Dottie's Hips

I had Dottie's hips x-rayed at the mobile vet clinic at the Dixon show. She had, "The best hips I've seen all day." I did not submit them to OFA because that is extra money and as a rescue, no one cares what her hips look like except me. It is great her hips are so good (full coverage of the ball by the socket and a very straight line from tip of socket to tip of socket for those not in the know) but I still think something is going on with some part of her body.

The regular vet was not in, so they were not offering knees/ patellas to be examined. It could be her knees. She doesn't bend them when she walks, but does when she trots. When she holds and carries the full sized heavy sleave after she has won it (which probably weighs almost as much as she does- well, it isn't quite that heavy, nor is she quite that small) she skips a step every so often in the rear. Dog with luxating patellas do that. I'll have her knees looked at next.

If she does have luxating patellas, then she is in good company because that is what I have. Except when one of my knees caps luxate I don't have three other legs to stand on and therefore I usually end up in a heap on the ground, writhing and screaming in pain. Well, not quite- but that is what I feel like doing! Note to self- do NOT attempt to run Fancy on an agility course, after twisting your knee while running Pie, because not only will it be so badly injured you will need to use your folding chair as a crutch to hobble back to your set up, and even when using the chair you might almost not make it and will have to stop several times (at least you have a chair to sit in but you know you'd better not because getting in and out will be impossible for your knee), and your friend will have to load your car and walk your dogs to the car for you and then your knee will be so swollen it might not bend enough to fit it in your car and once you finally get it in, you will have to go through the drive though fast food window to ask for ice in a bag to put on your knee. If you ignore this note to self, be sure to at least also order a drink so you are not 100% a weirdo going through a fast food drive through ordering only ice in a bag and nothing else.

So- back to Dottie. I also had her heart listened to by the heart doc who declared, "No problem hearing HER heart!" and also that it sounded good. Heart trouble is not the cause of her lack of agility stamina. At our first trial I used a glycogen recovery shake and also some energy/ power bars made special for dogs and I think one of those things helped. She seemed to have the same amount of energy for the second run as the first run.

Tomorrow we go to San Diego for Dottie's BH, then on Sunday we go to Santa Rosa to pick up the trailer! Lots of driving. Getting the trailer will be worth it. Crossing our fingers the drive to the BH is worth it also. I seem to have neglected training the long down. (Cue ominous music.)