Bird dogs ankle...break or sprain

[sacklunch]

Happend at full speed through a field on our morning walk. He's putting weight on it, initially was yelping pretty bad and laid down nearly immediately. First thought it was a snake, but doesn't appear so, no bite marks and no other neurological symptoms.

He putting weight on it now, but it swelled up pretty good after an hour. Vet doesn't have a spot until tomorrow. Just wondering if any roksliders may be vets that can give some advice. I've poked and prodded all around, he doesn't yelp at any movement in any direction, or at any pressure, but he's certainly not comfortable.

Hips and knee look good, we've had dogs blow a knee out in the past. Achilleslooks good as well.

The big swollen area on inside above the heel/ankle is a big fluid sack...but not getting much bigger, so leaning towards it not being blood, maybe just swelling? It's getting a bit firmer as the hours pass...

Thoughts? plan to take him in tomorrow. should we give him some anti-inflammatory meds that we have left over for our other dog? Any way to tell besides x-rays from a break or sprain?

It's the left ankle. Pics of both attached for ref. He's currently laid up and resting on the bed.

 

[Marble]

My female GSP got a compression fracture to her right front leg. It was in her ankle. She was in a lot of pain and about 7 or 8 years old at the time. It was casted up to her chest and I had to keep her on lock down for about 2 weeks. Which tough with GSP.

It was swollen pretty bad. An xray confirmed the brake. She recovered well with some rest.

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[Spoonbill]

Double check with your vet but I would give your dog an anti inflammatory, if nothing else your dog will feel better.

 

[sacklunch]

Our vet called back and said it could be a rattlesnake bit...showing zero signs after 4 hours other than that swollen area...anybody have snakebite experience? Can't find puncture wounds and he seems normal aside from not putting a ton of weight on it

 

[chizelhead]

No snake bite experience. The x-ray will tell you if it's a break. My dog had a "soft tissue injury" between the paw and first joint. It was a swollen lump and firm. It took weeks to heal, but she's fine. Not sure how she got it, but she's a runner.

 

[BFR]

Not on a dog but had a horse bitten on the shoulder by a Rattlesnake. The bite was obvious and became a fairly large weeping sore and hair loss. Also loss of appetite for a couple days but fully recovered. If you can’t find any bite indicators IMO it’s not likely to be a bite but then I’m not a Veterinarian.

 

[sacklunch]

Took him in tonight, leg swelled up pretty good. Bloodwork says no snake bite, no signs of a break, either a big sprain or put a cactus spike into the top of his ankle. Found one small puncture wound there, but nearly impossible to tell what it was. Putting weight on it, just glad it wasn’t super serious. We’re about 5 surgeries in on 2 dogs in the last 5 years. Never skipping pet insurance on a new pup again.

 

[MallardSX2]

Read the fine print before you work the dog insurance angle. Lol

Glad to hear your dogs doing better!

 

[Tod osier]

Took him in tonight, leg swelled up pretty good. Bloodwork says no snake bite, no signs of a break, either a big sprain or put a cactus spike into the top of his ankle. Found one small puncture wound there, but nearly impossible to tell what it was. Putting weight on it, just glad it wasn’t super serious. We’re about 5 surgeries in on 2 dogs in the last 5 years. Never skipping pet insurance on a new pup again.

Snake bite starts to weep pretty quick in my experience.

Sorry to hear your troubles. Get a new vet if they can't fit you in when you have an emergency.

 

[sacklunch]

Snake bite starts to weep pretty quick in my experience.

Sorry to hear your troubles. Get a new vet if they can't fit you in when you have an emergency.

My thoughts exactly…time to find a new vet.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Real vet here, glad you took him in to emergency. Didn't look orthopedic in the pictures. I'm sure they told you what to do.

Depending where you live, most of us are running at full capacity every day since COVID with limited staff. All sorts of scenarios could be going on with your current or soon to be ex-Vet, that we'll never know. Generally, what I tell friends, is that if they call with an urgent issue for their pet (like your dog) and they're told to come in a different day, just show up in the lobby and make them work you in. If they turn you away at that point, then it's time to find a new vet.

Also, I loved the way you got the balls framed in the last photo.

 

[Scoot]

Also, I loved the way you got the balls framed in the last phphoto.

Bwahahahaha!

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Also, your sacklunch handle is fitting for the photo.

 

[sacklunch]

Real vet here, glad you took him in to emergency. Didn't look orthopedic in the pictures. I'm sure they told you what to do.

Depending where you live, most of us are running at full capacity every day since COVID with limited staff. All sorts of scenarios could be going on with your current or soon to be ex-Vet, that we'll never know. Generally, what I tell friends, is that if they call with an urgent issue for their pet (like your dog) and they're told to come in a different day, just show up in the lobby and make them work you in. If they turn you away at that point, then it's time to find a new vet.

Also, I loved the way you got the balls framed in the last photo.

That swelling was gone completely the next morning, back to 100% like nothing ever happened. Very strange. Any idea what could have happened?

 

[chizelhead]

I don't. I would suggest taking it easy and assume it's still injured. In the early stages, when our dog had swelling, it would go down and we thought it was healed, so we let her run, only for the swelling to return the next day. After a couple of instances like that, we decided not to let her run for a month, and then she was fine. I'm not a vet; that was just our experience.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

That swelling was gone completely the next morning, back to 100% like nothing ever happened. Very strange. Any idea what could have happened?

No telling. With a small focal puncture over the swelling, Occam's Razor would say that it was some sort of bite or penetrating wound that caused it. The fact that it was fully resolved the next day, suggests to me some sort of insect sting. Typically, fluid filled orthopedic issues wouldn't resolve so quickly, so I'd think some sort of hypersensitivity reaction is most likely. It's the time of year too!