My dog a ShihPoo was fine last week. On Thursday I took him to a groomer and when he came home he had a new habit of swinging his butt to the left and walking that way. When he runs in the yard, his spine is straight and when he comes in he almost immediately swings his butt again to the left and his tail is now usually to the left also. I don't know if he was dropped at the groomer, strained his back or what to think. What do you think?Linda CrawfordLivonia, Michigan
Optional Information: Type of Animal: Shih Poo Gender: Male Age: 3 Name of Dog: Charley Already Tried: I've given him a baby asprin last night and again this morning after he eats on the advice of a vet assistant.
Hi Linda - Welcome to JustAnswer! I am a licensed veterinarian and would be glad to help!
Is there any discomfort when lifting the tail?
A problem defecating / straining to defecate?
Licking at the rear end?
No discomfort with his tail. No problem defecating/no straining either. He does like at his rear end, but does not exhibit any pain.
A neurological or orthopedic problem seems less likely as he can run normal from your description
What would be common from experience would be rear end, notably anal sac discomfort.
I never even thought of that. He had his anal sac checked a few months ago, but I'll have it checked again as soon as I can make an appointment for him. I think you have discovered what is going on. Thank you so much.
You are very welcome!
If you have any follow-up questions - please do not hesitate to ask! Otherwise - please remember to click ACCEPT. If we have exited the chat session, you may click a “Happy Face” followed by “Submit”.Find me any time if needed: http://www.justanswer.com/veterinary/expert-criticalcarevet You can always request me through my profile, bookmark my page for future help, or beginning your question with “For CriticalCareVet”
I have saved your page and will not hesitate to email you if something comes up. Thanks again.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please click the "GREEN ACCEPT" button if the information I have provided has been of help so I receive credit for helping you. Bonuses are always welcome and appreciated. This is necessary so that I can get credit for assisting you and compensated for my time. Once you click accept, your question will not close, and you will still have the opportunity to follow-up if needed. Also remember, sometimes the medical information and recommendation may not be what you want to hear, but it is being made in the best interest of your pet - please be courteous in your response, even if this is not exactly what you wanted to hear - we are only making the best and safest possible recommendations for you and your loved ones. Please keep in mind that if you do not list all the important information above (medical history, current medications, previous illness, etc) it is harder for me to give you the most complete information. With this communication - we are here to guide you in making the best decision for your pet. This is for informational purposes only. We are not allowed to diagnose and prescribe medications - rather provide a course of action to speak to your veterinarian about - and any medical therapy and treatment should only be performed after an in-person examination with your veterinarian as a professional-client relationship has not been established on the site. While information may be discussed, this is not intended as an encouragement for you to self treat your pet, rather information online, and any treatment provided should only be performed after consulting your veterinarian.
Experience: Emergency and Critical Care Specialist