My Collie

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I have a male Collie, we're not exactly sure how old he is but we figure around 6 or 7 years old. For a collie he is extermly big, I mean he weighs nearly 100 lbs or so. The thing is, he has a big head, big legs, and large torso. I know he maybe some what overweight but he just seems to be a big dog overall. He also has a Abdonmial Hernia on his abs (which we plan to get removed), the hernia doesnt cause him any pain, so would this have anything to do with his weight being so abnormally high? When we get the hernia removed could this cause his weigh to go down or is he just a big dog by nature?

ANSWER: Hi Zach,

Your Collie just might be an "imperfect specimen of the breed", as far as his size, meaning it's just your dog's genes that he's so big. That of course has no baring on him being a totally wonderful dog.

An abdominal hernia has nothing to do with your dog's size, and shouldn't cause a change in your dog's weight once it's repaired. Hernias in dogs are caused by a weakness or deletion of a part of the abdominal wall, or they're due to an increase of pressure within the abdominal cavity.

If you think your dog is overweight, you should increase his activity level (after he has recovered from the hernia surgery) and change the food he receives. You can try a special weight reduction diet, and of course, table scraps are a no-no and treats need to be minimized.

Best of luck,
Patti


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QUESTION: Were going to start cutting down on his food intake but whenever we try to take him on a walk his back legs seem to just turn to mush, everyone and while he cant even lift his hindend. He has problems going up stairs sometimes, could this be caused by his weight or other problems like arthritis?

ANSWER: Hi Zach,

It could be arthritis, or hip dysplasia, or it could be a back problem. Your vet needs to examine your dog, so you'll know exactly which condition you're dealing with. Pain medication can really improve your dog's quality of life, and restore mobility. You should talk to your vet about this.

Until your vet starts your dog on medication, you shouldn't try to exercise him, as that can be causing him pain, and inflaming whatever his condition might be.

Once your dog's condition has been diagnosed, if you'd like to write back, I may be able to suggest diet supplements to help with his condition.

Best of luck,
Patti

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sorry to bother again but I just took my dog into the vet today, they ran some test it turns out his hips are fine he may have some cartilage ware but that all... but what they found was there was something on his pelvis and left Femer bone in the X-Ray. They looked as if the bone had continued to grow or someone drew the rocky mountains onto one side of his pelvis. The Vet said they it might be cancer but she had never seen anything like this before, what are the chances it could be cancer or maybe just a bone growth?

Answer
Hi Zach,

You're not bothering me! I'm happy to help. I'm glad you were able to get your dog examined by your vet so quickly. Were any blood tests done to help diagnose this?

I'm not a doctor, so I can't say what condition your dog might have. If your regular vet comes right out and admits she's has no experience with this, then it's time to consult with a specialist, in this case a veterinary Oncologist or Orthopedist.

You may not need to take your dog to the specialist vet, your current vet should be able to do the consult on line or over the phone. If your vet doesn't know where to turn for such a consult, here are some web sites to pass on to her:

http://www.vetoncologyconsults.com/
http://www.acvim.org/Specialist/Search.aspx

Schools of veterinary medicine often offer the best facilities and staffs for oncology, so that is another place for your veterinarian to contact.

The Veterinary Cancer Society can help you locate a veterinary oncologist in your area:
https://cvmsecure.missouri.edu/vcs/members.aspx

You should talk to your vet about pain medication for your dog. There's no reason for him to be living in pain, while you figure out the course of treatment.

Try to keep a positive outlook!

Feel free to write back if I can be of further help.

-Patti