Collies are like furry rockets. They have endless energy stores and are the happiest in motion. Oscar is no exception.
At one time, Oscar became a bit lame. X-rays revealed that Oscar had some arthritis in his hips. The problem responded to medical treatment, and before long, Oscar was back in the saddle. His limp has gone, and he enjoyed life the way he deserved–in motion.
Until lameness returned
This time it was not a slight limp but full lameness. After a trip to the beach, spent running in the sand, swimming, and chasing waves, Oscar was not putting any weight on his hind leg at all. Instead, he was holding the leg up and wouldn’t touch the ground with it.
Not that it slowed Oscar down a whole lot–he was still running around but using only the three good legs.
Sprained muscle?
Oscar’s dad didn’t discover any apparent injury and decided to rest Oscar for a couple of days to see if things resolve themselves. A sprained muscle can improve with a bit of rest. Time and rest, however, made no difference. Oscar still wasn’t using the affected leg. It was time to see a veterinarian.
The first suspect was a ruptured cruciate ligament
However common this injury is, Oscar’s knee didn’t feel swollen or sore. Oscar’s hip also checked out. If the hip was fine, and the knee seemed fine, why was Oscar limping so terribly?
With the prime suspects not panning out, Oscar’s veterinarian commenced a thorough examination, starting at the tip of Oscar’s toe, working his way up to the hip and spine.
Mystery solved
As the veterinarian was tweaking Oscar’s toes, Oscar yelped. Buried in the thick fur on Oscar’s feet, there was the answer–Oscar had a raw wound on the inside of his toe. Because no blood vessels were damaged, there was no bleeding that would alert to the injury. I was, however, painful enough to prevent Oscar from stepping on that food.
Whether Oscar managed to step on a piece of broken glass, broken seashell, or some other sharp object, it was the culprit behind his lameness. Oscar will be back on all of his feet in no time.
Related articles:
Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog: What is that Limp?
Further reading:
Canine Cranial Cruciate Disease: Updating Our Knowledge about Pathogenesis & Diagnosis