Pulled Muscle

Please help.
My little Staffie who is in perfect health has been diagnosed by the vet with muscle strain he was to have total rest and take anti inflamotary tablets for 1 week but he is no better.Now I have to admit the rest he had was not total he is a livewire.
Please advise what I should now do.Should I cage him as I feel he will not like that at all and maybe bang against the cage.If it will work I'll buy one. or if you can suggest anything at all that will help him to get better.
Many Thanks

Hoping to hear from you at the end of my tether
Edjan

[Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.]

We call this "Crate Training", or Crate Confinment, sometimes "Kenneling"  It is the only way to confine a dog for either treatment or post op care for some orthopedic problems.  

Reading your description I do believe you would benefit.  I think should should buy a kennel (and I recommend a all wire kennel - as opposed to a travel type plastic one) and then get online and read some articles on Crate Training.  This will help you understand how to accustom him to the kennel and the benefits.  For now your benefits are confinement, but there are other ways Crate Training helps your dog.  

let us know how this works for you,.  

[edjan]

Thanks for your advice I will buy the crate one more question though. Is it ok to walk him slowly round the garden for toilet visits?

many Thanks

Edjan

[Krista L Gibson, D.V.M.]

I hope the crate works out for you.  It can be challenging to confine or restrain activity in a very active dog!  

To answer your other question, typically when I have patients with these sort of problems, I recommend they to go out on a leash to go to the bathroom, then back inside.  That way, you can (hopefully) keep them at a slower pace with minimal jumping and running around which can just aggravate the injury.  Again, it can be a challenge to get them to be calm and quiet, especially once they start feeling good again.  Just do your best, and if the problem doesn't resolve with rest, you might need to go back to the vet for some xrays.  

Good luck!