Poor Pilau and his Poorly Back
 

Poor Pilau!

He's been having trouble with his joints of late, and we've been back and forth to the vets trying to get the right medicine regime sorted out (which we have now done). But he's also been having increasing problems with his back. Can't roll over onto his side properly, uber sensitive if your hand brushes near to his spine etc. He's had what I've suspected to be problems with either his back or his hips for some years, but only very slight.

So, got the vet to check his back out. There are at least two possible occasions wherein Pilau might have acquired a back injury; when he was hit by a car aged 3 or about 3/4 years ago when he fell off a low (15-17 foot) cliff.

Vet checked his back and it was obvious just looking at the muscle response that he had something going on. So tense.

Yesterday he went for his first round of acupuncture; something she does for her lurcher who has had a similar history of smallish accidents and as a consequence has a really bad back.

It's really made a difference to him. He's been way more relaxed today and the muscles in his back don' feel so knotted. Slightly annoyed I didn't think to mention this sooner: we've been so focused on his joints, and in particular hips, it just didn't occur to me til this last visit.

So, yeah: Poor Pilau. He must have been in such pain, and probably for quite a while.

Poor baby. I'm glad he's feeling a bit better now.

Poor Pilau I hope he gets better soon!

Low 15-17 foot cliff? Are those metric feet? In people height that would be like you falling off a 10 story building.


And what we all want to know is:
"where were the parents???"

Srsly, glad your dog is responding to acupuncture and feeling better.:)

Give him a big hug for me. Poor Pilau. He's such a good boy.

I'm glad the acupuncture is working for Pilau. I never heard of such a thing for animals.

@ Squirrel: the car in question was going very slow. He tried to head it off and went under (between the front and back wheels) and was clipped out of the way when the back wheel caught his side.

Yeah: I didnt' mean small to him :P But just to differentiate from what usually comes to mind with the word 'cliff'. And I was scrambling up the side of the hill to try and get him to come back that way at the time. Little bastard had gone scooting off after a rabbit! Mum was att he bottom of the cliff still, watching, and saw him lose his footing, scramble for purchase and then fall, tumbling over a couple of times as he went.

The acupuncture really does seem to have helped. I'd never even have considered such a thing; but the vet who's treating him at the moment is wonderful. She's been fantastic with him and his arthritis and minor surgery (same practice, different vet). And her dog has similar health problems to Pilau (a 15 year old lurcher). I trust her. And more importantly, so does Pilau. He really likes her ;p

Oh no! This does put a damper on my day. You didn't even mention the fall...
Give Pilau an extra treat for me...I am currently attempting to send healing vibes. :)

I have passed your well-wishes on to Pilau: he appreciates it and says 'Woof' to you all.

:P

He's been in a smashing good mood all weekend. Must be so much more comfortable. I'm now thinking that a few months ago when the aggression outdoors started to get worse, it may have been because he was in pain.

Do placebos work with dogs and babies?

I've always wondered about that.

Bizarrely, I ws just talking about this with my brother. Apparently placebos do work with dogs. Don't know about babies.

I know; that's what put the idea into my head.

You've been missed. I'm sorry the pootch is going through pain. Poor pup:(

Some dogs have the ability and will to just mask pain, deal with pain. Bean (RIP) had back issues that I wasn't aware of until near his end days. He was xrayed and they found some spinal problems that probably affected him. Anything we can do to help out! Glucosamine/chondroitin is probably a good idea for Pilau.

Thanks all:)

I intermittently get gluscosamine for him. i remember it for a few weeks, then forget :P

The good effects of the acupuncture seems to be fading. I can see his movements getting stiff again and his back is all tensed :( Still, she did say he'd need it every week for a month before droppng to as and when needed. He's still in a better mood than he was a few days ago though; so obviously not as uncomfortable as he was then.

@ UT: yeah, it's not always that clear when they're in pain. Unless it's something very dramatic or a sudden pain, Pil really doesn't let on. I only know by his overall mood.

Tell Pilau Woof arf for me> I have a bad back too.

Poor little guy. Um, you too Pilau. ;)

PM monster, I bet she has some recipes.

Bout time for an update :)
 

Well,

Pilau had his last weekly acupuncture session today. From now on he'll be going every month, more or less, as needed.

He is soooo much better. The difference in his movements is visible. I can stroke his back now and there's no sudden twinging muscles. He can cock his leg to have a piss again. No dropping down more or less straight away and basically doing it like pup (imagine how embarrassing that must be to a dog! :P)

He seems much happier to me. He still has problems with his joints (obviously, given he has arthritis) but the medication seems to be helping him on that score.

Yeah. No more poorly Pilau. *cheers*



[eta] I am gonna miss my weekly chats with the vet, lol. Having to basically stand there with Pil for 20 minutes making sure he doesn't shake the needles out, and her just giving them a little turn every so often, meant we ended up talking about all kinds of stuff:P She's ace. Very cool person.

Good news, very good news. :thumb2:

I'm happy to hear Pilau is doing better!

Woof, woof woof woof, woof woof. (Yes, I speak dog. Please read this to him.) :)

Just curious Dana, what does all that acupuncture cost?

Not so much. About £20-25 a time I think it was. I'm not entirely sure, because on two of the visits, including this one I was also getting other medication, or getting other stuff checked out, and one of the visits I was also picking up some meds for mum's dog.


@ Shaw: I shall pass your message on, of course :P