Mysterious Bad Leg

[barnold1]

One of my dogs is acting odd and I wondered if there's anything I should look for. I went out to feed yesterday evening and one of my dogs is holding one of his back legs off the ground like it's hurt. He doesn't look his usual self (all slow and moping around, held held low).

His kennelmate is a whole lot smaller than him and totally submissive, so I don't think he got worked over. Also, he hasn't been out of the kennel since Saturday, and this just showed up Wednesday, so I can't see where he got hurt in the field. I took him out of the kennel and looked him over and there's no signs of external injuries. I found two ticks on the underside of his leg, but he's frontlined and ivomec'd and both were dead on him. He's still looking like crap tonight; any suggestions/predictions on what could be affecting him?

[bluemouse]

lyme diesese, check out post from earlier

[barnold1]

I found your earlier post; thanks for the direction. After reading this, he has looked a little stiff in the rear while out running from time to time; I remember earlier this spring when somebody suggested I check his foot for a thorn or something during a trial and we didn't find anything. I always thought maybe he was muscle bound in the back or had a bad joint.

Is this medication available online or do I need to get it from the vet? He's going in for a rabies shot tomorrow so I'll get him tested. I talked to my vet's assistant and he last received this vacination in 2005 (as a pup) and I learned its an annual deal.

If he is carrying it, do you know if there would be any issues with breeding (female or offspring)? I'll ask the vet, but they try to talk you into neutering anyway.....

Thanks again.

[barnold1]

My dog started using his back leg again on Friday (two days after I noticed the first symptoms) but he was still lethargic and burning up with a fever. I had some old amoxycillin from the last time he got stitched up, so I gave him one of those figuring it couldn't hurt until we got to the vet this morning. They ran a blood test and diagnosed it as Ehrlichiosis, which she said was pretty common for my neck of the woods (western MO) and gave him some fresh antibiotics to wipe it out.

My first search on the Lyme disease found articles warning that it could come back, so I was worried that it was some sort of virus he'd carry forever. But for anyone else that is curious, it's a bacteria that if treated properly will be wiped out. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.

Bill