Here we limp again!

AP here:

A week ago Tonka got up from a nap and he was limping on his right front paw. It went away by the time we got to the vet (of course) and they had a hard time making him react to range of motion -or anything for that matter -with his foot, elbow or shoulder. He pretty much started to fall asleep while Dr. Anderson was examining him (such a laid back boy).

So with no official diagnosis we started him on an anti-inflammatory and a prescription of no-playing or running. Since this is his fourth bout with this lameness issue in the past year Dr. Woodburn suggested we go see an Orthopedic Dr. that specializes in sports injuries in animals. So we are going to see Dr. Canapp http://www.vetsportsmedicine.com/about/staff_scanapp.html at VOSM http://www.vetsportsmedicine.com/ . Those of you that follow the blog regularly know that Tonka lives for his walks and so if he has something wrong in his shoulder we need to get it fixed ASAP.




A Tonka dog without his walks and his blippity blopping with his friends is a very depressed boy! If you are not familiar with the Blippity Blop be sure to watch any of his videos where he is running. Tonka steps really high when he is running - he sort of blippity blops along. He is allowed to go for short walks but no blippity blopping or wrestling and so far he is not depressed just mad... This boy has the entire neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods in a 4 mile radius completely mapped out in his head. He knows when you shorten his walk or deviate from his normal route. He is such a good boy that when he wants to keep going or turn the other way he does not pull to get his way. He simply stops, and sits. He has done this little routine since he was a puppy and back then I would just pick him up and carry him a few feet and put him down and continue you on. He has long since outgrown the ability for me to pull that off, at 125lbs I can only lift him down and out of a truck I cannot lift him up. The trick to get him to move is not pulling him or jerking the leash but to have a talk with him. I am sure the neighbors think I am very odd. I walk a blind dog 2x a day rain or shine he wears sunglasses on windy days and I have on occasion held an umbrella over him. Then then the crazy lady is squatted in front of him whispering in his ear.


It works though, I get down on his level and whisper that we can't go that way today and I tell him why he needs to come with me and he will just get up and willingly come along as if he understands. I am sure a behaviorist will tell you it is just the break in the situation that changes the pattern he was in or something like that but I like to think it is because he is just a good boy that needs to know why.