limping dog

[Julie Armour]

I think this is the right way to start a new post. Hope so.

My 6 year old dog was chasing a squirrel like usual. He came back to me limping. This happened two years ago as well and it took a really long time to heal with resting. I am hoping someone can help me speed up the process this time. The injury appears to be in the front right shoulder. He doesn't want to put weight on it but he is not holding it up at this time. He doesn't seem bothered by pressure on it or me examining him. I gave him arnica when it first happened. Later I gave him rhus tox as the limp seemed worse after resting. Neither has helped so far although it has only been a few hours since I gave him the rhus tox. Do I repeat the dose? If so, when? I am giving him the remedies diluted in water - tap the bottle ten times, and giving him a teaspoon from the bottle. I am not that experienced!
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Julie

[Ginny Wilken]

Yep, that's the way to post:)

It sounds as if he may have injured a ligament the first time, perhaps a partial tear, and now he has re-aggravated the weakened area. These things don't always heal "good-as-new" the first time, but the dog compensates and protects the injured area. What's needed, in addition to your good homeopathic care, is rest and time. I have used both these remedies for the same sort of thing, only a knee rather than a shoulder, and their efficacy was limited - I am assuming because the body cannot repair ligaments that quickly. It's good to take the edema out with the Arnica, and Rhus makes sense, too. However, this may take weeks or months, and I think you might be wise to limit his exertion level. I am not a fan of crate rest, but try to keep him at a trot when outside, and no full-body wrestling:) I also believe that constitutional care is warranted - these things don't happen in a vacuum, and there may be factors, such as prior vaccinations, that have predisposed him to brittleness and propensity for joint damage. It won't hurt to continue with either Rhus or Arnica IF they have an observable effect. Try several doses, and if no relief, give it up. If there is relief, dose only as needed. And good for you for water dosing:) Let us know how it goes, please.

ginny
All stunts performed without a net!

[Carol Boyce]

If it's ligament damage consider Ruta 30 - if the Sx fit of course. I was on crutches after a fall down stairs - massive swelling of the ankle - nothing broken but hospital said major ligament damage and it would be a month before walking freely again. I used Ruta 30 several doses overnight and put heat on the ankle and the following morning I could dispense with the crutches - and back to normal in less than a week. Of course it could just be another one of those coincidences .

Yes there is always the underlying predisposition to play its part but for relief of the injury itself in the meantime I would look at Ruta.

Carol B
but I couldn't put my foot on the floor

[J]

How often apart should the doses be? Thanks for your help.
Julie

[Ginny Wilken]

I'd say close, like a couple of hours, or overnight, until you see a result. Two or three doses, I would think, would be enough to know if it's a good fit. Once you have a good result, only dose if there is a backslide or stasis in the rate of recovery.
ginny

All stunts performed without a net!

[Julie Armour]

I gave him three doses of rhus tox yesterday afternoon and evening. I don't see any change this morning. I'm not sure if ruta fits this. He is not restless at all. He is just lying around. He has a very pronounced limp, but he is not lifting the leg. We are not walking him at all and I slept on the floor so that he wouldn't jump on and off the bed. Can you think of anything else to do? Your thoughts are very much appreciated. I am guessing that this is mostly going to be time and rest that heal him. I'm depressed!
Julie

[Tanya Marquette]

try thinking out of the box.
he doesn’t want to move. maybe that is the key.
look at remedies like bryonia to see if something else fits
t
From: mailto:minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2014 9:48 AM
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Minutus] limping dog

I gave him three doses of rhus tox yesterday afternoon and evening. I don't see any change this morning. I'm not sure if ruta fits this. He is not restless at all. He is just lying around. He has a very pronounced limp, but he is not lifting the leg. We are not walking him at all and I slept on the floor so that he wouldn't jump on and off the bed. Can you think of anything else to do? Your thoughts are very much appreciated. I am guessing that this is mostly going to be time and rest that heal him. I'm depressed!
Julie

[Julie Armour]

Its so hard with a dog when they cant tell you how they are feeling. This is an injury, not a chronic condition, although it has happened before. He had been fine for several years. I don't see much about Bryonia that fits, but I am not very experienced. He is usually a very, very calm dog except when he sees a person or dog he knows or when he sees an small animal. He gets very excited with a person or dog, and goes into hunting mode with a small animal. So him lying around the house is not unusual at all. He is still following me around the house. I am trying to limit him going up and down the stairs but he really wants to be with me as always.
Julie

[Rachel]

yes and Ruta is not the one famous for restlessness - that's Rhus. so no surprise it had no effect. Look into Symphytum as well.
________________________________

From: "'tamarque' tamarque@earthlink.net [minutus]"
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2014 10:09 AM
Subject: Re: [Minutus] limping dog
try thinking out of the box.
he doesn’t want to move. maybe that is the key.
look at remedies like bryonia to see if something else fits
t
From: mailto:minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2014 9:48 AM
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Minutus] limping dog
I gave him three doses of rhus tox yesterday afternoon and evening. I don't see any change this morning. I'm not sure if ruta fits this. He is not restless at all. He is just lying around. He has a very pronounced limp, but he is not lifting the leg. We are not walking him at all and I slept on the floor so that he wouldn't jump on and off the bed. Can you think of anything else to do? Your thoughts are very much appreciated. I am guessing that this is mostly going to be time and rest that heal him. I'm depressed!
Julie

[Tanya Marquette]

Well, there is symptom for you—wanting company
From: mailto:minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2014 10:30 AM
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Minutus] limping dog

Its so hard with a dog when they cant tell you how they are feeling. This is an injury, not a chronic condition, although it has happened before. He had been fine for several years. I don't see much about Bryonia that fits, but I am not very experienced. He is usually a very, very calm dog except when he sees a person or dog he knows or when he sees an small animal. He gets very excited with a person or dog, and goes into hunting mode with a small animal. So him lying around the house is not unusual at all. He is still following me around the house. I am trying to limit him going up and down the stairs but he really wants to be with me as always.
Julie