Rounded back muscle spasms | The Health of the racing Greyhound

Jennifer
Guest

Rounded back muscle spasms Apr 29, 2020 22:00:00 GMT 10

Post by Jennifer on Apr 29, 2020 22:00:00 GMT 10

Please help.
my 8yr old grey has been limping for a month or two. Visited vet and they X-ray the left hind leg. Saw nothing but a bit of arthritis sent home with rimadyl.

He has now stopped limping and walking very slow and last week decided he wouldn’t go down long stairs. Took him to the vet. They did X-rays of left hind again with hips and neck and chest. Nothing broken, no tumors. They sent home with prednisolone. 2xs a day for 3 days, 1xs a day for 3 days, then 1 every other day and gabapentin for pain 2xs a day as needed.

He would have a good day then another where he would yelp to get up from laying down. He has a lot of issues getting comfortable and now seems to favor his right front leg and when he stands has some muscle spasms in his back. His back is rounded. Took him again back to vet. They think it is a disc issue in the neck and did a laser treatment and sent home with another pain reliever trazodone.

Again another good day then several bad days. We are on the every other day now of prednisolone. he seems to be getting worse. Walking down the 4 steps from the house he Yelp when he got down the last one. He didn’t want to walk far yesterday and all last night he couldn’t get comfortable and was breathing heavy. He had an accident in his bed which has never happened before. His eating has been good but hasn’t been drinking much. Tried to give him another pain killer in the middle of the night but he wouldn’t eat it. It was wrapped in peanut butter he never passes up peanut butter.
I have been massaging his neck and back area daily and especially when a spasm is happening.

I know now it is hard when you can’t physically see the dog but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Tom Meulman
Administrator

Posts: 1,181

Rounded back muscle spasms Apr 30, 2020 5:54:11 GMT 10

Post by Tom Meulman on Apr 30, 2020 5:54:11 GMT 10

Hi Jennifer,

It is heartbreaking to see an animal you love and care for in pain, and then not be able to get any relief or worthwhile help to make it better.

While I would like nothing better than to be able examine the poor boy to try and pin down the cause of the pain, I am concerned that the Prednisolone and the pain killers don’t appear to be improving the situation, and that nothing has shown up in the X-rays. This leaves open the possibility that the pain and posture problems may be caused by an infection or a disease process rather than an injury.

As such the only suggestion I can make is to have a full blood profile done to rule out possible problems with any internal organs or illness.

My best wishes
Tom

Everything that happens to a greyhound can only happen because of an action or inaction by its carer, so don’t blame the greyhound when it all goes wrong.

Jennifer
Guest

Rounded back muscle spasms Apr 30, 2020 10:12:04 GMT 10

Post by Jennifer on Apr 30, 2020 10:12:04 GMT 10

Thanks Tom.

We were at the vet all day. After emailing you the vet called us back. We gave him a 2nd dose of the prednisolone about an hour later he got up and was walking around.
He walked out to the car and got in so we took him back to the vet. They had to carry him into the office. They did a CBC/chem screen. All markers were in the normal range except for 3: RETIC, LYM, EOS-0. Is there a more thorough blood test that would cover more? I was told this would cover the usual suspects.

They referred us to the emergency vet that has an mri thinking that it could be menegitis or a neurological. Again the vet techs had to pick him up to take him but he walked into the emergency room and around by himself. The emergency room vet did a full exam. He wants to go back to the prednisolone 2xs a day and prescribed a muscle relaxer. Said he felt tight in the abdomen and this may help him relax and stop the rounding and spasms.

Carney needed to be lifted out of the car once home. He ate a big dinner and drank a good deal of water and was able to sit in his bed comfortably. We will give him the muscle relaxer right before bed.

Jennifer

Tom Meulman
Administrator

Posts: 1,181

Rounded back muscle spasms Apr 30, 2020 12:19:21 GMT 10

Post by Tom Meulman on Apr 30, 2020 12:19:21 GMT 10

Hi Jennifer,

At least it sounds like your boy is feeling better with the higher dosage of Prednisolone and yes a muscle relaxer should help.

The reason for me to say that a blood profile may provide more information was because quite often pain around the kidney area or gut, or even something as unusual as an impacted or infected anal gland can cause an arched spine and pain on walking and getting up or down, and I had hoped that if there was an internal infection that the blood profile would show it up.

I am sorry that having the blood profile done hasn’t pointed to a specific cause for all the problems that have occurred, and it’s back to waiting to see if any improvement occurs with the anti inflammatory and pain relief treatment.

Cheers,
Tom

Last Edit: Apr 30, 2020 12:20:15 GMT 10 by Tom Meulman

Everything that happens to a greyhound can only happen because of an action or inaction by its carer, so don’t blame the greyhound when it all goes wrong.

jennifer
Guest

Rounded back muscle spasms May 1, 2020 2:35:46 GMT 10

Post by jennifer on May 1, 2020 2:35:46 GMT 10

Thanks Tom. We had a good night last night.
This morning he got up slowly but came to eat breakfast. Had to pick him up to carry him down the stairs to get him out to do his business. Lifted his legs and peed away.

It does seem to be something spine related. He hasn’t slept on his back( as our friends call it the dead deer pose) as he likes for about 3wks. He also is known to try and wake us up by bumping into the bed and hip checking it so we scratch his butt. And he hasn’t been shaking his head. He would walk into us so he would get a back rub then walk away and shake his head and shoulders. Just now he gave a partial head shake. Don’t want to jinx it but maybe the steroids are helping and needed to be on it longer.

Jennifer
Guest

Rounded back muscle spasms May 1, 2020 4:31:01 GMT 10

Post by Jennifer on May 1, 2020 4:31:01 GMT 10

Again Tom thanks for your suggestions. Just got a call from the ER vet. The radiologist saw some cancer on the spine between the shoulder blades.
We are devistated, we knew of the possibility when we adopted and with his recent vet visits but hoped he would be with us for another 4-5yrs.
We are going to enjoy his upswing for a few days as we process the diagnosis and look to him to tell us when he is ready to go.

Tom Meulman
Administrator

Posts: 1,181

Rounded back muscle spasms May 1, 2020 5:02:34 GMT 10

Post by Tom Meulman on May 1, 2020 5:02:34 GMT 10

I’m so sorry Jennifer, it was a possibility I just didn’t want to mention, and because all the likely areas had been X rayed and nothing obvious was noted I was hopeful.

Your boy is so lucky to have someone like you looking after him.

My best wishes,
Tom

Everything that happens to a greyhound can only happen because of an action or inaction by its carer, so don’t blame the greyhound when it all goes wrong.