Like every morning, I set Max out in the backyard before he eats and he comes on back in. As I saw him walking back towards the sliding glass door, he was "sandcrabbing" across the deck, his body was canted about 45 degrees to his movement. I let him in and he ate... very slowly.
As he finished his breakfast, he completely went down on his hind legs. It looked like his left rear leg had slid completely underneath him. Then he REALLY was sandcrabbing as his body was completely perpendicular to his movement. I looked at him and thought "Uh oh..."
I scooped him up and took him back outside. As soon as I set him down, he began to walk normally again, so I let him do his thing and have him come in on his own. This time, there was no problems and he has been walking and acting normal (at least as normal as a 17 year old dog with some degree of senility and dementia can act).
As best as I can figure, what I must have witnessed was his leg popping out of the hip joint and then popping back in. I can tell that his hips are starting to get bad, and it looked like he was holding his left rear leg a bit more inboard than usual for a while. I am hoping that with the onset of warmer weather only a few weeks away that the hip problems will abate for a while.
In the meantime, our most senior of weiners could use a ray or two.
Sending rays to our most senior wiener, Max. I guess if it had to be something, it's good that it was his hip going out and back into place...rather than going down in the rear. Rays are coming your way, Max! :sunny:
Rays on the way for Max from San Diego :comfort:
Wishing Max much warmer weather for those old joints real soon. Gosh, David, Max is really doing well for his age. Every day is a blessing.
We can't send any warm sun rays your way today, but dachsie rays coming full force from a junior senior weiner.
Rays on the way from our most senior weiner. Sending Texas sun rays your way Max !!! Hope you are able to lounge the day away and ease those joints. Smoochies sweet Max :comfort:
No sunshine in Iowa today, but Rays are on the way from Ozzy and me.
Max, Even though its only around 52 here today and cloudy, we have had a burst of early spring here lately. Maybe these pictures I took at Furman University last weekend will remind you to hang in there-Spring and warmer weather isn't too far away. Sending prayers and rays to you from S.C.
Tons of rays and more Texas sunshine from the Houston gang. Hope it was just a temporary thing and Max has no more set backs. Hang tough Max! Max P. is sending extra strong rays for Max C. He has had the knee joint pop in and out, so we knda know what you are talking about with his hip.
max, stop giving your hoomans frights. David try and find someone who does Bowen therapy, it helped Emma a treat, pinched nerves etc.
Our worst "oh my dear lord" were when Emma would go into a deep sleep, with very little chest movement. Especially in the middle of the night I'd shake Nick and say is she breathing, then it would take a lot to wake her, and she would at us as if to say" could you pair not realise I"M ASLEEP".
Big hugs little man.
Roberta
Thank you for the rays. Max has not had a recurrence of that episode, so I'm hoping it's an abherration. One person suggested that it may have been neurological, since there was no apparent pain associated with the episode...almost as if his brain "forgot" that there were two legs back there.
Teresa: thank you for the spring pictures. We're still waiting for it to warm up here.
Roberta: We do the same thing with Max. Sometimes he sleeps so deeply and there's so little chest movement that more than once, I've thought he was gone. To add to the "horror", Max has been known to sleep with his eyes open.
We know at this stage in Max's life, every day he remains with us is a blessing. I'm not doing anything "over the top" to attempt to prolong his life any further. The only meds he is now on are the gluocosamine tablets. I've even had "the talk" with Max to let him know that he does not need to hang on for our sake and when he's ready to join Rudy, he can go. Still, the old guy continues to hang in there. I guess he still feels the need to remain here with us. If we're lucky, we'll get one more barkday out of him. If he makes 18, we'll start hoping he makes 19.
WARM autumn rays comin' from down under
BIG smoochies to Max xxxxx
We are sending HHH's & PPPP's to our senior wiener. Hope he has no more problems with it and the warm weather makes him feel more spry.
Merion & the ZZ's
To our dearest Seniorest Dachsie, lots of sunshine rays comin' your way, fella. ))))))))))))))))
Max, dude, don't DO that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm glad it wasn't something more serious. Way to have a heart attack.
Rays going out for you! It's supposed to get into the upper 50's here today and that's warmer than the 30-40 last week so I'll send some KY warmth your way! Hope Max doesn't pop his hip out anymore. That would be very uncomfortable I"d think.
Hey Max buddy! Our crew is sending some warm, soothing pick-you-up rays, especially Poldie. The senior weiners have to stick together.
Oooh Max...that gave us all a scare! So glad he has rallied, he is very special to us all. They can really scare you sometimes. Rays coming from the left coast.
Teresa those pictures are gorgeous!!! Yeay spring! :thumb: