# help, my mastiff is having trouble walking



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

ok, when we got up this morning my dog was acting a bit weird, he wasnt jumping around like normal, he didnt rush in to see my OH in beed like normal. any way on his slow way out to see my OH he lost his balance and had trouble getting up, when he could climb on the bed when he did he couldnt lay his back end down and lost his balance again, luckly i caught him before he fell off the bed, we got him off the bed and he wobbled into the front room, his back leg seems to be tucking under when is is walking and he dosent seem to be able to lift it very well. he has an appointment at the vet for 2.20pm 

does anyone have any idea what could be up with him


----------



## kellystewart (May 11, 2010)

Ear infection possibly?


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

sounds like he`s damaged his back or hips.
best get him to a vets today, and try and keep him as quiet and settled as possible while you wait.
no climbing on furniture/beds or jumping around like a loon tbh i`d crate him


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

yeah, as i said he has the vets at 2.20, at the moment he is just laying on the floor sleeping, his gums are still pink and hes not dehidrated, he not really taking any notice of anyone, it took me 3 times of calling him for him to even notice i was there. i hate seeing him like this and im really worried about him


----------



## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Good luck at the vets, its never nice seeing our beloved pets unwell.
It sounds like he has some nerve damage if hes knuckling his paw, hopefully the vets can sort him with medication and rest


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

or maybe a stroke? but isnt he a bit young for that?


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

he is 5 this year, i was up and down with my daughter most of last night, i heard what sounded like him moving around on the sofa, the only thing that he didnt do last night was go and lay in my eldsts bed which is where i normally find him in the mornings, but this morning he was laying on the floor in the front room,


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

soulds like he`s pulled something or damamged himself in some way.

he needs to see a vet today, hope it does well later on when you take him, i dont envy you getting him there!


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

the vet is just over a mile away and we live in a first floor flat, so we are getting a neigbour to help us carrydown the stairs and into the car


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Vestibular disease? Are his eyes flicking as if the room's spinning? Has he been able to eat/drink?


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

rosanna123 said:


> the vet is just over a mile away and we live in a first floor flat, so we are getting a neigbour to help us carrydown the stairs and into the car


i remember it well, mine always fell over and didnt get up when everyone else were on holiday!
the joys of having a large dog.

hope it goes well.


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

his eyes are flickering, he ate some of his food before he fell in it, and my OH says he has been drinking


----------



## thalie_knights (Jan 19, 2007)

any poss this could be mild symptoms of Wobblers? Was always aware of the condition re my Dobe, but heard it can also affect the larger breeds ie Mastiffs, Great Danes esp etc - and usually evolves around 5-9 years of age...?

We can only guess at this stage, but good luck at the vet..


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

it seems like it is only his hip that is the problem, if he isnt laying on the leg he can move it, if he is or tries to get up, the leg goes stiff and wont bend


----------



## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

any news yet?


----------



## vonnie (Aug 20, 2007)

Fingers crossed that it's gone well at the vets


----------



## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)

Hope he is ok,I am taking my lab to the vets tomorrow,he isnt 100%,seems a bit depressed poor baby :flrt:


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

ok, been to the vets, they say he has either had a stroke or has lung worms, but he should make a full recovery within 3 weeks, he has had treatment for lungworm today, i have to go back next month and buy 3 months worth, just incase it is the lungworm, i also need to call the vet in the morning to let him know how hamish has been over night. he still isnt good, he finds it painful to lay on his right side. he is still really sleepy and not wanting to do much but he will get up and walk around on his own, all he needs is someone near just incase he need help with his balance


----------



## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Can he get onto human bed, Liveing room three piece'etc, Could have jumped off and landed wrong, Making him full on his right side. Or even fell off the bed, Liveing room three piece in his sleep, My dogs done it, She jump right off and hit the floor whiles dreaming about something.


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

yeah he does, but it seems to defenatly be a stroke, hes not right down one side and he had been walking in circles, he seem to be abit more active now, he still needs our help with a lot of things like getting up, walking around and laying down. but hopefully in 3 weeks we should have our old hamish back looning round the garden


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

rosanna123 said:


> his eyes are flickering, he ate some of his food before he fell in it, and my OH says he has been drinking


Strokes are pretty rare in dogs, whereas vestibular disease is more common. Nistygmus (sp?) is the flicking eyes, which is classic vestibular symptom.

Not sure where the lungworm diagnosis came from, but then I've not heard of their symptoms before (seems to be a more recent problem since our last dog passed away).

What medicine has he been given other than the lungworm stuff?


----------



## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

LisaLQ said:


> Strokes are pretty rare in dogs, whereas vestibular disease is more common. Nistygmus (sp?) is the flicking eyes, which is classic vestibular symptom.
> 
> Not sure where the lungworm diagnosis came from, but then I've not heard of their symptoms before (seems to be a more recent problem since our last dog passed away).
> 
> What medicine has he been given other than the lungworm stuff?


 
I agree with this, it sounds more like vestibular to me too
Ive never heard of lungworm causing these symptoms.


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

the vet said it could be lungworm as it is quite high in our area, the worm attacks blood vessels and could have gotone in his brain, the vet has given him the spot on stuuf that you can only get from vets and has said for us to go back next month and get another 3 months worth, but i really do think it is a mild stroke, as the vet said it is one of them 2 but i have to call him in the morning to update him on what has gone on over night, i have a feeling im gonna be sleeping on the front room floor with him tonight so i can help him out when needed in the night


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

the vet has given him no meds for a stroke, he just said that we should see an improvement within a week. he is almost normal when we take him out for a wee, just a little wobbly


----------



## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

My mastiff had a stroke and, after about 2 hours, other than a change in temperament there were no other symptoms. Initially she had been star gazing and staggering etc.
The vet gave no treatment and within 3 months she had had 3 more and her temperament had changed to such a degree, from total baby to raging maniac, I decided for her benefit and our safetly to have her PTS.

She was 10 years old though!


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

his temperment hasnt changed at all, if anything he has gone more layed back. i have just started my night shift with him as my OH send to bed 3 hours ago saying i needed sleep. in the morning im gonna explain how everything has gone over night. we are giving him the 3 weeks that the vet said it would take to recover and just go from there. hopefully he is going to get stronger each day


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

well hamish seems to have a got a little better over night, not much but a little. just waiting for the vet to ring back, and have a chat to him about it all see what he says


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I would consider a second opinion as even if it was a stroke, you'd expect some medication to help him recover.

Sky (who had vestibular disease) had vivitonin and previcox during an attack. As I said, we were told strokes are very rare in dogs, and vestibular disease is common, plus there is a good chance it'll come back (although not to worry about that as it is just an inner ear infection, not a death sentence!).

If his eyes are still flicking etc, he's basically feeling the room spin all the time, and he wont be feeling well at all.

I'd be trying another vet if you can. I'm surprised any vet would send even a stroke victim home without any treatment to make them more comfortable.


----------



## vetdebbie (Jan 4, 2008)

Most vets use the term stroke to mean vestibular disease as more people understand it. Technically, vestibular disease is a syndrome that can be caused by a range of things, not a specific disease. We probably should be calling it a "cerebral vascular accident"


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Vestibular disease is inflammation of the inner ear where it meets the brain (usually caused by infection), it's not a stroke, I dont think vets do themselves any favours "dumbing down" things for owners. They just cause more confusion.

But yes, our vet said the same thing, that they tend to tell people their dog has had a stroke...when it hasn't.

Either way, the dog needs treatment and hasn't got it.


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

ok, i have now spoken to the vet and he has said it is definatley a stroke, he has said that we are doing everything perfect, all i have to do is physio on him every few hours


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

3 days on and hamish is almost back to normal, he still has a limp, cant walk backwards or get on the bed. but he can now do everything else his self


----------



## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

When my dog had a stroke the vet didn't give us anything for her.
They were three mild strokes that affected only her temperament. The vet said it wasn't actually her temperament that was affected but her ability to know who was safe to be in the house and who wasn't. She thought that everyone was an intruder for some reason.


----------



## rosanna123 (Sep 1, 2010)

hamish hasnt changed at all, if anything he has turned back into my shadow again, like he did when i first got him. he follows me everywhere and wont leave me aloan, personnally i like to think that he appreciated me sitting up with him on the first night, helping with everything yesterday, sleeping on the floor with him last night and helping him out with the odd bit today


----------

