Pet injuries

[RKins]

Question for you guys with the newer coaches. Our coach sits low when aired down and leveled. We have the Kwikee42 steps coming into the house (normal 7" steps) but then there are 2 big steps (like 9 ") to get into the house. So I take our dog (36lb lab mix) outside a lot - if I'm out there she wants to be with me. Going back into the coach, she takes the add-a step (if we're using it) and the Kwikee steps like normal people/dogs but then she leaps up to the main floor of the house - not touching the middle step. I would say maybe 18-20". She might do this 25 times a day. Not sure why she won't "step up" the stairs.
Anyway I think the leaping up in the coach probably injured her back left leg - the vet is saying possible CCL tear (like an ACL in humans) and could require surgery. Next week we have xrays and then consult with surgeon. She's walking around on 3 legs for the last week. Poor baby.
My question is your newer coaches have more, steeper steps. Are you worried about/seeing the same injuries or are you mitigating the possibility by carrying the dog inside?

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Rick:

First, we're sorry to hear about your dog's injury and are hoping that it won't require surgery. If it does, we hope it goes well and, with a quick, sure recovery.

Our two Mini Schnauzers are 6 and 12 years old. The younger one handles the steps into the coach pretty well and we just let her go up and down unaided.

The older one, however, tries to do something similar to what your dog does. She starts up the steps, gets in a hurry near the top and tries to leap up over the last couple of steps. Not good. Since she's at "senior citizen" age for dogs, we lift her up to the next-to-the-top step and she handles the final steps just fine. It seems that having 4-5 steps in front of her causes some anxiety, but just a couple don't cause her a problem. Go figure.

BTW, we do use a portable step on the ground to reduce the distance up to the first step...for us and for the dogs.

TJ

 

[BGMAC]

Sorry to hear about your dogs injuries. Our dog has a hip displacia so I know what your talking about.
Step are uncomfortable for our 4 legged companions going up or down. If you notice most will practically run down and jump off the last step. Pretty much the same going up. I believe it is the position of there head in relation to there body and the uneven weight distribution between the front legs and back that make them uncomfortable. It’s just my opinion. I’m no expert.

 

[RKins]

I may have to make some sort of ramp that I can store inside the stairwell. I saw a couple examples coming out of coaches, when at the Tampa RV supershow, although the couple I saw were really just laying over the Kwikee steps and not much over the inside stairs. I'll have to get creative. Way I figure, whatever I build the dog will try to jump over that too

 

[Neal]

@RKins sorry to hear of your fur'baby's injury. Labs and like breeds are at higher risk and in my opinion (guess) is that the injury was likely from exercising and not from the stairs and the stairs just did the final number, if at all, it could have already been done. I think regardless of the stairs it was going to happen as it sounds like your pet was just susceptible to this injury i.e. a tear may have already existed, who knows.

To your question, and I have a puppy going up steps and no, I'm not worried as again I think if it's going to happen it will happen.

 

[RKins]

Thanks Neal - cute video. I don't think the stairs are bad for the dog, I think how she climbs them might be. And you're right, it could be exercise - we take her to Camp Bow Wow a couple times a week so she can play with dogs her size. Maybe it happened there and showed up later. The vet has her on an 8 shot series of Adequan. 2 shots per week. Tomorrow is #4. Supposed to soften the joint materials.

 

[Neal]

My guess is during exercise which should probably be limited from this point forward. I hope all works out for the pup. I did Adequan injections on my 2nd lab myself, I honestly didn't see any benefit. On my last lab I did Glycoflex III from Amazon and that seemed to work well as she aged.

 

[BGMAC]

Thanks Neal, I ll check it out too. We have one with hip problems. The Lab/Sheppard mix.

 

[RKins]

Well we took our pup to the ortho for a diagnosis and unfortunately she's torn her CCL and needs surgery. We have her scheduled for 2/25 with a 10 week recovery in her future. They are going to do a TPLO on her. She's a Lab-mix, 5.5 years old, 36lbs.