Bobbie
01-28-2009, 08:31 AM
Well, first I had a scare with Janine... I got home at 3 and checked her gums and they seemed too white.. We had a vet appointment for Thursday but I considered taking her in early. But I checked again and they seemed okay so I figured we could wait until her appointment.
At dinner time I finally noticed Jack wasn't himself. (So I'm not sure when it started.) He didn't jump up for his food and he seemed to be uncomfortable standing. No obvious signs of limping, and he had a great appetite. I was worried that it was his back but there were no signs of paralysis, just that it was uncomfortable for him to stand so he would rock back on his haunches and lie down.
I did call the vet's office, but the vet on call is someone I don't like, and so I didn't talk to him. I figured if Jack started to seem worse we could go to the Vet ER (three choices, although no one can do back surgery if he suddenly got worse) He didn't seem to be getting any worse, and I figured I would keep him quiet (which uncharacteristically was no problem) and then go in the morning. (A problem in itself as I would have had to drop him off and leave.) He wasn't in the kind of pain that looked like a disk rupture and his tummy wasn't tender or hard so I didn't think it was that.
Merlin woke me at 4 to let him in (he goes out the dog door) and Jack was still sleeping. But I couldn't go back to sleep, worrying about how I was going to get him to the vet (since I teach all day) and pick him up (I'd have to get out of orchestra early) and what to do if he needed surgery (my specialist of choice is in Santa Cruz, 3 hrs away) and how to afford it (since the roof is needing repair, too.) So I got up at 5:15 and lifted Jack off the bed as he was stirring, and he was okay.
Now he is up and moving normally, and acting himself. So I think he just tweaked something. He gets crated today and tomorrow and then will go to the vet with me on Thursday when I take Janine. I'd like to have them X-ray his back just to see if anything looks not so good. Merlin had a similar episode once, and my Lab Pippin several times (in her case she would crawl on all fours but not stand up.)
I should emphasize that if Jack HAD been in extreme pain (evidenced by crying or shaking) or had been dragging his legs or not had feeling in them, or in no pain but unable to get up) I'd have been at the ER vet in a minute (probably to get them to drug him up before we drove to Santa Cruz in the middle of the night.) If you ever suspect a back injury keep your dog quiet and get help as soon as possible.
At dinner time I finally noticed Jack wasn't himself. (So I'm not sure when it started.) He didn't jump up for his food and he seemed to be uncomfortable standing. No obvious signs of limping, and he had a great appetite. I was worried that it was his back but there were no signs of paralysis, just that it was uncomfortable for him to stand so he would rock back on his haunches and lie down.
I did call the vet's office, but the vet on call is someone I don't like, and so I didn't talk to him. I figured if Jack started to seem worse we could go to the Vet ER (three choices, although no one can do back surgery if he suddenly got worse) He didn't seem to be getting any worse, and I figured I would keep him quiet (which uncharacteristically was no problem) and then go in the morning. (A problem in itself as I would have had to drop him off and leave.) He wasn't in the kind of pain that looked like a disk rupture and his tummy wasn't tender or hard so I didn't think it was that.
Merlin woke me at 4 to let him in (he goes out the dog door) and Jack was still sleeping. But I couldn't go back to sleep, worrying about how I was going to get him to the vet (since I teach all day) and pick him up (I'd have to get out of orchestra early) and what to do if he needed surgery (my specialist of choice is in Santa Cruz, 3 hrs away) and how to afford it (since the roof is needing repair, too.) So I got up at 5:15 and lifted Jack off the bed as he was stirring, and he was okay.
Now he is up and moving normally, and acting himself. So I think he just tweaked something. He gets crated today and tomorrow and then will go to the vet with me on Thursday when I take Janine. I'd like to have them X-ray his back just to see if anything looks not so good. Merlin had a similar episode once, and my Lab Pippin several times (in her case she would crawl on all fours but not stand up.)
I should emphasize that if Jack HAD been in extreme pain (evidenced by crying or shaking) or had been dragging his legs or not had feeling in them, or in no pain but unable to get up) I'd have been at the ER vet in a minute (probably to get them to drug him up before we drove to Santa Cruz in the middle of the night.) If you ever suspect a back injury keep your dog quiet and get help as soon as possible.