Not HD, but loose ligaments? Experiences? Advice?
Anyway, the vet called me a few moments ago to let me know that his bone structure is good and there's no dysplasia but his ligaments are loose. I have to admit, I'd never thought or heard of that before but the diagnosis makes perfect sense in relation to his symptoms. I did a little reading and it looks like when the ligaments aren't tight enough the joint becomes looser since the ligament isn't providing the correct stability. I'm going to ask the vet more when I pick him up, but has anyone ever experienced this before? I'm wondering if the treatment is similar to that of dysplasia in terms of PT but since it isn't a joint, I can't see some of the normal supplements helping as much (although at his size, I'm sure they wouldn't hurt). He doesn't seem to be in pain and he doesn't walk or run funny, it's only when he's crouching but I wonder if there's a way to strengthen it through exercise. I'm open to suggestions and ideas and I'll post what the vet says too in case someone else is ever looking for similar information. |
|
|
| I wonder if exercise would "tighten" the ligaments? |
Tasker's Mom wrote: I wonder if exercise would "tighten" the ligaments?
It seems like it would but I wondered if there were specific exercises (that weren't water related). Do you think just regular walking would do it? What do you do for humans? |
| believe it or not - I have (me personally) a similar issue. my doctor called them floppy joints but not not loose ligaments.
PT was the answer - to strengthen the muscles around the joints and take the place of the loose joints. I would assume a similar course of action would work here. teaching him to back up and doing it everyday actually should help build up the muscle a bit. |
kerry wrote: believe it or not - I have (me personally) a similar issue. my doctor called them floppy joints but not not loose ligaments.
PT was the answer - to strengthen the muscles around the joints and take the place of the loose joints. I would assume a similar course of action would work here. teaching him to back up and doing it everyday actually should help build up the muscle a bit. Actually, Bear already does a significant amount of backwards walking because of his weird OCD issues with the flooring. He'll walk forwards to the living room, but to get back in the dining room, he HAS to walk backwards. Maybe he needs to do some sidestepping, too? Can dogs even sidestep? |
| I don't know....but I am thinking like a nurse,in hip dysplasia there are loose fitting sockets right?? Loose ligaments would impact the joints because they are not held in tight and there could be abnormal function of joints causing damage to the joints. Geeze I am researching hip dysplasia (see my post) but I would imagine walking would help People walk backwards on a tread mill (video this if bear can do it) I am sorry to hear this and I hope you get some good advice here. |
ButtersStotch wrote: kerry wrote: believe it or not - I have (me personally) a similar issue. my doctor called them floppy joints but not not loose ligaments. PT was the answer - to strengthen the muscles around the joints and take the place of the loose joints. I would assume a similar course of action would work here. teaching him to back up and doing it everyday actually should help build up the muscle a bit. Actually, Bear already does a significant amount of backwards walking because of his weird OCD issues with the flooring. He'll walk forwards to the living room, but to get back in the dining room, he HAS to walk backwards. Maybe he needs to do some sidestepping, too? Can dogs even sidestep? well it is a rally station isn't it - three side steps? I seem to remember something like that in Morgan's class. And btw - that backwards thing - just weird   |
Agreed, the walking backwards is weird. It seems to keep him a bit more sane though so we let him do it. We had to stop the handwashing, though. 
Well, the vet suggested just regular walking to keep everything strong. She didn't seem very worried about it and she kept stressing that this was good news since it was not HD. She said that it didn't appear that he was in pain when she moved him around. I guess I just feel like I want to do something for him. It's hard when they can't tell you what's going on. |
| Walking to build up the muscles and help tighten the area, but take it in progressive steps, like only exercising him on soft surfaces like grass and not pavement or roads. Controll the exercise with lead work and take it slowly building the distance as you advance, same with start him on a flat area and build to walking up hills, till the area tightens up then start to aim for off lead romps on grass, like chasing a ball, when there is more stability there.
Pity you can't swim him as that would be a great start to help. I now those blasted full coats and the drying out after, never mind just don't overdo it with him and slowly build and condition those muscles and ligaments then you wont be doing any damage to the looseness around those joints. |
| My son had loose joints, which tightened up at puberty.
So hormone injections? (Not really) |
I have no advice but hope that things work out. 
Miley and Jasper send good wishes. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|