Guest Anonymous Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 Hi I wonder if anyone has any experience of a dog sitting with hind legs splayed out to the side. This is the way one of my dogs always sits and I am worrying in case it means some kind of problem with his legs/hips. He is a four year old crossbreed who came from a very rough home before I had him so practically anything could have happened to him before he became mine. Any opinions suggestions welcome. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 Thanks K It seems a friendly enough place so thought I would try a cautious post!! I will attempt a photo. It is not a great picture but he is the black one on the left and you can at least just about see where his legs are sticking out. Sometimes they stick out further than this. [img]http://www.mypetpages.net/artists/126/0/8b884d9b2a9d1411e99da581b09a62b2.JPG[/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midori115 Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 so I have no advice :oops: but i think your pups are pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Kat Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 Does he always sit like this or just at times? I see you have a wooden floor which isn't easy to sit straight on for a doggy! I see what you mean about him splaying. It could possibly a vertebrae problem in his spine or his hips may have slight dysplasia. I don't want to alarm you, but I'm just mentioning these. If you are really concerned then take a trip to your vet :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zac850 Posted November 7, 2003 Share Posted November 7, 2003 I agree with Kat. It could just be that thats how hes comftorable, or the floor is slippery. If it IS a medical thing, it could a nervous system thing, or hip displasia. However, since hes only 4 years old, those are much less likely... good luckd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarFox Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Do you know what kind of mix he is? Hmm well sometimes dogs will just sit funny because they like it. And sometimes dogs will sit funny because there hips or back hurts. If you realy want to be sure that nothing is wrong I would take him to your vet and have some back x-rays done and definitly have hip x-rays done to make sure he dosn't have hip dysplacia. Better to be safe then sorry. Oh by the way cute pic! You have loverly dogs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Thanks everyone. I think he is a collie/terrier cross. He usually sits slightly splayed but gets much worse quickly on a slippy floor when his feet just keep sliding. When he lays on his back he does do the legs flopping wide thing!! He is due for his jabs soon so I will be taking him to the vets to see what they think also but he is so nervous he will be really tense and I don't want to put him through too much pulling about and vet treatment unless it is really neccesary as I am still trying to convince him the world is not full of people trying to hurt him. Dawn Thanks for the compliment about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltielover Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 [quote name='K']OOOHH heres a thought!...when he lies on his back does he do the "porn star" pose :oops: ...you know with legs just flopping wide?..I know it might be old wives tail but apparently thier hips are not bad if they do that...any input anyone?[/quote] K, Honey LOVES laying like that!!! She just let's it ALL hang out........ :roll: And Licky sits with her back legs to the side....I call her my little hootchie momma. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marion Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Rosie always sits like that. When she's on the laminate flooring or kitchen floor her back legs slide right out. :lol: It's so funny watching them go. :lol: But she sits with them splayed normally and the porno pose when lay on her back. :D In fact she was lay like that the other day and Ruby was licking her you know what. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltielover Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 [quote name='marion']In fact she was lay like that the other day and Ruby was licking her you know what. :o[/quote] OMD, Licorice does that to Honey!!!! :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellieangel Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Hi Dawn !! I have actually heard that this is a sign of GOOD hips. We had a Staffie at club that would sit with both legs stuck out [b]behind[/b] him !!! And his owners were told by his vet that it was a sign of good hips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 Thanks everyone :D I will see what the vet thinks when I take him next week - hopefully it will turn out to be just one of those strange things he does. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malamum Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I also have a big dog who sits with his hind legs at all weird and wonderful angles. I think this is mostly lazieness on his part - he can sit perfectly straight when he chooses to but most of the time just flops around :roll: Since you are going to the vet anyway it wouldn't hurt to ask. Let us know how you go. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarFox Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 [quote name='K']OOOHH heres a thought!...when he lies on his back does he do the "porn star" pose :oops: ...you know with legs just flopping wide?..I know it might be old wives tail but apparently thier hips are not bad if they do that...any input anyone?[/quote] Dogs with bad hips or HD don't do the "porn star" pose. If they do the ball of the femur would come out of the hip socket and hurt allot. So I suppose this might be a sign of good hips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Kat Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 A sign of good hips actually is if your dog can lie flat with his hind legs out straight behind. Looks strange but shows good pelvic rotation. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 We have now visited the vets and she says that he has got a problem with his kness which is luxating patella (not sure of the spelling). Not much of a problem at the moment but may need an operation if it gets worse and causes him more problems. Any advice on that?? - I have been taking him along to flyball with my other dog but guess I should now stop that as I assume jumping wil make things worse. Is there anything I can do to help other than keeping his weight low as the vet has suggested? Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Kat Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Basically what is happening is that the groove where the patella(knee cap) sits, isn't deep enough and the patella slips over the side. Many things contribute to this including tight muscles and ligaments around the area of the patellar joint. Flyball isn't advisable. You need to keep him exercised but do it sensibly and don't let him run flat out or spring. Get some Vitamin E 200I.U and Glucosamine as well to prevent further wear and tear damage. An op can be done that will deepen the patellar groove and lengthen the muscles to prevent the patella from slipping out, but unless its happening continuously on a regular basis causing pain to your dog, then you don't have to consider this in the immediate future. Its not just dogs by the way that have this..humans get it too. I dislocated my right knee a few years ago doing agility and in the process tore the posterior cruciate ligament. At the time I was in plaster from my thigh to my ankle (hell for 6 weeks!), and was told that I would require surgery definitely. Being the type that rarely sits down I said no and now a few years on, as long as I keep my knee bending then it doesnt lock and dislocate. Keep doing physio with your dog by standing him up and get someone to hold his head. Lift his leg and gently slowly bring the leg under his abdomen so that it is in a bent position. This may cause him a bit of discomfort initially, so only go as far as he is happy with, then gradually increase the bending range. As long as you keep him supple and exercise regulated, you shouldn't have any surgery to worry about just yet. Good luck and I'm glad that you took him to see your vet :fadein: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 13, 2003 Share Posted November 13, 2003 Thanks Kat, I am glad I got the vets to take a look too so I can at least try to limit the damge he is doing with jumping by stopping flyball and avoiding other jumping type activities (although he does wild leaps into the air sometimes just for fun). Hopefully we can avoid the op altogether and just manage things as at the moment he does not limp just sits strangely!! Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zac850 Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 In addition, for the distant future, and if you can't afford surgery (i don't know how much the surgery is...)there is a fairly good pain medication called Rymadyl (sp? it may be Rimadyl...) Regardless, it is a very good medication for painful joints and at the pratice i work at the vet uses it a lot for old dogs with HD when the owner can't afford or elects not to do the surgery for some reason. the only possible problem with it is that it can "theoriticly" lead to the liver dyeing... though im not accutly sure about the percentage of that. (if anyone can find out how many cases of kidney or liver failure have been causes by it, i would love to know). Good luck with your dog, i hope shes allright Zac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Thanks for the suggestion :D My little chap is insured thnakfully but regardless of that if it comes to him needing surgery and that is the best thing for him he will have it. However we are hoping that now I am aware of the problem we can avoid making things worse and he will not have any further problems. I am hoping to start taking hm swimming soon to build up his muscles and we are also trying to cure his terrible habit of doing big wild jumps in the air - landing on his back legs of course. :evil: Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zac850 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Good Luck!!!! let us know how it goes!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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