My Minn-Pinn got hurt. Were not sure what attacked him. He had a big scratch and one puncture wound on his ankle.

The vet said it was from a fight. But I really don't buy that. Our best guess is he climbed up on the deck and misjudged his step and fell onto the old set step runners.

Anyway. After X-Rays and $76 the vet said "He'll heal on his own".

WEll its been 3 weeks and he still won't use his leg.

ANY SUGGESTIONS?

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 18, 2001

Answers

Ok this is going to sound funny but it works...rule out infection{no heat in it} and since you got x-rays nothing broken right? Next wrap the good leg,baby him and make him think his good leg is hurt,he will use the "bad" one and realize it does not hurt. Ok you may think i am a nut but my vet told me about this when my dog did the same thing,once she used the hurt leg for a day we took off the wrap and she was fine.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), April 18, 2001.

rennees technique works. We have used this to force exercise also. As she said only use this technique when it is known no damage other than strain exists.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 18, 2001.

When a dog injures a leg, even after it heals, he has it in his mind that is going to hurt if he uses it, so he doesn't. Sometimes you just have to force them to see that it's okay. Several years ago, I had a German Shepard that got run over by a car. It broke her pelvis and dislocated her hip. After a couple of surgeries and a lot of pain, she decided that her right let would never work again. No amount of exercise would make her put that leg back on the ground. I finally ended up taking an old pair of panty hose and tying her good leg up where she couldn't use it. Nearly killed us both, as she screamed bloody murder the whole time I was doing it. Ten minutes later she was hobbling on three legs again - only this time using her injured leg. I let the good leg down after twenty minutes and she's been on all fours ever since. Good luck!

-- Julie (rjbk@together.net), April 18, 2001.

Julie might be right. You might try just being patient for a while because they sometimes just are afraid to use it. Long ago I had a dog ( bad leg) that was completely healed but was to worried to use it for months!... Good luck...Kirk

-- Kirk Davis (Kirkay@yaoo.com), April 19, 2001.

I'll try that. Thanks Renee.

How long should I give him to recover?

Hes still taking antibiotics. The leg quarter is still a little swollen. I can massage it and pull it to normal position and he doen't cry. But as far as him droping the leg. Not a chance. *Well not till I tie his other leg up.

The vet won't even return our calls. Were not on his A list. My wife says the !@#$%^&* is in it only for the $$$$$$.

Guess I'm stuck in the past when a vet really liked animals and got upset when one was hurt. (Ouch My age is showing...lol)

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 19, 2001.

Kenneth, I have used the same method of 'fooling' our dogs! It works but be careful-- we had a stray that came up with a hurt leg. took him to the vet and after about three months he was still hopping. We wrapped the other leg and he walked just fine BUT for 14 years everytime we went some where and came home the rascal would pick up one of his legs and begin hopping!!!!!As soon as we petted him he was fine!!!!they know suckers when they see 'em!)Good luck!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), April 19, 2001.

Ken, don't rule out a medical problem just yet. My AmStaff was bit on his ankle 2 months ago. His ankle is very swollen and he had a good amount of tissue damage. Even with antibiotics (amoxicilllin and then clavamox)and warm compress hes still is swollen and limping. I radiographed the leg a few weeks ago to rule out bone damage, put him on clindamycin and carprofen as anti inflammatory. AmStaffs are tough dogs so I know its still painful. Try the warm compress and a change of anti biotics. Carprofen or etodolac for pain or maybe 1/2 a baby aspirin (if hes a real small min pin).Could be he did get bitten by something! Dianne

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), April 19, 2001.

The vet could be wrong, you know. I'm an RN, retired now. Several years ago when I was charge nurse at a nursing home, one of our ladies fell. We sent her to the local hospital for x-rays (suspected fractured hip) she came back with the report--no fractures. She still complained of pain and wouldn't/could't walk. She was well- known to like sympathy and liked to be babied, but I just knew she wasn't putting on all that much. After several days when the doctor finally came to see her, he ordered repeat X-rays--which showed a fracture that had been missed in the first set of films.

-- ruth in s.e.Illinois (bobtravous@email.com), April 20, 2001.

My Siberian Husky ran over the top of my Min-Pin and she got hurt. The vet wasn't sure but it looked as if one of the tendons had been torn or ripped from the joint. Because he wasn't sure he immobilized it anyway in a splint for three weeks. The only indication I had was she wouldn't use it. EVERYBODY OUT THERE!!!... Do yourself a favor and buy a few veterinary handbooks for all the animals on your place... Not only does it keep vet expenses down, but you can give symptoms over the phone to your vet which will speed things up, and smooth things down at the same time... I do a lot of the small things myself. But I know what is beyond my abilities!! LiveLoveLeaveNoLies.. Donna P.

-- Donna M. Davis-Prusik (Seven9erkilo@knoxcomm.net), April 20, 2001.

Hi, was wondering how your dog is doing now. Any better? Julie

-- Julie (dabanks@harbornet.net), April 21, 2001.

He's getting some better. At least he tried to use the leg today. He seems afraid to use it. I'll give him a little more time then I'll try the tieing up the good leg.

Thanks all that helped.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 23, 2001.

where is james herriot when you need him. i don't know how to help your dog, but thought this might give you a laugh. last weekend we had friends over for dinner. my toy poodle is usually all over them and this time she stayed on her pillow in the sunroom, not moving. my daughter brought her over to me and asked about her but because we had guests i didn't pay much attention. the next day my husband got up to let the dogs out and brought her into me and said what is wrong with her...she is just shaking and won't move. so i checked her over and beyond a tight belly couldn't find anything wrong with her. she came back downstairs and sat on her pillow all day. mid afternoon i went to check on her, picked her up and she screamed bloody murder. i called the vet who referred me to an emergency animal clinic 1 1/2 hours a way. i raced down to the clinic. they took 4 xrays. didn't see anything really bad except for a big black spot in her intestines. they suggested we leave her overnight, let them put an iv into her and give her meds for the pain. so i did (to the tune of $315.00) the next day we had to be there before 8 am to pick her up and transfer her to our vet because this is an afterhours clinic. so i was there and after paying another $15 for another shot i took her to my vet who did more xrays and iv's. after spending $400 on this dog we found out she had GAS!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH@!

(not much help i know but funny)

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), April 24, 2001.

OUCH Mary, I can feel your pain. Yep it did cause a smile to form.

Thanks Mary

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 25, 2001.