pain med. If you haven’t already put her on a diet. I have a fatty too. She’s a beagle who likes to eat and doesn’t like excercise. We are trying though. So far, no joint pain.
Is your vet saying she has arthritis?
Bout not bought… but we did by buy her. Paid good money and then speutered her. Bought her at 5 weeks because she was biting her siblings and her parents. My Shar Pei/Lab Heartdog taught her manners. Daisy was only the size of Zelda’s head. She has been great with most other pets other than telling them off the bat she is an Alpha Bitch (alpha or bitch… they respect her… even the huge 24 pound indoor/outdoor Brown Tabby fixed male.)
Baby girl is panting right now… I want to give her another Prednisone. It’s only 73F in the house
I feed my dogs twice a day and weigh their food on an electronic kitchen scale. They’re big dogs, but I adjust their food 10 grams at a meal up or down to keep them at just the right weight. I start by reducing 10 gm, then after a week or two, 10 more, etc. The scale keeps me honest, since it’s easy to start creeping the amount up little by little.
You don’t give us enough to go on really. She’s limping? Is it her fore or back legs? Is it her paws or her middle joints? When did it start - was she in the middle of doing anything? Do you think it’s a muscle thing or a bone thing? Or a joint thing?
Chihuahuas and other small dogs are known to be prone to a condition called patellar luxation, where their kneecap tendons become weak and the kneecaps slide around. (I’ve had it myself and it’s miserable.)
Knee injuries including cruciate ligament tears are also a possibility in dogs, especially if she was romping around when it happened.
Plus, chihuahua bones are so fragile. Might she have broken something by jumping?
Also - is it maybe a back thing? (and yes - weight management is so important for a dog.)
Anyway, best wishes to her. There’s lots to discuss with the vet.
I second StGermain re: weight management. If a front leg is being held up, cervical intervertebral disc disease is likely and weight is an issue. Feed 50% of her normal ration until she is lean. If you give a treat, make it low calorie (carrot pieces, rice cake pieces).
Also, maybe ask your vet for a referral to an orthopedic specialist? Corticosteroids might help your dog, but their continued use is not a good idea. Prednisone promotes weight gain. Dogs with disc problems do just as well, long term, on a none steroidal anti inflammatory.
