My Yorkie's Leg...he is limping!! Already had X-ray!
 

I am new to this forum! I alway come here for answers but today I couldn't find mine! My husband and I have 2 yorkies, Charlie just turned a year old Tuesday and Bentley is five months.

We were visiting NY this past weekend and my friend's toddler, out of nowhere, ran over to and tackled Bentley. :( He cried for five minutes and then settled. In the morning we took him to the vet to have an X-ray bc he was not walking on his leg still(back, left). It was negative, meaning nothing is broken. They have him pain meds for two days and he started letting it down a little more and more. He walked on it maybe half a day and occasionally here and there. But he's not showing any real improvement in use.

I can wiggle and push and pull on it and he does nothing. No sign of pain. But he still isn't walking on it. Could he be faking or milking it out of fear? I called the vet back in FL, where we are and that they always see, and they don't really have anything to say except bring him in. I get frustrated by just taking him there for nothing but pain meds bc it's obviously not hurting that badly when I push and pull.

Any advice on healing times or what the next step should be? Is it possible he just has a muscle memory or is just scared?

His energy level, eating, playing and popping are all completely normal. We are having a difficult time keeping him from wrestling with Charlie.

Great......just loving those toddlers! As far as your baby is concerned, I would for my own piece of mind, have him seen by an orthopedic specialist. I would want to be absolutely certain the xray was shot then read correctly.....not only leg, but up to include hips. Bentley is a baby....you want to be sure there has been nothing missed that is going to set up problems for the rest of his life. This is just me...I always err on the side of caution.....

Could be a torn or sprain tendon and an orthopedic specialist would be necessary to determine that, more than likely. If it's completely torn and retracted from the bone, it will become very disabling and even partial tears of the CCL and so forth become nightmares at times. I'd crate rest your little one when you can't watch him and keep the dog from all jumping or play until the specialist's examination. Dogs are stoic by heredity and programmed not to show pain for fear of showing weakness which can lead to attack and death by another predator and with most dogs, no amount of domestication has re-programmed this tendency to mask pain.

I agree. orthopedic specialist is the way to go.

Update!!!***

We took him back to the vet last night. They suggested a re-X-ray, which we did. They found two fractures, one very close to the growth plate. They cast him all up and gave us pain meds. They also referred us to an orthopedic specialist which we will see Monday afternoon.

I feel so bad for him. He's just dragging that cast around, but it is a bit cute!

Next advice I would be looking for is what is the difference between recommended surgery and necessary surgery? I want to go in knowing, some what, what they are saying and what is actually necessary. Both vets believed his ligaments and tendons to be okay but the surgeon will triple check I'm sure. The fracture near the growth plate is what they're most worried about as far as needing surgery.

Please let me know if you have any advice, experience or suggestions about when, or if, to proceed with surgery should they recommend it. Thanks!!

Usually with orthopedic type procedures in people, medically necessary surgery is to save the integrity of the bone/limb and recommended or elective surgery is to prevent worse things happening secondary to a poor healing, such as arthritis or an inflammatory condition, both of which may cause lameness in the leg.

Yes I would be worried too, if the fracture is very near the growth plate.

Try googling and go to well respected sites, to see options for surgical intervention for this type of fracture. Stem Cell treatment might be an option here.

Why wasn't the fracture picked up on the first set of Xrays?

I'm not sure. I'm hoping to get that $130 back. I've requested a copy of the X-ray be sent to me and compare it to the current ones I have. Maybe I will be able to see something. It might be a few days because the old X-ray will coming from ny and we are in Florida

I think I see, Fla is where you live now, and New York was where the accident happened and you went to a vet there?

I would definitely show the previous Xrays to your current vet, and see what they say about whether the old views were taken correctly, and or if an actual break was observable on the old Xrays.

Yea I will when I get it for sure. So frustrating. Then the poor little guy was walking around for five days with a broken leg and we thought he was being dramatic! :( it's so sad to watch him with his little cast and leg dragging behind. He's one tough boy! If this happened to Charlie she would be as dramatic and sad as ever, but his spirits are pretty good!

[QUOTE=gemy;4262702]Yes I would be worried too, if the fracture is very near the growth plate.

Try googling and go to well respected sites, to see options for surgical intervention for this type of fracture. Stem Cell treatment might be an option here.

Why wasn't the fracture picked up on the first set of Xrays?[/QUOTE]

This is exactly WHY most docs (and vets)want to re-ray injuries....they wont often go by what the first doc says is wrong, or take his interpretation of what he sees on xray. The quality of the original xray may not be good, and the doc may not be good at reading the xray. We like to jump and think this next group of vets or docs is just trying to get more money, but that is not the reason for doing their own tests. I am happy for the direction your case has taken, as far as treatment and appointments....The ortho specialist will be able to give you options and alternatives and help deciding what would be best for you and your baby....

Any chance it was just hairline or even Greenstick fx. at first and walking around on it or pushing/examining it extended the fx's? That happened to my sister when a doctor examined her fractured fibula BEFORE XRS. X-rays then showed the fracture communicated into the joint! It could be that her original fracture didn't but stressing the joint as the doctor I worked for at the time did during exam, putting it through full range of motion BEFORE the x-ray, sure could have extended it. That's only a possibility if the first XR was taken fairly early on and read as negative - though apparently misreads and/or poor film quality or XR technique can badly affect a reading. When there is kind of blunt force trauma like this involved and a limp persists, a second set of XRS was in order anyway, especially as time had elapsed which could have furthered any original injury. I sure hope that your specialist can fix him up and give him a leg that will be healthy throughout his long life. He's got a lot of running, playing, chasing squirrels and jumping to do.

[quote=Yorkiemom1;4262788]In Canada now many good vets have digital Xray machines, and software that allows them to send onto the specialist the views they have taken.

Thank God, I don't have to transport Xrays from one doc to another.

It is why with any Xray basically speaking I go to an ortho vet. They have the equipment and expertise. I go to an ortho vet for screening Xrays on Hip and Elbows for Certs on them. I usually already know from them, what offa will likely say.

It saved me some money when my ortho vet was able to email or transfer those Xrays to another specialist. And not paying for double views of something.

It is also a good thing for your general vet to have.

I think both of the vet clinics Tibbe goes to use digital x-ray equipment. My own doctors all do, too. Makes the world an easier place.

Poor baby. I would be furious with my friend if her toddler did that to my baby AND the vet in NY. This is why many rescues will not place a yorkie in a family with young children. It's not the kid's fault, they don't know any better, but accidents can happen at any time, and with toddlers they happen quite often.

If the vet in NY won't refund your money, I would at the very least write a review on them. Not only did they not take or read the xray correctly, their incompetence made your baby walk around with a broken leg in two places for days!

Yea we are pretty upset about the whole situation! And it happened so fast! :( just trying to move on and figure out what's next. He's so young and so is his little sister. They're so in love and we ADORE them! I just want him to heal up ASAP! See his little running, shaking booty in the yard again:)

Here's hoping and praying things turn out well in the end for this little sweetie!

I, too, am praying everything goes well with the ortho doctor and he will be back to playing with Charlie again soon. Hang in there mom! :)

Question to throw out!

Does the mother of the toddler who ran after and then jumped on my dog have legal responsibility?

He is 2 1/2 and he got up off a chair, screamed doggy, ran to him and jumped on him. She has refused to help is claiming she doesn't have any money, which we know is false. Does she have any legal responsibility?

I wonder if your best friend is going to be prepared to pick up the vet bill for this?

That was not for Capt Noonie but the OP, I guess quotes are still getting mixed up

Well that is so dicey isn't it? About the vet bills. It is a huge quagmire, and no clear path through.

I do know what my ethics say. And that is if my child inflicted damage to another living being under my nose so to speak, I would feel responsible and would do at least something to make it right.

She has already made it clear she will not help because she can not afford it. Which we know is not true...and we only asked for half. So if he needs surgery we may consider small claims court. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if we could win. I couldn't find much.

That is just terrible! If this happened with my good friend,and if she really was a good friend, I know she would offer, but I would probably refuse the help. But at least the offer of help was made. You know she can afford it, but she says she can't. If it were me, I don't know if my friendship would be able to handle that.these dogs are our babies. If you accidentally hurt her kid, I'm sure you would offer to help pay right? I know I would!

If it really comes down. To it,yes small claims court. You could also try to take the NY vet to small claims also if they don't want to refund the money, but I don't know how it works out of state. Call you credit card company first. Many times they have buyer protection. You can open up a chargeback dispute.

Laws vary State to State....there are lawyers on here....maybe one will step forward with some legal advise...if not, I would contact Legal Aid in Florida....maybe they would be able to answer this for you. I am certain if you had accidentally run over her child, she would expect YOU or your insurance company to foot the bill and probably sue for a little extra, to boot......really find out the depth of a persons character and integrity when something like this happens, dont you.......

Maybe I'm a wus but I don't think I could sue my friend. Not if I wanted to stay friends. Yea they should offer to pay but barring that it would be touchy.

She's a friend of the family. More my sisters friend than mine.

So sad this happened to Bentley and I hope he feels better soon. So how do you think the conversation would have gone if little human baby had chased after Bentley, tried to grab his little face and poor frightened Bentley bit the little darling? I am pretty sure she would already have served papers.
I know what Judge Judy would say.

I agree, but if a true friend, I don't think it would get to that point. If a friend or acquaintance caused it, I would expect them to at least offer to help pay. If they refused, even after asking, I don't think I would want to remain friends.

I am so sorry about your little guy. it is just awful that this happened and as for your friend you would think that she would feel terrible and offer to help pay. Sending prayers for you and your little guy.

She is not much of a friend to anyone if she is not willing to take responsibility for her childs actions. This means that she doesnt see a problem with what occured.