by: Lianne Robbins

My little girl,Mandy is doing the same thing,only with her back left leg.It startted a few weeks ago now,and she would get up and stretch the leg as far as she could.There was a slight limp upon waking but after she stretched her leg shenwas alrigt.Now since yesterday morning,she has been holding her back left leg up and will not put any pressure on it at all!! Ive tried taking her out to go pee but she justs stands there shaking as if in alot of pain.Of course it had to happen on a long weekend when the vets are only open for whatvthey classify as an emergency.Well i think this is an emergency but not according to them! My poor girl cant walk!!! Ive read that this is a common problem

by: Rita Rail

I have not as yet seen this happening in Poms as mine are nine and six years old, although whenever the six year old gets out of her bed, she constantly stretches her back legs but I see no problem with this, it is her way of feeling better. Have you ever had your Pom examined for arthritis? This is very common in all dogs. This can begin in one leg and then become a problem in her other leg also. I have seen this in a larger dog in the front legs and then being a problem in the back legs. She was being given an aspirin but I would not give any animal this unless I consulted a vet first. There are many different doses of aspirins from baby to adults and the vets always take an animals weight into consideration before administering any drugs as all doctors do for us. A heating pad put between a blanket in her bed will help if your dog suffers from this and so will a hot water bottle. Ensure that the temperature is accurate and the dog is unable to scratch on the blanket over the heating pad. Heat does soothe pain. I hope this works out for her as arthritis has no age calendar. RR