# 6yr old Border Collie sore hind legs.



## Richy25 (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi all, 1st post,

we have a collie cross called Charlie we got from the kennels about a year ago. When shes out in the fields she tears around like a mad girl, no sign of problems whatsoever, shes as fast as well....you know if you got a loopy collie!:001_wub:

For a while now we've noticed she's really stiff on her hind legs when she get up from lying down. Sometimes a slight limp, sometimes just slow.

She can be unbelievably grumpy when back in the house sometimes. Quite the opposite of the dog she is when she's out.

If shes lying next to me and i touch her hind legs, even really gently,she get upset,teeth bearing and grumbling on,so I'm now convinced shes really in quite a lot of pain after her walks.

I have been researching this online and its either hip dysplasia or arthritis or both, I'm not sure, and I see there is hundreds of treatments/options.

Can any of you collie owners give me saome adviceon treatment,I'd rather be giving her natural remedies instead of drugs of course.

I'm also aware that theres probably 10000+ threads on this but like I say I'm reading them and becoming more confused.!

Thanks in advance.

Richy.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

I'm not a collie owner, but my best advice would be to visit a vet so that the cause can be properly determined and appropriate treatment given rather than self - diagnosing from the internet.


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## Richy25 (Jan 6, 2013)

Update; since we can't afford large vets bills, I've decided to give her
*
"Glucosamine HCL Powder 250g - Joints Health"*

which I just bought off fleabay.

*She's about 19-20kg dog so i was thinking to give her 600 mg/day on her food.*

Does this sound about right?
*
Do I also need to give her chondroitin as well as the above?*

Thanks.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

Please, don't just keep guessing and treating blindly; take your dog to a vet - she is obviously in pain. The supplements that you have purchased will not provide pain relief, don't let her suffer.

I take it she isn't insured? Maybe your vet will help you with a payment plan? Use a credit card? Are you eligible for PDSA?


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

Richy25 said:


> Update; since we can't afford large vets bills, I've decided to give her
> 
> *"Glucosamine HCL Powder 250g - Joints Health"*
> 
> ...


I give my collie bitches GWF Joint Aid which you can purchase off Ebay.

Lintbells Yumove is also very good.

Personally I would want her looked at as it may well be a back problem.

My girls see a McTimoney Chiropractor about every 3 months, but sooner if there is any problems. It is not expensive at around £25 per treatment but you would need a vet referral in the first instance and I would want the vet to look at her in any case.


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## demetris20 (Jun 27, 2012)

please take her to the vet the consultation costs roughly 30 pounds so not a lot and you can get anything that will be prescribed from an online pharmacy for a lower fee if the vet's one is too expensive but i would never give anything without vet approval...for the simple reason that i would never leave myself in pain and take nothing off the counter unless i ask my gp or at least the pharmacist/nurse

im sure your vet surgery will understand and try and work out the best treatment within your means - at least pls call them and explain


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## archiesmum (Aug 28, 2010)

Sounds like your Collie is in pain the supplements you are planning to give the dog won't help with pain.

Please take your dog to the vet, I know it is expensive but you could be making things worse. I am sure you could make some arrangement with your vet with regards to the bills, most vets have the animal health first.

Val xx


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## Richy25 (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi all, thanks for the advice, like I say I don't think its as bad as needing a Vet appointment, hence why I'm asking on this forum. Yes I'm insured but do not have the spare cash for the appointments.

At the MOST she has difficulty getting up and has pain in her legs.



> Glucosamine for Dogs
> 
> Is your best friend slowing down? He must be suffering from canine Osteoarthritis and/or hip dysplasia. Did you know that up to 30% of dogs and cats have Osteoarthritis? Here are the signs of when glucosamine may be needed for your dog:
> 
> ...


the two in bold is all she suffers from.

Surely the vet will tell me to give her what I've already worked out?

Seeing as giving Glucosamine is of no harm at all to my dog, would it not be better to try her out on it to see if it helps, then go to vets if no improvement.

Anyone got any more constructive advice than just "go to vets"

Maybe my 1st post made her sound worse than she really is!

I believe that this is very common problem for Borders collies no..........

Thanks.


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

You said you are convinced she is a lot of pain..... but you don't think she needs to see a vet , so when does she need to see a vet then?


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## Richy25 (Jan 6, 2013)

I'll try her on the drugs 1st then vets.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

Richy25 said:


> Anyone got any more constructive advice than just "go to vets"


Go to the vet as soon as possible? .

It's hard to give any other advice really when you say yourself *"I'm now convinced shes really in quite a lot of pain after her walks."* You know those supplements don't provide pain relief. I cannot understand the mentality of someone prepared to leave their dog in pain whilst they experiment with various stabs in the dark at home diagnosis and treatment, it is cruel.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

If it was just some stiffness on getting up after exercise, I think it would be fair enough to give joint supplements to see if it makes any difference. That's what I did with Ziggy when she started being stiff, and indeed it made a significant improvement.

However, as this dog is in enough pain to make it bare its teeth when the hind legs are touched, a visit to the vet is ESSENTIAL. You need to get a proper diagnosis of what's wrong, to prevent further damage to joints that may well be arthritic. You have a legal duty to get medical help for your pets when it's required.

And limit the exercise that makes it worse. Lead walks or gentle trotting beside a bike instead of running, leaping and twisting. Do brain games and training too, these tire a collie out better than any amount of running.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

Your dog is 6, not an age to start struggling unless there is a medical issue that needs veterinary treatment 

Would be different if she was elderly, but she should be in her prime!!!

It is illegal to let a dog suffer without consulting a vet


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

Richy25 said:


> I'll try her on the drugs 1st then vets.


They aren't drugs they are supplements, and they will take months to have any effect at all, even if they could help, which in this case I doubt


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## Richy25 (Jan 6, 2013)

to be fair she bears her teeth at lots of things including my face being close, thanks for the fear mongering. :thumbdown:


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

Richy25 said:


> to be fair she bears her teeth at lots of things including my face being close, thanks for the fear mongering. :thumbdown:


I think its called being helpful


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

Richy25 said:


> to be fair she bears her teeth at lots of things including my face being close, thanks for the fear mongering. :thumbdown:


Look, you can only go on the details people post. You say she's in "really quite a lot" of pain. Take her to the vet - no fear mongering there is there? What did you expect people to post when you say that you have an animal in pain but don't intend to find the cause, instead preferring to leave her in pain and try a few supplements instead?

People are trying to help your dog. If you didn't want opinions then why ask for advice on treatment? The key is treatment of what? You don't even know what the problem is!


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## helenthemum (Jan 25, 2009)

I had a springer who had sore back legs after exercise when she was 8. We took her to the vets who said it was arthritist, gave us some tablets to give the (1 a day). The tablets did help. Then we moved house and didn't have as much time to walk her and completely forgot to give her the tablets. Suddenly one day about a month after we moved I found her tablets, by then I had noticed that she had stopped limping and being stiff after exercise. So didn't continue giving her the tablets. We were just careful how long her walks were. She had been on the tablets for 2 years.

If for example we took her to the woods, we would normally have let her off the lead straightaway, we changed to keeping her on the lead for 5-10 mins then let her off when she was not so excited and kept the walks down to about 20 mins. Felt really bad cutting her walks down, but it really helped her.

I know they are expensive, but please take her to the vets for a check up, it may be as simple as over exercising off the lead.


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## mollypip (Aug 17, 2011)

Richy25 said:


> to be fair she bears her teeth at lots of things including my face being close, thanks for the fear mongering. :thumbdown:


Thats a disgraceful thing to say. You asked for advice and everyone here is telling you to bring your dog to the vet which is what any reasonable caring dog owner would do. I could be arthritis or it could very easily be a back or pelvic injury causing your poor dogs pain.

Border Collies are notorious for being very stoic about pain, they have been known to run for miles on a broken leg such is the "work ethic" they have, their adrenaline and mental drive help to block the pain when they are active. It is when they try to relax the pain takes over - which is EXACTLY what is happening with your dog, I have a border collie and had one before her too. You are being a cruel owner by not bringing your dog to a vet - and I do not say that lightly.


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## fluke13 (Jan 7, 2013)

My Collie cross had exactly the same, would play and run but when resting she was stiff getting up. She was alot older than your collie but as i knew collies are notorious for having hind leg problems took her to the vets and for the last 2 years of her life she was on Metacam which greatly improved her quality of life. Metacam isn't expensive and as long as you have bloodtests every 6-12 months to check liver/kidney function it can really help with the pain/discomfort.


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