Lupa seems lethargic

[Dog Dancer]

Okay, I know it's been hot here, and I know she's an Alaskan Malamute, so the two are bound to make her lazy, but she seems overly lazy to me. Lupa has always been more reluctant to walk than Nikki, and during the walks will frequently lay down or sit down and won't move for some time. It just doesn't seem very normal to me. She has her crazy, zoomy moments for sure, where she's just a nutty 5 month old puppy. But something just seems off to me. The vet says she's great, but I'm still concerned.

Don't think they've gotten into ticks yet, but I'm wondering what else could make her so uninterested in walks and such. When I take her in to get spayed in a couple weeks is there anything special I should be asking the vet to check?? Hazel - any ideas???

[Jull]

Is she eating and drinking water normally?

Maybe she is just a bit bored??...I know my little monsters are very different than yours lol, but Guero is more of a couch potato than Bestia even though he is still a puppy.

for Lupa

[Goldfields]

I'd get her hips checked.I know she's only a baby but I have heard of shelties having to be put down before they got to 12 months due to HD. I thought our Ben(Sheltie) was lazy when in fact he had a very bad hip.

[Dog Dancer]

She eats great (piggy) and drinks plenty but not excessively. She seems very normal other than the lethargy - which may just be her nature, but it seems odd. GF, she did have xrays done when she was at emerg and while it wasn't specific to her hips, I recall you could see them, so maybe it would have shown, but that said, the vet has checked her joints with manual manipulations every time we have had her in and said they were great. She still has a slight limp in her front paw, and the vet says not to worry about it, but honestly, it's at a point where it warrants worry by my book. The breeder also says not to worry about the limp, she says it could be a slow healing strain.

I don't know, just collectively it makes me worry. She doesn't seem very puppyish.... I just am curious what I should ask the vet to check while she's under for spaying and/or if she needs blood work. That said, it has crossed my mind, could any of this be from when she was sick after eating the flower bulb??

[MaxaLisa]

I wouldn't have her spayed until she's either okay or you figure this out.

Checking the hips and elbows is alway good. Me, if I see a limp that is prolonged, without apparent cause, I'm off to the chiro. Jazz had that, her elbow was jammed. This last time it wa her shoulder. I have no idea what thi little girl of mine is doing, but it shows in the gate of her front paws.

I missed the eating of the bulb - how bad was that episode?

My girl is also battling with something thaat makes her lethargic, but she's a pistol when on antibiotics. She had a urinary issue that had to be surgically fixed (hoping it hasn't grown back) and she is alo dealing with a clotridium perfringens infection. Vets kept telling me I was imagining things, but I hooked up with a specialist and he helped figure it out. O, I gues my point is to follow your instincts.

I would consider bloodwork and urinalysis before the spay. We started on our path here when some unexpected stuff showed up on her UA, which I just ran as a standart 1 year thing.

[Winston]

Just wanted to throw this thought out there too! Maybe she has some growing pains and not wanting to walk?? Does she walk with Nikki and yourself or do you take them each out seperatly?

Winston did that to me once when I took him for a really really long walk. He walked almost home and then on the way found a nice shady spot and laid down. He wouldnt budge in the slightest until he had a little rest!

[Barkingdog]

Can you check to see if Lupa has a vitamin deficiency vitamin deficiency or is anemia ? Has she had any blood work ? You should trust your judgment, and if your vet can't find anything wrong go another vet.

[Dog Dancer]

We do have some ticks around Hazel, not lots, but I did have them on one of my previous dogs after a trip to Vancouver Island. These guys have not really been anywhere I would suspect ticks though, and I certainly haven't seen/felt any on them.

I really want to get a video of her when she wakes up in the morning because she limps then. I'd like to be able to show the vet. I guess I had better book her an appt before the spay appointment.

I don't think she's anemic, I'm pretty sure that would have shown up in her blood work from the emerg. visit, but you never know.

[Barkingdog]

Originally Posted by Dog Dancer

We do have some ticks around Hazel, not lots, but I did have them on one of my previous dogs after a trip to Vancouver Island. These guys have not really been anywhere I would suspect ticks though, and I certainly haven't seen/felt any on them.

I really want to get a video of her when she wakes up in the morning because she limps then. I'd like to be able to show the vet. I guess I had better book her an appt before the spay appointment.

I don't think she's anemic, I'm pretty sure that would have shown up in her blood work from the emerg. visit, but you never know.

I really hope you can find out what is going on with Lupa. Lyme disease can cause a dog to limps. That is how I knew my last dog had it, he was limping on his front leg.

[Dog Dancer]

You know I don't really think it's a tick thing either, the breeder and vet both think strain, I just figure I want to think of everything.

[pattymac]

Could it maybe be the change in the weather? I find Bayley really gets lazy the first few days when it starts to get hot until she gets used to it. Could you maybe try acupuncture for her leg?