Help Needed: New to site have question

[joe]

I'm new to the site, I just found it this morning. I was surfing the web for answers to many questions I'll have for the vet this afternoon. My male Golden who is 2 1/2 has been yelping when he gets up and I can tell he's in pain. He's in excellant health and has been a wondeful pet. He's my best friend! We walk 2 miles a day and until last week had no issues. My thoughts are bad hips, maybe a sprain, leg problems?. However how can he walk and run and play and not show any symtoms or problems. Then all of a sudden he yelps when he gets up or tries to jump on the bed. Hopefully I'll know more this afternoon. If the news is bad I want to know what options are available to me. I'm really stressed out over this. The male Golden I had before this one had to be put down and he was only two years old. He had OCD in both shoulders, I did the surgery and did everything possible. He also had allergies which I was treating with injections at home. He also had bad arthritis as a result of the surgery on his shoulders. I exhausted all of my options. and Did what I thought was the best option after discussing it with the vet. I think about him almost everyday. This most recent event that I'm facing has brought back all of the pain and frustration from my last experance. I want to do all I can and need to know what options are available to me if the news is not good. I'll write back when I know more after my vet visit this afternoon.

[Cindidoxiemom]

Joe,
Welcome to HP, and know that we will be here to help you through this. Until we know more about what exactly is wrong with your furry friend, it will be hard to offer opinions about treatments and options. I can say we have a group of very knowlegeable people who will be here to help you. I know you are scared and worried, but try to remain calm. One step at a time.
Cindi

[Robyn]

What does OCD stand for? How did your first Golden get that, is it congenital or environmental or injury related?
I had started to ask a lot of questions about your present Golden, but I think you need to consult with your vet first and get the blood tests, xrays and whatever else s/he recommends to determine what's causing the pain and if it's something that'll get better or not.
Hip dysplasia is very common in the retriever breeds, so that's always my first thought.
Good luck at your vet's, and hopefully it's a problem with a solution.

[joe]

OCD : Osteochondritis Dissecans-The disorder seems to be spontaneous and not so easy to predict, no one knows for sure why some dogs get OCD and some don't. It is much more prevalent in Golden Retrievers, German Shepards, Rottweilers and other large breeds. trauma, genetics and body size and weight, growing long bones may develop cracks in the cartilage of the weight bearing surface. These cracks may extend deep to the soft (cancellous) bone beneath the cartilage and eventually a section of the joint cartilage will separate from the underlying structure. This cartilage flap, varying in size from less than a quarter of an inch to over and inch in diameter, acts as an irritant in the joint. Subsequent inflammation and attempts at healing can lead to scar tissue and calcium deposits in the affected joint.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/xra/ocd.html

[SandyNY]

Hope you are able to get some answers...
sometimes it is hard to determine exactly what is going on.
My brother's young basset hound had bouts of sever pain when standing - she would whine and cry and howl; then occassionally she would run without a cry... then she stopped eating. Vet decided finally that her bones were growing too fast and she stopped eating during these sudden onset bounts due to fever. I thought it was a crock of... how can her bones grow too fast? So, ontot he iunternet to my internet- dog- health- savy friends and they gave me a disease name to look into... I couldn't find where i saved the info but i am did a re-search and am pretty sure this is what she was diagnosed with. Something to be aware of.
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/panosteitis/page1.aspx#
(Funny, I have a gsd and had never heard of it but is mentioned in a lot of basset hound sites; yet articles talk about gsd's....)


panosteitis

[joe]

I brought Gino home about 1 1/2 hours ago. He's been pretty much out of it. The phy. exam was good so the vet suggested xrays. I Had to leave him since this is done under sedation. They took several and they all turned out negitive. That's a good thing. At this point its a waiting game. I'll keep a close eye on him and see how he feels and responds in a few days. Hopefully this will pass. I'm thankfull the xrays are clean and he's back home resting peacefully. Hopefully he'll get some much needed rest tonight. Thanks for your support....Joe & Gino

Joe

[Robyn]

Okay, this sounds like a type of arthritis.
I think one thing you can do for your now dog is to do a physical exam as soon as he exhibits signs of acute pain. Find out exactly where the pain is centered and see if you can tell - is it bone, soft tissue, nerve related?
When Naya sleeps, not much disturbs her, so she will tend to stay in one position for a couple of hours at least. Then, when I get her up to go outside, she's either very stiff in her hind legs or barely able to support herself in an upright position. I make her walk around (leaning against me for support, plus holding her up by the harness vest) till her legs get to working again.
Is it possible that your dog is a heavy sleeper or has hearing loss, so that if he's in a particular position for a long time, it cause the pain he experiences on waking? It would be just like us waking up to find our arm has fallen asleep because it was weighed down somehow for a long time.

[Christine]

Hi Joe,

Did the vet check to see if Gino's anal glands needed to be expressed? I had a similar situation with my Bailey, a dog who rarely barks unless she has something to say. It is heart wrenching when they bark like this and you feel so helpless. I ran the gamut of what could be wrong and this was overlooked for a short time. Sending prayers that Gino has something easily remedied like this.

Christine and Bailey