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So my 2 yo female Scottie has recently begun spending a lot of time in her kennel of her own volition, refusing to come out when called and cowering/acting like she's in trouble for seemingly no reason. This is very uncommon for her as an energetic outgoing feisty terrier girl. We thought maybe phantom pregnancy/ nesting, but the guilty behavior undermines that idea.... Any thoughts? Also, horse update, my big gelding came up SUPER lame all of a sudden, seemed like both front feet, very difficult walking, however checked him over nose to tail, and found no heat, no swelling, no tenderness, no response to hoof testers etc. we thought initially he may have been getting ready to abscess. Gave him byte and antibiotics, better for a few days then back down. This went on for a couple weeks, seems fine now. Noticed hesitance in reaching down and left with neck when I was doing stretches with him, could his lameness be related to back or neck injury? That is my guess, but unsure....
Optional Information: Type of Animal: Paint/QH Gender: Male Age: 15 Name of Horse: Leo Already Tried: Bute, Uniprim powder, soaked feet, stretching legs, flexing joints, neck stretches....
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Hi, I hope to provide some assistance to you and your pets.For your Scottie dog, telling the difference between a behavioral issue and a physical issue can be a challenge. However, assuming in your dog's case that there have been no major life changes for her, people or animals coming and going from the house, home remodeling, moving, etc, or traumatic situations such as falling, getting a new invisible fence, or being fearful of something specific... then it is likely a physical cause. What comes to mind with what you describe is back/neck pain. Dogs who have back or neck pain will often hide or withdraw because they are painful, and stand or sit with a hunched posture, perhaps looking like they are cowering. As you said, her behavior is very far out of the ordinary for a terrier. I would recommend taking her to your veterinarian for an examination and evaluation because, at least in my mind, I'm strongly suspicious that there is a physical cause for this change, such as perhaps neck/back pain.In regards XX XXXX horse, a sudden severe lameness in both front limbs that later waxes and wanes is always, until proven otherwise, laminitis (founder). A hoof abscess rarely involves both limbs at the same time, although this is vaguely possible. I know you said that you didn't feel the horse had pain on hoof testers, but again, until proven otherwise, that scenario is always laminitis. Typically a back injury causes more lameness in the hind end than in the front. A neck injury, while it can cause some discomfort in the front limbs, shouldn't cause a severe lameness--it more frequently causes some stiffness when moving. Your horse's older age and the time of year (early summer when the grass is growing well and therefore most horses' diets are rich in carbohydrates) also lend likelihood to laminitis.I would recommend having your veterinarian come to evaluate your horse for laminitis. The earlier that this is treated, the less damage that occurs to the hoof and the sooner recovery can take place. Be sure to ask your veterinarian about the possibility for Cushing's, which is often associated with laminitis in middle-aged to older horses.In the meantime, continue to use Bute as needed to keep your horse comfortable, and keep your horse on stall rest with deep, soft bedding.I hope that this has been helpful, and best of luck with both your dog and horse! Let me know if you have follow-up questions.