Let's See Your Garage Dog

[Zebedeewesty]

Arlo with his stick.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Arlo trying (and failing) to hold onto his other stick.

 

[torqueman2002]

My $ is always on the Lab in a stick contest.

 

[JRC3]

My $ is always on the Lab in a stick contest.

 

[LeonardY]

The boy had some minor surgery. To removed a fatty lump. They are doing a biopsy on it. He said that he's is otherwise healthy.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Lucy with a badger head rest.

She's a weird one. Theres loads of dogs beds (or the sofa) she could lie on but prefers the floor.

 

[stoich]

Cam got accepted into a daycare program today

 

[JEFFREYWisconsin]

Zuzu is clowning around today and we are snowed in at our cottage, so it's been an interesting day!

 

[MJK]

The lab is staking out the kitchen because he is only 20lbs overweight. The GSP is cold in what I would deem Michigan spring temps and is curled in front of the fire.

 

[jdrais]

The boy had some minor surgery. To removed a fatty lump. They are doing a biopsy on it. He said that he's is otherwise healthy.

Let us know what you find out. Hopefully it's just a lipoma, they are benign. My dog Obie has more than we can count.

 

[Bad Eye Bill]

Cam got accepted into a daycare program today

Laughed right out loud at that pic.

His ears reminds me of this.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Lucy cam.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

 

[Mike S.]

My wife texted me these old photos today. They were taken around this time last year.





One of our dogs has been having trouble with her legs. I noticed her slowing down back in October, and the weeks leading up to Christmas she had suddenly gotten much worse. She looks like an old dog when trying to get up to her feet, but she's only 18 months old. Sometimes we would see her limping through the house. Usually it's the hind legs giving her trouble, but we've also found her holding one of her front paws in the air.

We took her to the vet the week before Christmas when she looked like she was in severe pain. The vet thought it might have been lime disease, since that can affect their joints. We did full blood work and they prescribed her a medication for the joints, plus a joint supplement. The blood test came back negative, so the week after Christmas we took her back for a second checkup and X-rays. The vet then thought it might have been a neck or spine injury, or hip and elbow dysplasia, but there was no evidence of that in the X-rays. Their next thought was that it's related to the nervous system. Maybe a possible infection around the spine. They prescribed her an antibiotic, a pain med and a steroid. It took her a good two weeks of the meds, but she seems to be doing better. She has good days, when she looks like she 80% back to her old self, but then it follows with a day or two of her limping, or struggling to get to her feet.

Here's a short video that I sent to the vet. We only allow her on the couch when we're home, and we have to pick her up to get her on and off the couch.

 

[JEFFREYWisconsin]

My wife texted me these old photos today. They were taken around this time last year.





One of our dogs has been having trouble with her legs. I noticed her slowing down back in October, and the weeks leading up to Christmas she had suddenly gotten much worse. She looks like an old dog when trying to get up to her feet, but she's only 18 months old. Sometimes we would see her limping through the house. Usually it's the hind legs giving her trouble, but we've also found her holding one of her front paws in the air.

We took her to the vet the week before Christmas when she looked like she was in severe pain. The vet thought it might have been lime disease, since that can affect their joints. We did full blood work and they prescribed her a medication for the joints, plus a joint supplement. The blood test came back negative, so the week after Christmas we took her back for a second checkup and X-rays. The vet then thought it might have been a neck or spine injury, or hip and elbow dysplasia, but there was no evidence of that in the X-rays. Their next thought was that it's related to the nervous system. Maybe a possible infection around the spine. They prescribed her an antibiotic, a pain med and a steroid. It took her a good two weeks of the meds, but she seems to be doing better. She has good days, when she looks like she 80% back to her old self, but then it follows with a day or two of her limping, or struggling to get to her feet.

Here's a short video that I sent to the vet. We only allow her on the couch when we're home, and we have to pick her up to get her on and off the couch.

Please take this response as just helpful thoughts.

Just curious have you taken her to a veterinary specialist or just a regular veterinarian? Do you have a university near you that has a veterinary curriculum? That is where I would start. It is really hard to find a general practice vet that is going to chase this beyond their initial thoughts. They really don‘t have the true expertises to look deep at this.

Her age would suggest to me an injury or something more rare that would require a specialist. A regular veterinarian can do a lot of things and I have worked with some of the best and I always escalate any issues like this to a specialist. It could be as simple as a nerve being impinged, that won’t show in a X-ray. She has age on her side for sure!

You gotta be her advocate and just keep chasing it. You will find the cause. I am confident a specialist has seen this before.

I had a dog that displayed this type of thing at about 6 years old. She did end up in a cart later in life but was never in pain as a result of whatever ailment she had. It’s a long story but she had been an abused rescue and we chased her condition endlessly, but today much more so than then, veterinary medicine has advanced to a degree that they can now find the cause of this.

 

[Mike S.]

Please take this response as just helpful thoughts.

Just curious have you taken her to a veterinary specialist or just a regular veterinarian? Do you have a university near you that has a veterinary curriculum? That is where I would start. It is really hard to find a general practice vet that is going to chase this beyond their initial thoughts. They really don‘t have the true expertises to look deep at this.

Her age would suggest to me an injury or something more rare that would require a specialist. A regular veterinarian can do a lot of things and I have worked with some of the best and I always escalate any issues like this to a specialist. It could be as simple as a nerve being impinged, that won’t show in a X-ray. She has age on her side for sure!

You gotta be her advocate and just keep chasing it. You will find the cause. I am confident a specialist has seen this before.

I had a dog that displayed this type of thing at about 6 years old. She did end up in a cart later in life but was never in pain as a result of whatever ailment she had. It’s a long story but she had been an abused rescue and we chased her condition endlessly, but today much more so than then, veterinary medicine has advanced to a degree that they can now find the cause of this.

Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't looked into a specialist yet. So far we've only taken her to the local vet, who we do like. Although it does seem like a guessing game to me. I was worried about some of these medications, since they apparently can be hard on the dogs kidneys and liver. Dogs already have short life. I'd hate to shorten it more by taking medications unnecessarily.

 

[LeonardY]

Vet called with the results of the biopsy. It's negative for cancer.
He just hates the cone. It should come off on Thursday.

 

[JEFFREYWisconsin]

Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't looked into a specialist yet. So far we've only taken her to the local vet, who we do like. Although it does seem like a guessing game to me. I was worried about some of these medications, since they apparently can be hard on the dogs kidneys and liver. Dogs already have short life. I'd hate to shorten it more by taking medications unnecessarily.

It is a guessing game at that level. I encourage everyone I know to work with their vet. I can put it into the most simple terms.

A regular vet has to be a really broad area of practice.

Once you know you have an issue with a dog, you have the option to continue treatment with a vet who may see this type of symptom once a month, or go crazy and say once a week...

A specialist in a certain discipline sees these symptoms every day for many years.

You'll see. This is not a slight on general practice vets. They have their place for sure!

If you want to message me regarding the meds, I have had dogs for many years, most have been special needs. I can help you weigh those options.

 

[FTWingRiders]

Vet called with the results of the biopsy. It's negative for cancer.
He just hates the cone. It should come off on Thursday.

OMG. That look on his face says it all!!!

Poor guy.. glad to hear the biopsy was negative.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Lucy waiting for the dog gate to be opened so she can sneak upstairs and dry herself off on every bed and rug she can find.

 

[JEFFREYWisconsin]

Sub zero for a lot of days in a row at the lake, so when the sun comes in the cottage. Zuzu can be found there!

 

[Wiz02]

Ryder looking for a hand out.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

 

[LeonardY]

His incision opened when the stitches were removed. The vet stapled the incision closed. He will have to wear the cone of shame for another two weeks.
He was pretty happy today. Weather was mild and he wanted to hang out in the yard.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Holly making sure the youngster is dry.

 

[kaymccampbell]

A short run on the back 40.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Laundry was still very warm when I folded it so of course......... Max!




Then, when it cooled down his bed looked more comfortable.

 

[Outlawmws]

A short run on the back 40.

Your back 40 is way bigger than my back 40.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Your back 40 is way bigger than my back 40.

It's not really that big. A couple acres. That area was a swamp/pond that I cleared-filled-graded-drained. There's another one to the left/west that's still in process. To the right/east there's the semi-riparian garden that runs back along the east line.

 

[Outlawmws]

It's not really that big. A couple acres. That area was a swamp/pond that I cleared-filled-graded-drained. There's another one to the left/west that's still in process. To the right/east there's the semi-riparian garden that runs back along the east line.

My whole lot is just a smidge over 1/4 Acre. Way bigger than my first hose with a 50X100 lot though. Current place Is either the largest or second largest lot on the block. Hard to tell as the streets are not straight and my corner lot has all curves on the street sides, and even the back and side straight lot lines are not square to each other...

 

[kaymccampbell]

My whole lot is just a smidge over 1/4 Acre. Way bigger than my first hose with a 50X100 lot though. Current place Is either the largest or second largest lot on the block. Hard to tell as the streets are not straight and my corner lot has all curves on the street sides, and even the back and side straight lot lines are not square to each other...

Then you're right, that spot the boys are playing in is bigger than your yard. I think of my place as small, even though it's the largest in my area, excepting farms. Probably because I spent a lot of time on the grandparents' farms.

 

[Flatland Dave]

Foscoe loves to ride in the Bobcat.

 

[JEFFREYWisconsin]

Foscoe loves to ride in the Bobcat.

He looks mesmerized.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Lucy watching the big weird dog things again.

 

[Flatland Dave]

He looks mesmerized.

He loves to go for rides! Always wanting to get out and run wherever we came from! He is a crazy Jack Russell Terror for sure!

 

[Snakecharmer383]

We rescued "Lily" from our local Humane Society. Definitely has a big personality lol She is very demanding.

 

[torqueman2002]

On Thursday, 7 month old Penny had her lower K9s reduced so they won't grow up and into her upper jaw/nasal cavities. All went well and she's back to being her energetic puppy self.

She will sometimes just 'crash' mid-play and fall asleep with a toy in her mouth, like below.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

 

[jaw22w]

This is Barney! 3-1/2 year old Lab. He knows it is time for his daily run. He has been staring at me for a half hour. It is 32 degrees and raining and spitting snow. I am resisting letting him guilt me into going. Right now, he has his paw on my knee and staring.


This is Barney after we got back! He's soaking wet from his swim in his favorite spot in the creek. He started crawling under that stove when he was a little guy. As he got full grown, I had to put 3" risers under the stove so he could get under it. My house is 1/2 mile from my farm, and we run through woods and creeks and fields to get to the farm. Then all the way around the perimeter of the farm (80 acres, 1/4 mile x 1/2 mile). Then backtrack home. My quad registers 3.1 miles on a normal day. We have been doing this since he was about 6 months old. I don't think we have missed 10 days in that time. With all his side trips he must run at least 5-6 miles a day. Barney is a 90 pound ball of muscle. But he is a *****. I have never once heard him growl in anger! 100% non-aggressive. Velcro dog. Maybe the best ever!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

^^^ Labs are THE greatest. My now long departed Dudley (black) and Sooner(blonde) are my lifetime best friends. I cried like a baby when they passed. Give that little guy some nice belly rubs for me.

EDIT: Adding a pic of my two lifetime best friends. Dudley was nearing the end of his life and Sooner was still younger. Sooner would groom Dudley. He'd licked his ears, eyes, even his teeth and of course Dudley loved it. He was so much stronger than Dudley but still deferred to him in all things as his "superior" in their pack of two. Rest in Paradise my boys.