Poor Rowdy had a terrible night a few months ago. I don't know why, but his right rear leg started bothering him. To my knowledge, he did not have any kind of accident or injury, but his leg was hurting him something awful.
It started in the evening, as he was laying beside me, while I was on the computer. He kept getting up and laying down and could not seem to get comfortable. I watched him as his right rear leg would slowly start shaking and then get worse, until he couldn't stand it any longer and had to get up and lay back down. He just couldn't find a comfortable position where he didn't hurt. When he got up and walked, he couldn't hardly put any weight on it and hopped on his other rear leg.
The only thing I had to give him for pain, was a Tylenol PM, so I gave him half a pill, in hopes that it would help. Human pain relievers are not good for dogs and can cause liver damage, if taken in volume, so I wasn't going to give him any more.
This went on for most of the night, as he was groan breathing, because he couldn't get comfortable. He kept me up for over an hour and a half, till he finally found a sweet spot and went to sleep. However, if he moved, the process would start over and it would take a little time before he found that sweet spot again. This also woke me up off and on, so I was aware of what was happening to him.
By morning, I decided to take him to the vet, but none close to me were open and the one I take him to was also closed, because it was the weekend. The only ones open were an hour drive away, and I was short on cash and my local bank branch was also closed. (I do not use bank cards)
He did however, start showing signs of improvement, as he was putting a little weight on his leg. Monday, I finally got a hold of my vet, and made an appointment, but it was for several days later, on Thursday. By this time Rowdy was progressively better and by appointment time, he was back to using his leg, but favoring it a little.
The vet thoroughly checked his leg and found no evidence of injury. At his age, he thinks that it was just an arthritis flair up and the he could have just stepped wrong and caused a disc or something, to slip or strain, causing the pain. He gave Rowdy a shot for the pain and some pain pills to give him, if he has any more problems.
What he prescribed, was called Vetprofen 75mg and I am to give him one half pill, twice a day, if he has another flair up, or if he seems to be suffering form pain.
After the shot took full effect, he was like a new dog. Though still favoring that leg a little bit for a week or so, he has now come totally out of it and is doing fine at the moment.
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