Saskia, my 14-month-old Dane, has had for some months a problem that
manifests every couple of weeks or so as a sudden yelp followed by 30
seconds of limping on her right foreleg. X-rays revealed nothing amiss with
her foot, ankle, shoulder, etc. It can happen while she's playing or while
she's lying on the sofa and decides to change position. It doesn't seem to
worsen with increased exercise or lessen with more rest.

We just went to the orthopedist. He listened to what I had to say and read
the letter from the vet, and said that my feeling that her neck is the
culprit sounded on-target. He got some staff in and she was held motionless
while he checked over her legs and other joints, then concentrated on her
neck. He found no pain reaction or loss of flexibility, so it was on to the
x-ray room. Unsedated, she was put on the table and I stood by talking to
her while a tech held my indignant baby in another room.

He went over the x-rays with me and it seems to be wobblers. He said the
only way to be 100% sure, of course, is a CT scan or MRI, which we are
welcome to have scheduled at the university any time we like, but he showed
me where the channel in the two vertebrae looks somewhat narrower than the
others, and one vertebra seems very slightly tilted forward.

He said, though, that her vertebrae are done growing and that given the lack
of progression since this appeared, the lack of compression now, and the
fact that it seems to be only one movement that causes the reaction, he
thinks optimism is strongly called for, and that she may well never get
worse. Of course no certainty about this is possible. He did say, when I
asked him about his experiences with cases this mild, that he has never
personally seen a case this mild.

We plan at this point on waiting for a while, at least to save up some more
money, before deciding for sure whether to do the CT or MRI--what are you
folks' takes on this?

Poor Saskers found the whole thing very traumatic, but I realized while we
were there that the only major "obstacle" between us and home, walking (we
took the tram there), is the massive, dog-friendly park. So we came through
the park with a brief stop for a new rope toy at the pet store we happened
to pass, and she is passed out but happy now, on the sofa. Good thing she's
really tired; no walk/run tomorrow--it's Queen's Day and the entire city
will be one giant street fair, especially as it's the 25th anniversary of
the Queen's coronation, and the parks and any open areas will be jammed with
people selling things, partying, or playing music.

So... thoughts, anyone? We're keeping our spirits up and remaining
optimistic that what we've already seen for symptoms may be all we ever see
(a yelp and 30 seconds of limping every couple of weeks)...

--Katrina