Pupdate for Gibbs

[urge to herd]

Gibbs had severe back pain 2 weeks ago. Took him to the E-vet, she diagnosed 'suspected' bulging disc in his mid-spine.

 

10 days of no jumping/running, etc, very restricted activity and pain meds and he's back to himself. Saw my regular vet Monday and he got the okay to go on leash walks, gradually building up to off-leash walks.

 

So he's a much happier doggy right now. I'm not going to play fetch w/him anymore - he seems to be prone to getting injuries of one kind or another with that. And at thisclose to 9 yrs old, he might be due for a slow-down in any case.

 

Thanks for your help and support at the onset! Am thinking about chiro or laser treatments, as soon as we get the current vet bills paid off.

 

Ruth and Gibbs

[Sue R]

Glad to hear it's nothing worse than this.

 

My dogs love fetch, too, and I have been faced with the realization that one of these days, the two old dogs will not be able to do that any more. We found out two winters ago that playing fetch in the snow, a favorite winter game with the flying squirrel, was not compatible with Celt and Megan's age and stage of life. I think it's harder for us to give it up than for them because we worry over it.

 

When my Celt and Megan have had a laser treatment, they leave the rehab therapist appointment like younger, newer, fresh out of the package dogs. I regret that Celt can't have laser any more since he had cancer...

[alligande]

Glad Gibbs is making progress, we have had to give up frisbee because of Rievaulxs hip, he can still play a little fetch but I keep it down and only let play as an occasional treat.

[mickif]

I have a dog with spondylosis that was/is ball crazed and loved to play fetch. Now, instead, I put him in a down and throw the ball and just as the ball stops rolling I release him to go get it. He does not go after it with the intensity that he did when playing fetch so it is much kinder to his body, but we still get to play ball! This seems to be satisfying for both of us, we still get to play ball and we get to work on impulse control all at the same time .

[mickif]

Oh, and, chiropractic helps him tremendously, at least until he does something stupid since he has no respect for his body at all

[gcv-border]

Glad to hear Gibbs is much better.

 

My dog was injured as a youngster and fetch was off the table for a while. The rehab vet did give me some advice about how to make fetch less risky for dogs. As mickif says, put him in a down and wait to release until the ball has stopped. Uphill throws are kinder to the body than downhill throws. [i live on a hill so this was important in my situation.] If you have a weedy or high grass area, throw the ball into that (and make the dog stay and watch the ball, then release) so they have to slow down to look for it and therefore cannot do the classic 'border collie slide'. And, of course, shorter throws. Or any combination of the above.