Need advice

[divinehandmaiden]

My lovely Briard and best friend, Prada, who will turn 9 next month, has some unknown cause of front leg stiffness which causes her to drag her paws (to where the nails have ground down and bleed with any contact with the ground). Frequently, she will buckle at the front carpal/wrist area and fall on her face in the sand because her elbows are frozen. This only affects her FRONT legs-rear are fine.

For now, I have glued some doggie nails on...but they are fast wearing down if we hit any pavement. I tried to craft some splints from children's rollerblade wrist guards...but needed more work to get it right.

Finally found this place-YEA! I primarily need to keep her nails off the ground on the front. Doggie boots are a joke...wore hers down after the first hour....
Will the splints here keep her FRONT toes from hitting the ground?

HX: She was fine until last year-never a problem. She was a therapy dog too. Last year- I came down with breast CA and during chemo treatment and 200 miles away from home...she bloated out of nowhere. I dodged that bullet b/c I happened to be near Best Friends dog sanctuary in Utah and they performed emergency surgery and provided a humane bill. Shortly thereafter (will I was still in treatment) she developed this dragging of her front paw...then stumbling. Beginning of 2015..when I began radiation....her front legs started to stiffen and she looked like the Sphinx when she laid down (her elbows did not touch the ground). After surgery this June to repair her front L elbow tendon, 8 wks of inactivity, and two weeks of aggressive PT....BOTH front legs remain stiff. Her shoulders work fine and the carpal part of her good front leg is still decent. The surgical L leg is still pretty stiff/spastic. I'm pretty broke after all the testing, surgery, and physical therapy and I think I'm resolved to having her for a short time longer now rather than the 2 additional years I had hoped for.

Prada is still crazy about playing with her frisbee-and for now we play in the sand...which is quite prevalent here on the Navajo REZ where I work. Prada has been my constant companion these last 9 years....she used to canoe/kayak/rollerblade/swim/ and just hang out with me. In 2012 alone, we traveled cross country and put 42,000 miles on my former KIA while I was a travel nurse.

Tears come so easily to the surface just thinking about losing her...yet I want her quality of life to be happy and comfortable-she deserves that and she clearly is not ready to quit/die yet ....and neither am I.

I'm not interested in knowing what has overcome her front legs...we've ruled out neurological...ortho...and have left it at neuromuscular for now. I stopped short of a muscle biopsy at 1500 more dollars that I don't have. We even consulted the UC DAVIS MD in the neurological thread. Now all I want to invest in is anything that will allow her to be mobile without her toes bleeding. As much as she loves to chase her frisbee,,,,ironically, she has just stopped wanting to leave the house for walks. Maybe that b/c she knows she's not able to defend me or herself against any aggressive rez dogs in the streets...or maybe b/c I would struggle to get her back if she could not walk. She is 90 lbs...and I am 140. I Do use a harness w/handles to help us that I purchased thru our VET/PT which has been a great help.

I am open to all suggestions and I THANK YOU all for the time you took to read this...and to offer suggestions. With much gratitude... Melisa n Prada

[critters]

I've been VERY pleased with the HP splints, and MOST of them should help protect her claws. Some won't, though, like the hock splints (rear) or carpal splints. http://www.handicappedpets.com/all-pet- ... tml#splint I've used the regular front splints, and I think they'd do it. If the splint works, you might want to get another for backup, but they're nicely durable.

PS--You might qualify for help from the Handicapped Pets Foundation given all that's happened, so you might want to ask them.

[CarolC]

I'm glad you got a harness, that's got to be a huge help.

I am not sure you are going to find something that will be ideal...? You are saying her elbows do not bend, her wrists buckle and her toes knuckle under. Also the two legs are not the same and may not need the same bracing.

My first thought is a splint for stability like critters said and it will keep the toes up, but I hope she won't catch the toe of the splint on something if she is not bending her elbows when she walks. It would be easy to try.

Someone here made leather splints for the carpal joint. If you know someone who can work leather this might be a possibility for your dog. Perhaps you could try them and see if they do anything at all, or at least on the one leg.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... 633#p52633

Another option is the Dorsi-flex Assist. It is more than a boot (which you mentioned was wearing out quickly), it keeps the toes up. I don't know if this would work for your dog. Possibly (just thinking out loud) you might be able to make a video of your dog's gait and upload it somewere and send the link to the company and see if they think the Dorsi-flex is sufficient for her, so you don't waste money on something else that is going to wear out right away. Again if she is not lifting her feet off the ground, she is going to cause some wear, but if the toes are held up perhaps she will wear the bottom and that is something you can deal with. You put layers of duct tape on the spot that is getting worn, so she wears through the tape but not the boot itself, then you replace the layers of tape as needed.

http://www.therapaw.com/dorsi-flexassist.aspx

It sounds like the thing that is going to do the most good is the harness, which you already have. Is your harness a front harness or a rear harness, or what kind is it?

http://www.animalrehab.on.ca/supports/supports.php
http://www.handicappedpets.com/front-ha ... -cats-walk


I will think about this some more.

[divinehandmaiden]

Thank you BOTH! I will follow up...and I need to call this company...I've been swamped at work and getting home late these two nights....Gonna try to do this tomorrow--will let you know...ML and Miss P

[critters]

I'm not so sure the dorsiflex type will help because it's his hands knuckling/dragging. I've never heard of those types of splints being used that way, but, if they could, that might be the best solution.

[CarolC]

It would have to be the forelimb model, but I don't know either, and they say a vet has to order it, so you're paying for the appointment. No idea what it costs because you have to contact them for pricing. Bet the splints are w-a-y cheaper and probably more durable.