# He ran into a tree! What should I watch for?



## stacey_eight (Sep 20, 2010)

Zeke is 10 months old. We were playing ball in a park, he chased it, the ball bounced perpindicular off his face, he turned after it and must not have seen the large tree in front of him because somehow he ran/slid his rear left leg into the tree. Not quite sure the mechanics of how he missed the tree with his front, but it was his rear left that hit. He cried and held his paw up for a few seconds, then limped to me. I had my dad go home to get the car (we'd walked to the park) and by the time he got back with it, Zeke was walking normally. He lets me handle the hip, knee, leg etc. with no reaction. I've tried to keep him quiet (this happened Thursday). I see no limp when he's walking or trotting in the yard and he willingly goes up and down the few stairs on our deck, though I'm keeping him off the large staircase that goes upstairs. 

Yesterday we wene back to the park withOUT a ball. We were letting my daughter play and I was going to let Zeke just move around off leash, sniff, poop etc. When I unhooked his leash, he took a few big fast bounds away like he was expecting me to throw a ball (I didn't have one with me) but for a second after he did that, he held up his rear paw funny.

I am trying not to be paranoid, as I have taken him to the vet multiple times for what turned out to be no good reason. But I'm worried that he might be hurt and maybe he's just such a tough guy that it's not showing??? He has no trouble getting up after sleeping, and his trot is still big and beautiful. But what should I look for if there is a true injury and not just soreness from hitting the tree? I remember reading a thread on "bunny-hopping" in hip displaysia cases, what would that look like? Am I being an over-protective mom for worrying so much or a bad mom for not rushing to the vet?


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## stacey_eight (Sep 20, 2010)

Ach. He looks a little funny when I watch super close. I made an appointment for Monday anyway. Jesus, I hope he's okay. Dogs are harder to keep healthy than kids.


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## stacey_eight (Sep 20, 2010)

I know, I'm talking to myself here. Husband is pissed that Zeke ran into the tree (like I put the tree there on purpose), what if he tore his ACL? I only got Pet Plan less than two weeks ago, so of course it won't be covered. That would be just my luck. It looks like he raises that leg off the bottom stair of the deck so he doesn't land on it when he hits the grass. I wonder if I should keep him crated until Monday? He'd be miserable, but maybe it would prevent further injury. If it's just a bruise or sprain, he should probably be moving around... He's just so _active_.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Sounds like a pulled muscle. Worse case scenario, ACL/MCL tear.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Generally I would feel for an injury like you did- Swelling or heat, resistance to moving the different joints in the leg. Sometimes they do break a toe or something like that which is not a readily seen injury- usually need an Xray to diagnose but I would think there would be swelling and resistance to movement in the toe.

More often than not though it's a soft tissue injury. And soft tissue injuries are only fixed by rest and sometimes anti-inflammatory meds. Anka once tore what amounts to the groin muscle and the injury would show in the rear leg. She would seem fine on slow walks and then she'd move fast and she'd be lame in her rear leg again. After a visit with a vet, some Metacam, and almost 6 weeks of crate rest and leash walking (longer than I thought it would take)...it healed and she was fine.


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## GrayWolf (Feb 19, 2006)

At this age a dogs bones are still "soft" as opposed to adult dogs. More than likely, Zeke probably has some "mild soft tissue bruising," keeping his activity to a minimum is a good idea just to be safe. I'd watch for swelling in the area of injury if he has discomfort getting up after laying down for a while. Dogs usually do not vocalize their pain unless it is severe. Since Zeke allows you to handle his limb shows no sign of pain it's a good indication of no major damage. It's a good idea to have a vet's opinion to ease your fears.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Hopefully he will check out AOK
I have spent more at the doggy ER, and doggie dentist for injuries tan vet care
I have healthy dogs but sometimes they are bent on self destruction.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I agree with the above suggestions, hopefully he just pulled something, let us know he makes out at the vet,,young dogs can be such clutz's !


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Sounds like this is a dog that needs to have a K9 chiropractor on board: Doctors, worldwide, certified in animal chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association

Hope that the paw is okay!


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Sounds like a typical ALC injury/tear. He does fine until it "slips" off the kneecap and then he limps until it does snap back into place.
I would keep him totally confined and only walk on a leash, the less damage he does to a tear if that is it, the best it will be for him in the long run. No running, jumping or climbing if at all possible, total rest and crate confinement
Depending on how bad a tear(if it is) sometimes rest and confinment will fix it, sometimes surgery will be called for.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

being paranoid about your dog means you're
taking good care of him. there's no money or time
wasted because you go to the Vet and there's nothing
wrong. that's good news. i think you should go to the Vet.
keep your dog from running and don't take him on long walks
untill you go to the Vet.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

agree. Being paranoid and watchful is what a good owner is all about, you see things and watch for things and catch them before they esculate into something worse.
Keep us posted what the vet says. Good luck


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

If he walked on it after a few minutes then had pains the next day then IMHO he didn't hurt himself badly and you need to let him decide how he wants to use it. It's normal to have rebound and healing pain the next day for a non-serious injury. I am saying IMHO only because I have had so many myself and so have my dogs. Once again IMHO I don't think it is time for a vet visit.. I have been through this so many times I could never count.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

PaddyD said:


> If he walked on it after a few minutes then had pains the next day then IMHO he didn't hurt himself badly and you need to let him decide how he wants to use it. It's normal to have rebound and healing pain the next day for a non-serious injury. I am saying IMHO only because I have had so many myself and so have my dogs. Once again IMHO I don't think it is time for a vet visit.. I have been through this so many times I could never count.


ya, OK, so I should stay away from trees


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

_OMG YOU BROKE HIM!!!!!_



I have a "3 day rule" to keep myself from funding another college education for my vets' kids -- if a dog is limping and there's no obvious sign of injury that would need care (that is, a gaping wound, a broken bone, screaming pain, etc.), I give the dog 3 days of limited activity. No ball, no playing with other dogs, but I don't usually leash walk unless the dog is likely to do something stupidly active, like leap off a deck). And if after 3 days, the dog is still limping, off to the vet we go.


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## stacey_eight (Sep 20, 2010)

Christine, you are *MEAN*!

I am analyzing every step he takes and making myself crazy doing it. He's not limping, but I wonder if he's favoring one leg over another walking down my 4 deck steps or is he bunny hopping if he moves faster than a trot. X- rays would make me feel better. If he had an ACL injury and I left him hurting I'd never forgive myself. My dog Levi was PTS and I'm just crazy with worry over zeke's health and development. It's freakish actually....


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

Oh, I know how it goes.... I'm pretty sure Oda has a some sort of hitch to her step in her left hind--she doesn't limp, though. Muscle sprain? Bad hip? No one else can see it, though, of course!

ACL problems, I've found you often see when the dog sits or goes up stairs. Sounds like it wouldn't be surprising if he bruised himself really badly or pulled a muscle. If I were betting, I'd bet against ACL. 

It's not a bad time for hip x-rays, either way. Hopefully, the vet just looks at you like you're crazy.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

probably fine... think you'd notice a limp at home.

If it make you feel better, Jack ran full tilt into a tree a few days ago when chasing the ball, and is fine.

Trees will be trees and dogs will chase balls. You didn't do anything wrong.. just that dog and tree were in the wrong place at the wrong time.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

A couple of months ago Sigurd was being chased by a dog friend, sort of down a hill, couldn't stop on time and smacked his face right into a tree at full force. His mouth was open so it sounded extremely hollow. He looked SO embarrassed. I think it hurt him a lot because right after he smacked into the tree he ran in this giant loop about 5 times at an extra fast speed, lol, but I was paranoid for about a week and kept an eye on him. He never showed symptoms of being sore or hurt (I was worried about a concision). You pup will probably be fine, just keep a good look out on him.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Sigurd's Mom said:


> A couple of months ago Sigurd was being chased by a dog friend, sort of down a hill, couldn't stop on time and smacked his face right into a tree at full force. His mouth was open so it sounded extremely hollow. He looked SO embarrassed. I think it hurt him a lot because right after he smacked into the tree he ran in this giant loop about 5 times at an extra fast speed, lol, but I was paranoid for about a week and kept an eye on him. He never showed symptoms of being sore or hurt (I was worried about a concision). You pup will probably be fine, just keep a good look out on him.


Concussion perhaps? :help:


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## stacey_eight (Sep 20, 2010)

So far, so good. The vet just called and she doesn't see any obvious ACL injury. I want films so they'll be doing that next. (She's fitting him in between surguries.) She's thinking it may be Pano, though of course we'll be checking knees and hips.


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

holy cow. I'm glad he's okay!!

Zeus ran into a pole one time and that's how he broke his canine.


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## stacey_eight (Sep 20, 2010)

Just got the results on the X-rays. Hips and knees look fine, no ACL damage, no Pano. Her diagnosis is soft tissue damage, and we are to crate rest with Rimadyl and Tramadol for a week. Potty and yard time on leash. At this point the Vet says his hips would probably be rated "good" if I were to OFA. Of course we are to come back in a week if I still see any problems.

Thanks for listening to my freak outs! Poor guy. He deserves a less nutty Mom than the one he has!


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

stacey_eight said:


> Just got the results on the X-rays. Hips and knees look fine, no ACL damage, no Pano.
> 
> ... At this point the Vet says his hips would probably be rated "good" if I were to OFA. !


HOORAY!!!!! I'm really glad to hear this.


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