# Puppy just seems "not right"



## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Hi everyone,
I've posted in here a couple of times about issues I've been having with my puppy George. 
I have been to several different vets and none can come up with any explanation or seem to be too worried about George but I have always felt that something was a little off with him. 
I'm sorry if this is too long but there is quite a bit of history here. 
The main issues that I see at the moment are lethargy/laziness and a funny gait. 
George is 6 months old and from the beginning has always walked and run very strangely. He seems to twist his back legs when he walks and always bunny hops when he runs. 
Hes also on a couple of occasions presented with some neurological symptoms (unable to get up, stumbling, staring at walls etc) which the vet thought may have been a bad reaction to Nexgard as both times it happened right after he was given his monthly dose. 
He had a neurological exam and the vet said he was neurologically sound. He also had blood work done which showed nothing of significance. 
The vet pressed on his spine to see if there was any pain and there didnt seem to be.
After this visit I was relieved and just put it down to weird puppy stuff. 
But the other night I took him to puppy school and all the trainers mentioned that something seemed wrong. 
When they lightly pressed on his spine he would flinch and if I try to touch him there he will attempt to bite me. 
They also commented on the fact that he is very quiet for a 6 month old GSD. He rarely gets up and runs around. He will play with my other dog and chase a ball but only when prompted and if left to himself will just lie on the grass and chew on a stick or a toy. 
He is at home with my other dog all day and I'm not too sure if maybe she is wearing him out but when I get home he will jump up on me and be excited for about 2 minutes and then go back to laying around. 
He walks very slowly all the time, especially on walks. And when he does run it is a pretty extreme bunny hop. 
I got him from an excellent breeder and both his parents had excellent scores on their hips. I know this isnt any guarantee but I have been hesitant to get him xrayed because he doesn't seem to be in pain at the moment. Just lazy. 
Any way, I guess my question is - is there anything obvious that I'm missing that could be causing this? 
The people at puppy school recommended a chiropractic vet who they all said was excellent and has a very good reputation, however I'm nervous about taking him there because he is so young and I dont know much about dog chiropractics. 
I know the obvious option is to get his hips xrayed. Is this something you would all recommend at this stage? 
Money is becoming an issue for me because we have had so many trips to the vet. 
He eats normally (although he is quite underweight despite a huge appetite) and is eliminating normally as well. 
Thanks to everyone who read all of this I know its super long. 
I am in a very difficult situation currently. My boyfriend passed away in a motorbike accident 5 months ago and George was given to me as a gift from my mum to help me cope so it is possible that I am overly paranoid about him but it just doesn't seem normal to me that a 6 month old puppy would be lacking in energy so much. 
Thanks again and I appreciate any replies. 
Jes.


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## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

Sounds a little bit like Fiona. She was diagnosed with mild hip displaysia. Video tape George walking and running to show the vet and then get the X-rays.


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## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Heres a picture of George


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Hi Jes, sorry to here about your concerns with George. I found this for you on YouTube. 
Recognizing Hip Dysplasia in Dogs - VetVid Episode 014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHCIT87jY0M


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

I see you are in Brisbane too. George looks like my dog, who had surgery for elbow dysplasia last year. Have you contacted the breeder yet? I wonder if they have the same sire....


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## Chai (Dec 11, 2014)

I am sorry to hear of your loss, Jes.

If you post a video on here of him walking and running, the more experienced members may have some advice for you. I think it is good that you are listening to your gut. If something doesn't feel right, pursue it until you find your answers. Also, are you going to a vet that is experienced/specialises in GSD's or large breed dogs? GSD's are relatively new and uncommon in Australia, and so I like to go to vets who have some experience with them. Good luck


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

> When they lightly pressed on his spine he would flinch and if I try to touch him there he will attempt to bite me.


This to me indicates pain. Was this on his spine? Or on his hips? Back issues can cause the bunny hop too. I think he's to young for xrays on his hips but you could possibly xray his back for issues. Was there ever a time where he could have been jarred heavily? Do you have a chiropractor near you?


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

"Hes also on a couple of occasions presented with some neurological symptoms (unable to get up, stumbling, staring at walls etc) which the vet thought may have been a bad reaction to Nexgard as both times it happened right after he was given his monthly dose"

Hi Jessica,

I would NEVER use the Nexgard or anything like it on my dog again if he had that reaction and the vet confirmed it. Chemicals (which I call toxins) in these products work on the nervous system of the bug!

Yes, listen to your gut as Chi said. Something doesn't sound right.

Chiropractor's are FANTASTIC for dogs! All my dogs for the past 20 years have had regular visits every 8 weeks for their lifetime!

Moms


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

make sure that the dog is hydrated .

access to water at all times . improve the water -- add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (with mother ) add a few drops of RAW local honey and add a pinch of SEA salt which unlike table salt has minerals .

this will help with the absorption of the water -- making water wetter


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## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Hi everyone, 
Thanks heaps for the responses. Ive been busy with work so haven't been able to reply.
In response to some of the things you've said: 
- The flinching was when she touched his spine not his hips.
- I will definitely not ever give George nexgard again. The first time I unfortunately didn't click that that may have been the reason so his last dose will definitely be the last. 
- I'm glad to hear positive things about chiropractors and have an appointment booked in for Thursday
And finally, he always has access to plenty of clean water and isn't dehydrated.
Today I took him to the breeder to get her opinion on his gait and she said he looked fine and that the other puppy that she kept from his litter is actually much worse (cow hocked) than him but she isn't worried. I saw the other puppy and she was much smaller than George (not as skinny) and appeared to walk the same way. 
I mentioned to her that he is very quiet and has diarrhea often and she said it could possibly be an issue with his food and maybe if he isn't getting the nutrients out of his food it could cause him to feel "yuck". 
I have tried a few different foods and am currently feeding Wellness LBP. I have tried Royal Canin and Blackhawk as well (all didn't seem to agree with him).
She is feeding her pup Eukanuba and suggested I try that or swap him to an adult food.
Do you guys think finding the right food could potentially help him? 
I'm still going to see this vet on Thursday to make sure nothing is obviously sore in his spine or hips...
Thanks again for all your help. 
I guess if this vet doesn't find anything the next step will be trying a new food and possibly getting xrays. 
 hope you're all having a good day.


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## SkoobyDoo (Oct 7, 2014)

Wellness is better than eukanuba!


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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

SkoobyDoo said:


> Wellness is better than eukanuba!


Agree! Wellness has a line of food called CORE. It's much more limited in ingredients and has different percentages for fat, protein, etc. than the standard line does. CORE is pricier though. Maybe see if you can get a sample bag to try and see if it helps any.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I can't address the other stuff, but I can tell you that my Sabi was a quiet, very quiet, puppy. She ate like a horse but always seemed 'off'. I had her in and out of the vets numerous times with complaints like- puppies play, she just lays and watches us. My poor vet checked her over head to tail, inside and out, more times then enough. She was thin and quiet, seldom barked or whined and was content to sit and watch. People commented that she looked sad or old.
At one year old she looked and acted like a fully mature dog. She lived to be 13 and we eventually realized that she was just sitting back watching and learning.
I'm not saying not to be vigilant but just wanted you to know that some pups are just quieter then others.


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

Be careful with the chiropractor. If there is a tumor, bone chip, or spondylosis going on, a chiro could cripple a dog. Get x-rays first! 

The pup could just be on the lazy side, if all the neuro tests have checked out. Do you have access to littermates to compare? If they are super different, energy-wise, then I might be a bit more concerned that something is going on. 

You know your pup best, I hope it's nothing serious. 6-months can be an awkward growing stage for many puppies, and could explain the bunny-hopping. I feed Canidae All-life stages in summer, seems to be good for my sensitive-gut guy, not sure it's available in Aus.


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## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Thanks everyone. I do agree that Wellness is better than Eukanuba and will keep trying. He had a solid poo today so maybe it was just taking him a while to adjust? He also seems much more energetic and bright today. 
He has been quiet since the day we brought him home and I dont know if thats a good sign (just his temperament) or a sign that something was off from the start. 
I did see his sister and the breeder said she was "non stop" and that neither of his parents were quiet dogs like him. Which does make me concerned. 
But I do have another dog that he runs around with and I'm not sure if that is just tiring him out or if he has hurt himself playing with her. 
The chiropractor that I'm going to is a vet so I will make sure he knows everything before doing any adjustments. He may want to do an xray first anyway. 
I'll keep you guys posted after the vet visiy on Thursday.


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## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Hey guys, 
Ive just thought of something and I'm wondering whether any one could weigh in. 
I've had 3 days off work so I've been with George the whole time. 
I've noticed that he is quite energetic in the mornings but seems to be more and more tired as the day goes on. 
He spends most of the time lying down asleep but as soon as I move or get up or if he hears my other dog or my cat or any other sound he is instantly awake. 
Do you think its possible that he just isn't getting enough "good sleep" and is therefore tired? 
I don't usually crate him when I'm around for naps or anything and to say he is a velcro dog would be an understatement. He follows me if I take one step and he has to be with me at all times. (Hes okay in his crate alone but if he CAN follow me, he will). 
So I'm starting to wonder if maybe the lack of deep sleep is making him tired. 
If I sit in one spot for long enough I notice he eventually goes into a deep sleep (snoring, twitching etc) and will then be harder to wake up but if I move before this happens he is straight up.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

puppies sleep a lot -- they need to


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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

When Efa was younger she'd sleep upwards of 14 hours a day. Growing and developing is very energy draining.


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## NMGSDmommy (May 1, 2015)

Just chiming in to say I feed my puppy Pro Plan  The others gave good advice.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

On the food deal -- I tried one of the premium kibbles --- and that caused loose stools. So now I'm back with a "good but not extra good" kibble.


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## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Hey guys, 
So I thought I'd post an update on what's happened so far. 
George has been doing much better in the last few days and we realised that before that he had eaten a sock! Thankfully it all came out naturally. 
Aside from that. I took him to the vet this morning and he said that there didn't appear to be anything structurally wrong with him (hips, spine etc) but that he is quite small and very underweight. 
He said he suspects some sort of digestive disorder.
He suggested doing a TLI? Test for EPI. So I'm doing that on Monday after a 12 hour fast and will have the results 3 days after that. 
Thanks for all your responses


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Great you have a matching pair of socks again :-D Looking forward to good test results next week.


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## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Hey guys, 
Thought I'd post an update on how George is going. 
I got the test results back today.. no EPI, YAYYY!!! But.. on the otherhand.. still no answers  
George seems to be doing much better (energy wise) and his diarrhea is less frequent. Interestingly he'll usually have one solid poo in the morning after waking up. Then the about 50/50 solid/diarrhea throughout the day. 
The vet said the next step is a full fecal analysis so I'll be taking a sample in next week. Im assuming to test for any viruses or parasites that may have been missed in his last fecal float. 
I know not much else can be said from you guys at this point but thought I'd update for anyone that may be interested in the future. I've found that I will find a thread that matches some one George's symptoms and then suddenly the OP no longer posts and it's frustrating to not find out the diagnoses or results. 
Fingers crossed we find something out soon (something easy to treat)  
Thanks guys, 
Jes and George


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

I wonder if he might have giardia. That's what our puppy has and it was missed on the first two fecal samples we brought in. He, too, was having solid poop in the morning, then diarrhea later in the day. It was also intermittent, and he would go a week with completely normal stool then have diarrhea again. 

Whatever it is, I sincerely hope you're able to figure it out soon. Not knowing exactly what's wrong is enough to drive a person crazy!


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Thanks for the update. Hope you guys find out soon and it's easily fixable. It's always frustrating to not know.


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## RZZNSTR (Jan 24, 2015)

Glad it worked it's way out!


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## wick (Mar 7, 2015)

GypsyGhost said:


> I wonder if he might have giardia. That's what our puppy has and it was missed on the first two fecal samples we brought in. He, too, was having solid poop in the morning, then diarrhea later in the day. It was also intermittent, and he would go a week with completely normal stool then have diarrhea again.
> 
> Whatever it is, I sincerely hope you're able to figure it out soon. Not knowing exactly what's wrong is enough to drive a person crazy!


That's How ours was too, and it's hard to get a positive result from a fecal from what I hear (which is probably why it took you guys a few to get one!!). Weight loss, lack of appetite, lethargy and diarrhea all symptoms!


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## jesicaandgeorge (Apr 3, 2015)

Yeah I've wondered about Giardia aswell. 
He has had a fecal float and I know there is always the chance for false negatives but is that how they look for giardia? Or is it in a fecal analysis? (I don't even know if those two things are different so excuse the potentially silly question) 
All I know is last time the vet got a sample when he was doing a rectal exam and then took it out the back for about 10 minutes... but this time I have to take in a fresh sample for them to analyze in the lab. 
On a positive note - his energy has been wayyyy up the last few days (a blessing and a curse)
He can be very hard to keep up with and keep entertained. 
Maybe you can give me an idea whether this is a normal amount of energy or if I just think it is because I'm used to him being so low energy: today we went for a 40 minute walk in the morning, then we played fetch for about 15 minutes, then he played with his toys in the yard and my other dog (ripped up some cardboard boxes which he loves), then we played with the hose because he is obsesssseedddd with water, and then this afternoon we went down to the beach where he ran around for about 30 minutes with the other dogs. 
He obviously had breaks inbetween and has now been resting/sleeping for about 3 hours. 
Hope you're all having a wonderful day or night wherever you are


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## wick (Mar 7, 2015)

They look in a fecal float but it is a very inaccurate test for giardia as the float only looks for cysts, which aren't shed all the time. For the most accurate results ask for the ELIZA fecal test, this will test for the bodies response to the giardia instead.


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