Bulldogs World

If you are in the Dallas area you may want to consider a different vet. I could recommend one, plus there are other bulldoggers here that could recommend a good bully vet for you,

Three weeks ago Thursday my Hank (2 years) injured his leg (and I credit this to a recent weight gain).  In efforts to avoid sedation for x-rays and surgery we tried kennel rest w/ accompanying Deramaxx.  I trust my vet very much and he said that a half tablet of deramaxx once a day was NOT to be exceeded.  How much Deramaxx were you prescribed and in what dosages?  I noticed a few side effects like his tongue seemed to be numb because everytime he ate he was dropping food out of his mouth like he did not know how to complete the task.  Two weeks later of kennel rest he seemed to finally be walking fine (when he was hurt he was completely lame on his back leg, never even putting it down).  It has been two days of more normal activity and he is slightly limping again.  My vet suggested that we can continue the Deramaxx in a weaning schedule (quarter tablet every day, then quarter tablet every other).  The problem with these drugs are not the drugs themselves but the doctors who do not prescribe them in the right amounts (just like for humans).  Also, according to my vet the GLC supplements are great as a preventative measure but will not fix any acute injury that your dog may have.  Until you can get your bully back to the vet I would put her on strict kennel rest (only comes out to eat or go to the bathroom).  No steps, no running/jumping, goes outside on a leash etc.   Although my Hank is not 100% better, I suspect his limp is back because of the lack of pain meds but I think the kennel rest will in the long run help us avoid knee surgery.  When they are on kennel rest their bodies develop scar tissue around acute injuries which sometimes can prevent the need for any surgery and promote internal healing.  I do not know why your dogs symptoms seem to be rotating legs... this may speak to an arthritis problem, in which case GLC is great.  You should front load the GLC though according to my vet.  Give more than one a day for 4-6 weeks then back down to a maintenance dose of once per day.

Also, when one leg is injured I was informed that the biggest risk is that by letting them walk around and behave normally is them hurting their other leg.  Which is why kennel rest is so important.  If your dog was hurt on one side it is very possible that she hurt the other while trying to compensate for the first injury.  I hope she starts to feel better.  Watching them in pain is the WORST experience.  Kennel rest is very hard when they look at you so sad like "why are you putting me in here!" but you know it is for their own good.  I have been lax this weekend but I plan to continue strict kennel rest w/ out any more Deramaxx once weaned until the limp is completely gone.   Update us after your vet appointment!

Hank's mom.

I personally prefer Rimadyl over Deramaxx and unfortunatley thery all have side effects but every drug does.  Have you read those on any perscriptions you take or have taken. 

Get the weight off of her and some Rimadyl for a few weeks and she needs to rest and not play for a couple of weeks. Then see how she is. 

Hope she gets better soon.

I am curious as to why you would switch the diet from PMR to Barf. In my opinion, PMR is the most excellent diet for our pets. If you just feed less, twice a day if you're worried about hunger, but smaller meals the weight should come off rapidly.

I hope the other problem with your girl is also remedied quickly.

we use Tramadol and it has very few side effects.  Our boy had surgery on his leg and also has a bad back, so every once in a while he needs a little something to help with pain if he overdoes it.  Also, I know you live in Texas, do they have valley fever there?  Here in Arizona, if any of our guys start limping, we test them for valley fever, it's a fungus that lives in the hot, dry, dusty climates (Arizona is where we are) and the first symptom is usually a limp that rotates from leg to leg.  Just a though, you might not even have it where you are.

I'm in El Paso, as well. I suggest trying Montana Animal Clinic. It's near Montana and Trowbridge. The vet and techs there have plenty of experiance, and that is the only place I trust with Tank. They are a walk in bases.