Sick Border Collie Puppy
Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 1:11 am
Hi guys,
I have a male border collie puppy just over 5 months. Since I got him he's been getting gradually weaker and injuring himself on things that really shouldn't. After a sprained ankle that wouldn't get better I took him to the vet where an x-ray revealed his spine and his bones were very transparent and very weak.
I'll be receiving a test result in a few days about whether or not this was a defect at birth or a nutritional defect but in the mean time I've changed his diet and been prescribed pain killers. After reading some other threads I am wondering whether or not steroids might be helpful for him. I'm also frustrated because I realize the vet only x-rayed his spine and not his hind legs, but that was due to the fact that she couldn't feel any breaks or fractures on his legs. A blood test revealed his organs were in good health.
He's still somewhat playful and has a hearty appetite for a dog that can't walk which is the big issue here - he can't poop on his own. Before the last few days where he became this weak he would poop like clockwork. He will still urinate on his own when I carry him to his bathroom spot outside in the grass while lying down. I have read some of the tips of how to express a puppy but none of the tutorials I can find are for a dog while he is lying down ( he is not strong enough to balance on his front paws and I cannot squat him in my lap as he can't put weight on his back legs without a lot of pain). Does anybody have any tips or experience with getting a puppy to poo while he is lying down?
I have a male border collie puppy just over 5 months. Since I got him he's been getting gradually weaker and injuring himself on things that really shouldn't. After a sprained ankle that wouldn't get better I took him to the vet where an x-ray revealed his spine and his bones were very transparent and very weak.
I'll be receiving a test result in a few days about whether or not this was a defect at birth or a nutritional defect but in the mean time I've changed his diet and been prescribed pain killers. After reading some other threads I am wondering whether or not steroids might be helpful for him. I'm also frustrated because I realize the vet only x-rayed his spine and not his hind legs, but that was due to the fact that she couldn't feel any breaks or fractures on his legs. A blood test revealed his organs were in good health.
He's still somewhat playful and has a hearty appetite for a dog that can't walk which is the big issue here - he can't poop on his own. Before the last few days where he became this weak he would poop like clockwork. He will still urinate on his own when I carry him to his bathroom spot outside in the grass while lying down. I have read some of the tips of how to express a puppy but none of the tutorials I can find are for a dog while he is lying down ( he is not strong enough to balance on his front paws and I cannot squat him in my lap as he can't put weight on his back legs without a lot of pain). Does anybody have any tips or experience with getting a puppy to poo while he is lying down?