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Min Pin and front leg weakness
I have a 10 year old min pin that started having front leg weakness suddenly at Thanksgiving after playing with the kids. She spent 4 days at the vets on IV steroids and has been on steroids ever since. When I try to drop the meds to one a day her symptoms get worse. So I stick with twice a day. Her symptoms include her front legs folding, then she falls, gets right back up and after a few steps she falls again. When she is in a hurry it gets worse. When she falls on the tile floor, she at time is unable to get up without help. I've noticed her panting at odd times and am not sure what causes this.
Anyone have any idea what may be going on with my Abby?
Anyone have any idea what may be going on with my Abby?
Yes I also now have the same problem with my 11 year old. I did have X-rays. Cert. Impingement. Maybe I have not been strict enough with rest but have a soft crate for her. My vet also thinks b/c her breathing hard and large spleen and lungs that sounded bad she has lymphoma.... we are on 2nd dose of chemo which she tolerates well. Seems happy. But she keeps falling and that breaks our heart. I also got her a stroller for walks which is nice. I can also take her out in a cart on my bike. Her lungs and the breathing and her falling got worse on a trip to Colorado a few weeks ago. My vet said b/c of the altitude is may have cause less spinal fluid or more inflammation. We moved from Colorado to California 8 months ago. She is on predinisolone 5mg x1 day and I can give 1/4 of a tab methocarbamol 500 mg twice a day as needed. Thanks for your help and suggestions to what I might do next. I'm printing the previous e-mails and taking them to my vet!
Brandy
Brandy
Yes I also now have the same problem with my 11 year old. I did have X-rays. Cert. Impingement. Maybe I have not been strict enough with rest but have a soft crate for her. My vet also thinks b/c her breathing hard and large spleen and lungs that sounded bad she has lymphoma.... we are on 2nd dose of chemo which she tolerates well. Seems happy. But she keeps falling and that breaks our heart. I also got her a stroller for walks which is nice. I can also take her out in a cart on my bike. Her lungs and the breathing and her falling got worse on a trip to Colorado a few weeks ago. My vet said b/c of the altitude is may have cause less spinal fluid or more inflammation. We moved from Colorado to California 8 months ago. She is on predinisolone 5mg x1 day and I can give 1/4 of a tab methocarbamol 500 mg twice a day as needed. Thanks for your help and suggestions to what I might do next. I'm printing the previous e-mails and taking them to my vet!
Brandy
Brandy
I know this was a few years ago, but I'm having the EXACT problem with my 9 yo minion right now and I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to help him. The vet just gave him deramaxx 25mg for the pain. Did you every figure out what this is and how to fix it?
Is there sometning youwould recommend? Or should I just fix meals for her.
Went to second opinion today and same outcome. X-rays not necessary, doesn't seem to be in any pain. It is neurologic. So Saturday we are off to see the neurologist for more answers.
The vet today said that the neurologist would suggest lots of tests and that they may be expensive. So, doing the tests would be up to me, but we would still have a better idea of what is going on.
If anyone has any idea, I would appreciate the information.
Went to second opinion today and same outcome. X-rays not necessary, doesn't seem to be in any pain. It is neurologic. So Saturday we are off to see the neurologist for more answers.
The vet today said that the neurologist would suggest lots of tests and that they may be expensive. So, doing the tests would be up to me, but we would still have a better idea of what is going on.
If anyone has any idea, I would appreciate the information.
Here's a Heads Up: This review is from DogFoodAdvisor.com....One of many food resources to alert pet owners what their really putting in their dog's mouth!!!! Thought you needed to know......Karla
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine (Dry)
by Mike Sagman
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine dry dog food gets the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.
The Hill’s Science Diet R/D Canine product line lists two dry dog foods.
Although each formulation appears to be designed for adult weight loss, we found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these dog foods on the Hill’s website.
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss with Chicken
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss dry dog food was selected to represent both products for this review.
Hill's Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Ground whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, soybean mill run, powdered cellulose (source of fiber), soybean meal, chicken liver flavor, dried beet pulp, soybean oil, carmel color, dl-methionine, l-lysine, potassium chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamins (l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), vitamin E supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), iodized salt, minerals (manganese sulfate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), calcium carbonate, taurine, l-carnitine, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, beta-carotene, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 13.1%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The next item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.
Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need to sustain life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
The third item reports chicken by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, chicken by-products are those unsavory leftovers usually considered “unfit for human consumption”.
This stuff can contain almost anything… feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs… everything but skeletal muscle (real meat).
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fourth item lists soybean mill run. Mill run is a by-product… mostly the hulls of soybeans remaining after processing the beans into meal. This is nothing more than a cheap, low-quality filler more commonly found in cattle feeds.
The fifth ingredient is powdered cellulose… a non-digestible plant fiber usually made from cotton or sawdust. Cellulose is sometimes added to dilute the number of calories per serving and to give the feeling of fullness when it is eaten.
Except for the usual benefits of fiber, powdered cellulose provides no nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth ingredient is soybean meal. Soybean meal is actually a useful by-product. It’s what remains of soybeans after all the oil has been removed.
Soybean meal contains 48% protein. However, compared to meat, this is an inferior plant-based protein. So, we must allow for this boosting effect as we judge the meat content of this food.
After the chicken liver flavor, we find beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The ninth ingredient is soybean oil… red flagged here only due to its suspected (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, we find no evidence of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Finally, the minerals here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Even though this is a prescription product, we continue to limit our judgment to the estimated meat content of the recipe as well as the apparent quality of its ingredients. And nothing else.
Our ratings have nothing to do with the accuracy of claims made by the manufacturer as to this product’s ability to effectively treat or cure a specific health condition.
So, to find out whether or not this dog food is appropriate for your particular pet, you must consult your veterinarian.
With that understanding…
This “professional” weight loss product is a real disappointment. That’s because judging by its ingredients alone, Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine appears to be a below-average dry dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 34%, a fat level of 8% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 49%.
The two products feature an average protein content of 34.5% and an average fat level of 8.5%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate proportion of 49% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Low fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Yet when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the soybean and corn gluten meals, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing only a moderate amount of meat.
Plus it’s difficult to ignore the unwelcome presence of so many Red Flag items.
Bottom line?
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine is a plant-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken by-product meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand two stars.
Not recommended.
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine (Dry)
by Mike Sagman
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine dry dog food gets the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.
The Hill’s Science Diet R/D Canine product line lists two dry dog foods.
Although each formulation appears to be designed for adult weight loss, we found no AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these dog foods on the Hill’s website.
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss with Chicken
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss dry dog food was selected to represent both products for this review.
Hill's Prescription Diet R/D Canine Weight Loss
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Ground whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, soybean mill run, powdered cellulose (source of fiber), soybean meal, chicken liver flavor, dried beet pulp, soybean oil, carmel color, dl-methionine, l-lysine, potassium chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamins (l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), vitamin E supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), iodized salt, minerals (manganese sulfate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), calcium carbonate, taurine, l-carnitine, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, beta-carotene, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 13.1%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The next item is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue remaining once corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.
Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need to sustain life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
The third item reports chicken by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, chicken by-products are those unsavory leftovers usually considered “unfit for human consumption”.
This stuff can contain almost anything… feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs… everything but skeletal muscle (real meat).
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The fourth item lists soybean mill run. Mill run is a by-product… mostly the hulls of soybeans remaining after processing the beans into meal. This is nothing more than a cheap, low-quality filler more commonly found in cattle feeds.
The fifth ingredient is powdered cellulose… a non-digestible plant fiber usually made from cotton or sawdust. Cellulose is sometimes added to dilute the number of calories per serving and to give the feeling of fullness when it is eaten.
Except for the usual benefits of fiber, powdered cellulose provides no nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth ingredient is soybean meal. Soybean meal is actually a useful by-product. It’s what remains of soybeans after all the oil has been removed.
Soybean meal contains 48% protein. However, compared to meat, this is an inferior plant-based protein. So, we must allow for this boosting effect as we judge the meat content of this food.
After the chicken liver flavor, we find beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The ninth ingredient is soybean oil… red flagged here only due to its suspected (yet unlikely) link to canine food allergies.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to have much of an effect on the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, we find no evidence of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Finally, the minerals here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Even though this is a prescription product, we continue to limit our judgment to the estimated meat content of the recipe as well as the apparent quality of its ingredients. And nothing else.
Our ratings have nothing to do with the accuracy of claims made by the manufacturer as to this product’s ability to effectively treat or cure a specific health condition.
So, to find out whether or not this dog food is appropriate for your particular pet, you must consult your veterinarian.
With that understanding…
This “professional” weight loss product is a real disappointment. That’s because judging by its ingredients alone, Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine appears to be a below-average dry dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 34%, a fat level of 8% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 49%.
The two products feature an average protein content of 34.5% and an average fat level of 8.5%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate proportion of 49% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Low fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Yet when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the soybean and corn gluten meals, this looks like the profile of a dry dog food containing only a moderate amount of meat.
Plus it’s difficult to ignore the unwelcome presence of so many Red Flag items.
Bottom line?
Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D Canine is a plant-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken by-product meal as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand two stars.
Not recommended.
Thanks for the information. I have NOT mixed the meds. Sounds like Tinsel is a lucky girl to have you taking care of her. I will keep her still this weekend.
Just got back from our walk. Well, my walk. She lays in the stroller, looks around and sniffs the outside air for awhile. I bought the stroller last week, mom thought I was nuts but Abby loves it.
We have her on RD reduced calorie food with a few carrots for snacks. Her lack of movement hinders the weight loss, but slowly it comes off.
Thanks again for caring.
Terry
Just got back from our walk. Well, my walk. She lays in the stroller, looks around and sniffs the outside air for awhile. I bought the stroller last week, mom thought I was nuts but Abby loves it.
We have her on RD reduced calorie food with a few carrots for snacks. Her lack of movement hinders the weight loss, but slowly it comes off.
Thanks again for caring.
Terry
NOOOOOOO!!!! DO NOT mix the Carprofen (Rimadyl) with the steroids!! One dose together can cause a Gastric Bleed!!!!
I will get back to you...Keep her still, even if it's sitting in the chair with you all day...
I have to go take care of a sick Rescue at my office......I go every four hours to check on her as she has no where else to go.......I'll be back soon.....
When this is all said and done, were gonna talk about her weight management food....In the mean time, what's the name of it?
Sorry but I gotta run...This little girl (Tinsel) has no way out today, except for Me......Bye.......Karla
I will get back to you...Keep her still, even if it's sitting in the chair with you all day...
I have to go take care of a sick Rescue at my office......I go every four hours to check on her as she has no where else to go.......I'll be back soon.....
When this is all said and done, were gonna talk about her weight management food....In the mean time, what's the name of it?
Sorry but I gotta run...This little girl (Tinsel) has no way out today, except for Me......Bye.......Karla
Thank you for all the great information. You confirm some of what I was thinking might be wrong.
I have been giving her Dexamethasone 25 mg twice a day since the end of November and we don't seem to be getting anywhere.
Crate rest sounds like it would be a good idea. She just likes to cuddle and be held. We have her on a special diet to lose some weight (needs to lose about 2 lbs) but the steroids are making her hungrier than usual.
I have some carprofen 25mg still around from before we started the steroids. She was taking 1/2 twice a day for arthritis pain. Can I give her the pain meds safely with the steroids?
My vet said the steroids took the place of the pain meds.
I was not able to get an appointment with a new vet today and I am not sure about taking her to an emergency vet I know nothing about.
But I can limit her movements this weekend. If I sit still, so does she.
Any other suggestions or comments are warmly welcomed. Thank you!!!
I have been giving her Dexamethasone 25 mg twice a day since the end of November and we don't seem to be getting anywhere.
Crate rest sounds like it would be a good idea. She just likes to cuddle and be held. We have her on a special diet to lose some weight (needs to lose about 2 lbs) but the steroids are making her hungrier than usual.
I have some carprofen 25mg still around from before we started the steroids. She was taking 1/2 twice a day for arthritis pain. Can I give her the pain meds safely with the steroids?
My vet said the steroids took the place of the pain meds.
I was not able to get an appointment with a new vet today and I am not sure about taking her to an emergency vet I know nothing about.
But I can limit her movements this weekend. If I sit still, so does she.
Any other suggestions or comments are warmly welcomed. Thank you!!!
Panting can also be a side effect of the Steroids....Her dose may be too high! Make sure you tell the New Vet what her dose is.....It may can be lowered and still be very effective.......I have found that half doses (Twice a day) still work well....Just a thought....Bye
Justic....I'm sorry it's so late, but I'm not going to bed till I can get this to you.....This is one of two things: First, x-rays should have been taken of her cervical (Neck) area....I agree that it sounds like a Disc Herniation in the neck....
If your Vet thought it was Neurological, then he should have treated with Pain Meds & Steroids.....She should have been on crate rest for 4-6 wks. till the herniation went down....Whats happening is the disc is protruding into the spinal column and causing the paralysis.....It's called IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) if you want to google it.....The proper approach is meds with cage confinement...That means NO running, jumping, or playing...Only carried out to potty and back in! This usually will do the trick, but it can happen again...
The good news is it rarely causes complete paralysis if the disc is in the neck area.....Further down the spine, if it happens, it can cause them to be completely paralyzed! Then you've got an emergency.....There is a surgery to correct this beautifully, but very expensive.....I paid close to $3000 for it...Don't panic just yet....There are ways to pay for it that I can help you with later.....I will add that acupuncture works wonders on these kind of issues.....I'm not kidding!!!!
Next, you must be aware that this could also be a Tumor of the Spine.....It WILL show on an x-ray and your original Vet dropped the ball by not doing it 3 months ago.....I'm not trying to scare you, but in a 10 yr. old, it's possible......My personal opinion is tumors of this sort are from Vaccines given in the neck, but conventional medicine usually would not agree...
Her PANTING is a sign of PAIN.....Thus, she needs pain medication to go along with the steroids.....They compliment each other......
If you have an opportunity to take her in tomorrow (To a New Vet), then I would do it......She needs to get this under control.....Please, come back and let me know what you find out.....I will be wondering about you both....Take care & let me know if you need more help......Karla
P.S. It's 1:00 AM here, but I'll be up a couple more hours if you need......I'll check back in.......Take care
If your Vet thought it was Neurological, then he should have treated with Pain Meds & Steroids.....She should have been on crate rest for 4-6 wks. till the herniation went down....Whats happening is the disc is protruding into the spinal column and causing the paralysis.....It's called IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) if you want to google it.....The proper approach is meds with cage confinement...That means NO running, jumping, or playing...Only carried out to potty and back in! This usually will do the trick, but it can happen again...
The good news is it rarely causes complete paralysis if the disc is in the neck area.....Further down the spine, if it happens, it can cause them to be completely paralyzed! Then you've got an emergency.....There is a surgery to correct this beautifully, but very expensive.....I paid close to $3000 for it...Don't panic just yet....There are ways to pay for it that I can help you with later.....I will add that acupuncture works wonders on these kind of issues.....I'm not kidding!!!!
Next, you must be aware that this could also be a Tumor of the Spine.....It WILL show on an x-ray and your original Vet dropped the ball by not doing it 3 months ago.....I'm not trying to scare you, but in a 10 yr. old, it's possible......My personal opinion is tumors of this sort are from Vaccines given in the neck, but conventional medicine usually would not agree...
Her PANTING is a sign of PAIN.....Thus, she needs pain medication to go along with the steroids.....They compliment each other......
If you have an opportunity to take her in tomorrow (To a New Vet), then I would do it......She needs to get this under control.....Please, come back and let me know what you find out.....I will be wondering about you both....Take care & let me know if you need more help......Karla
P.S. It's 1:00 AM here, but I'll be up a couple more hours if you need......I'll check back in.......Take care
She seems worse tonight. I wonder if she had a stroke.
When she walks she keeps her front paws straight. Maybe that is to try to avoid falling on her nose. I'm worried and wonder about taking her to the vet tomorrow. I don't want her to be uncomfortable for the weekend if avoidable.
But she is eating, peeing and pooing just like always. Still wants to be in the chair or bed with me. We've been together for almost all of her 10 years and cuddling at bedtime has become a favorite for us.
When she walks she keeps her front paws straight. Maybe that is to try to avoid falling on her nose. I'm worried and wonder about taking her to the vet tomorrow. I don't want her to be uncomfortable for the weekend if avoidable.
But she is eating, peeing and pooing just like always. Still wants to be in the chair or bed with me. We've been together for almost all of her 10 years and cuddling at bedtime has become a favorite for us.
Thanks I look forward to your answer. I have an appointment with a different vet on Monday morning.
Wow...I just left you a lengthy response & it disappeared.......I'm out of time now, but I promise I will get back to you....Karla
It sounds like she is having a problem with a cervical disc. I am also anxious to see your reply to Karla's question as to whether or not x-rays were taken when she was initially injured.
Ghilly
Ghilly
Hello & welcome......One question: Were any x-rays taken & what did your Vet think was going on? Let me know and I'll get back with you....Thanks, Karla
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