# 10 yo in for grooming today - now has sudden weakness in back legs! Very worried....



## 4Riley

Hi - I'm so glad I found this forum! Today I took my 10 year old golden - (Riley) to get groomed - I have been taking him to this groomer for several years and have never had any problems in the past. Let me first say - Riley has been on phenobarbital for several years for seizure control due to epilepsy- he has been seizure free for at least 4 years. So generally in good health - in the past year he has started to show some weakness in his back legs when he gets up - but once he is up and walking he is fine. Today when I picked him up for the groomer (he was there about 3 hours) when we were leaving he collapsed on the first set of steps going out the door. I was shocked at first ...let him rest for awhile and talked to the groomer who said that he was probably just tired from standing the entire time- and with his age maybe next time he could take a baby aspirin before he came to help with his soreness. (found out that is not an option since he is on phenobarbital)

After about 10 minutes he was able to make it to the car.....I took him home but noticed he wasn't quite right - throughout the rest of the day and evening he has been getting worse. He lays down but then once he gets up he is very stiff and it takes him some time to get moving. He cannot do stairs - so I have been keeping him on one level. I am planning on sleeping downstairs with him tonight - but I'm so worried that when he gets up in the morning - he will be so stiff that he won't be able to get up. In the back of my mind I feel like something might have happened at the groomers and she just didn't tell me about it - (perhaps he fell off the table - and pulled a muscle?) - we only take him in about 3 times a year - but this has never happened before. I am wondering if he pulled a muscle - or something....he is a very gentle and calm dog - so I know he doesn't struggle or get anxious when he is getting groomed.....but I just can't understand why this back leg weakness came on so suddenly and that it happened after I picked him up - can't call the groomer until Monday of course to question her more - so I will just wait it out - and hope that by morning Riley is feeling a little better!

thanks for listening!


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## esSJay

Welcome to the forum!

I hope that your pup is feeling better soon... I would suspect that something had happened at the groomer - perhaps his leg slipped off the side of the table or something. I would give the vet a call when you have a chance and try to bring him in tomorrow or asap. 

Did Riley have any new type of exercise in the days leading up to the groom?


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## ebenjamin85

I hope that Riley is feeling better come morning. Perhaps all the standing aggravated something??? Sending positive thoughts your way!


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## outabout

Hope all is well with Riley. Since it is all of sudden, chances are it may be just muscle issue. My 12.5 year golden developed extreme hind leg weakness a couple weeks ago over the course of 1-2 weeks. After going through every test under the sun, he is diagnosed as having neurotransmitter problem. I could see symptoms like "knuckling over" where he would walk on the pad of the paw, and legs crossing over, signs that would show that he wasn't aware of his leg position, indicating a neurological problem. I'd say as long as you don't see such behavior, chances are it is not neurological. Of course there are other possible causes of muscle weakness. I would take him in for check up soon.


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## Dallas Gold

I hope Riley is better this morning. If not or if he's worse, can you take him to an ER vet? There may be a medication that is compatible with his phenobarbitol that will help relieve pain and inflammation. 

When you speak to your groomer again, please ask if there is any way they can do his grooming in less time. I sometimes use our vet for grooming and with the dogs that have orthopedic issues they are usually in and out in less than an hour. I was so impressed I now intentionally book our 7 year old that way too, even though he's fine orthopedically and just suffers from separation anxiety issues. Sometimes it means we wait to bring him in or we wait several days but that's OK with us. If I were in your shoes I'd insist on a shorter grooming time because of Riley's epilepsy anyway.


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## Karen2

Welcome to the forum neighbor.
Hope Riley is ok, my Sierra has some issues when she over does it.
I give her grapeseed with MSM (_suggested by my_ _Naturopath_) and really seems to help.


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## RedDogs

The washing, drying, and trimming require long periods of standing, up to 30, 40+ minutes at a time. Even some younger, healthier dogs can have trouble with that. 

If you take him back again, you could request they do each part separately with rests in between, and-or you stay to supervise.


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## 4Riley

*thank you!!*

wow - I'm so glad to have found this forum - and thanks for all the helpful and encouraging replies! I felt like I was surrounded by caring hugs from all of you - who understand how concerned we are over our beloved pets when something is wrong. Riley's night was ok - I slept in the room with him on the lower level - just in case he needed me - I was hoping for a much better condition when he woke up - but he was stiff and sore....however once standing and getting up for a few minutes - we managed to get him outside to go potty - he ate and then went out again....a little wobbley at times but I thought it was ok to at least have him walk around for a bit so he could maybe loosen up. He then wanted to go up to our main floor (three steps) so he could lay on the tile....he seems comfortable now and I'm trying stay positive that it was just overdoing it at the groomer. Of course since it is Easter today - I can't call the groomer...(which I plan on first thing tomorrow) and I'm not sure a trip to the vet is an option on a holiday....unless he gets really bad during the day. He seems ok and not in severe pain....so I'm going to wait it out a few hours - go to Church and say some doggie prayers for him. Try to keep it together so my kids (9, 15 and 18 ) don't pick up on my anxiety. I appreciate all your thoughts and advice - I will keep you posted and hope that a trip to the vet tomorrow will give us some type of meds that will help with the inflammation. I will never take him back to a groomer! I will have his nails clipped and do the maintenance brushing myself. or like some of you said - have them do it in stages.....and maybe while I'm there. 

Have a wonderful Easter everyone!
Pam


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## Jax's Mom

Sorry Riley isnt feeling weel. I will say prayers that he is feeling alittle better when you get home from church.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom

We had a terrible grooming experience with our springer several years ago. Ended up taking himto the vet the next day with severe back, back leg pain. Turned out he had an "exploding" disc in his lower back, undoubtedly from the grooming. I felt terrible....I had been so careful since he is immune compromised and couldn't go to a regular groomer. I Had arranged for one of the mobile groomers, first appt of the day so it was freshly sanitized. My vet told me that there are no licensing mandates and that he would not recommend leaving a dog to be groomed unless you can stand there and watch. Believe me, he's never been groomed anywhere but at home since. Our goldens are always done at home too. 

Excuse the typos, I can't type worth a darn on this iPad.


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## Ranger

Aw, hope your boy is feeling better! Poor guy! I know with our last two older dogs we had requested that the groomers call us before the dogs were completely dry. Otherwise it was just too hard on old wobbly legs to stand for as long it took to get them dry. Plus all the other standing while getting bathed, brushed, snipped, etc. They were getting a little wobbly anyway so I'm sure trying to stand and balance while someone brushes your coat made things worse. That'd be my only suggestion for next time. Some groomers just don't recognize that older guys can't stand for as long as young ones...or that if they do, it means they'll be sore later on. 

Hope he's feeling better!


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## Sweet Girl

Hi Pam - welcome, and I hope you stick around! This is an incredibly valuable place for information, education, and just plain support and understanding and friendship from people who love their dogs. 

Sorry to hear about what happened to Riley. I, too, think it probably was the long 3 hours standing up on the grooming table. I might go in person on Monday and ask if anything out of the ordinary happened (did he jump off the table, for example?). They also might have moved him suddenly or pulled back on one of his legs while brushing or bathing him. It sounds like the kind of stiffness or weakness I've seen in my 10-year-old after she overdoes it at the park, or we walk too long. Generally, she is feeling better after a couple of days of rest. 

Is your guy on any joint supplements? I know a lot of people here use fish oil and glucosamine/chondroitin. My girl was on the latter for many years, but it stopped having much effect by about age 9. She's on a natural supplement now that's been great for her (it's called Sashas Blend) and she was recently put on Deramaxx for arthritis. If he's never been on any kind of joint relief, adding one now would probably give him some immediate relief.


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## Dallas Gold

I did some investigating as to why our dogs get bathed and groomed (no fur trimming, that takes longer and our Goldens never really needed it) so quickly, usually in an hour. The vet uses this:
HydroSurge® - BathPro 5.1
They call it a massaging bath. The dog can sit down in the bathtub, which is helpful for senior dogs. 

Then they put the dog in a sit down electric turbo dryer that easily accomodates larger dogs. It's a sit down thing and totally automatic. I've been in exam rooms when they are using it and it sounds like a rocket is taking off! It only takes a few minutes and the dog is dry. Then it's on to brushing, nail clip, anal sac expression and a tooth brushing. All in all it's quick and they look really cute afterwards. We only do this in the cold of winter. In summer our dogs get baths at home al fresco, with drying walks via the wind afterwards. 

Another thing to check out is where they put the dogs between bathing, drying, and miscellaneous grooming. Many groomers have tiny little cages for the large dogs. I prefer something more like a large enclosed shower stall where the dog can lie down, sit, stand and move around. It is easier on their joints and they just seem less stressed than being crated in a uncomfortable wire cage that leaves no room to stand or sit. 

I really do appreciate that our veterinary clinic takes such care with the bigger dogs too. When Barkley was fighting his hemangiosarcoma he experienced major environmental allergies after his splenectomy, with his immune system compromised. They were able to bathe and give him relief in such a short time he didn't skip a beat after arriving home.


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## 4Riley

*Hard day for Riley....*

we made it through the day - I would say he didn't get much worse - and he even had some time outside when we did our Easter egg hunt - but basically he just walked around a little. His stiffness and weakness is apparent when he first gets up - it's so hard to watch. I feel so helpless - wish I could do something to help him. I will be calling the Vet first thing in the morning and hope we can get him n early. - in addition I will be calling the groomer to ask more about his appointment and how he acted while there. I'm not trying to blame them - but I definitely want to take this opportunity to remind them to take special care of the older dogs and limit their standing time. Riley never had any problems in the past - so I didn't even think twice about leaving him there that long - I feel so guilty about this now - and am trying not to beat myself up over it. I just hope we will get through this and that he will bounce back with a little bit of help from the vet - and lots of love and care from his family. Thanks again for all your suggestions on supplements, possible medication and therapies - and most of all your message of hope. So many of you have experienced similar situations - it's so reassuring to hear your stories. 

Pam


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