ChowChow.org

Agreed, I didn't say they weren't active, just that they were not excessively active dogs. This would be in comparison to say a retriever. I am simply saying that if you particularly want a dog to go running with there would be more obvious choices. For a wonderful companion with a mind of his own a...

I think you would be better with a different type of dog. We have a 2.5 year old pure bred chow and he is pooped after a walk around the block (and he is young and not at all overweight!) He has his active times but these are in short bursts. During the day he is happy to just snooze or follow me ar...

I have a cream chow (2.5 years old), and while his nose is still black his tongue (which was pure black) is now patchy. So yes, changes can definitely happen as they get older.

I should add that we have steps everywhere, inside and out. I suspect that this has exacerbated the problem, if not been the cause of it in the first place....

Many thanks for the replies. At this stage I'm erring towards the TPLO locally. I would definitely choose TTA over TPLO if there wasn't the travel involved. I would love to think that it would heal itself in time with rest management, but it is still very bad after more than a month, and with his ar...

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with both of these operations so as to give insight into which is best.... My Chowy has had a bad time. He ruptured his back right cruciate so we had to travel quite a few hours to get him his TTA surgery (which the vet recommended over all other procedu...

My boy Chowy.

Hi there. I have a nearly 2 y old cream chow. He does get some tear staining, I just keep on it and give him a good face wash each day. It seems though judging by the other replies maybe this is not universal... I think depends on the eyes themselves, while my boy doesn't have entropion, his eyes ar...

Hi Sirchow, well it seems the vet is as flummoxed by it all as we are. I read about the disease you mentioned and the symptoms don't really correlate. ie; the lameness is not what I'd consider acute and doesn't change from leg to leg (always front right), and he did have x rays done. It was original...

Hi there - just noticed this post. I have a 14 month old chow and we suspect he has myotonia congenita also (our vet cottoned on to it after us taking extensive video of him). He had a blood test done by University of Pennsylvania where they specialise in this research and the test come back negativ...

For those interested in Chowy's latest update re congenital myotonia, as follows: We had Chowy x rayed (under mild sedation) and he was cleared of any hip dysplasia/cruciate issues. He did have raised muscle enzyme levels when they did his bloods which apparently is another potential indicator of my...

chowy and will.jpg I also have a playful teenage (9 mths old) chow who loves to nip my 6 year old son (but never me). As everyone else has said, it is all about patience and consistency. I think at this age he just gets excitable, but nevertheless it is still not acceptable behaviour and the sooner...

Thank you Laura and Fozzbear, and yes Fozzbear you are exactly right, I wouldn't trade Chowy in for the world either! Incidentally the vet doesn't think the condition will necessarily be progressive, so may not get worse (fingers crossed). He has found that they have been studying congenital myotoni...

Sure, all these points are duly noted, and while I agree that this is all well and good in hindsight, now that Chowy is part of the family I really need to focus not on whose fault it is that he has this condition, if it is in fact congenital myotonia, but more the best way to go forward with it. Un...

Would you have contact details for a specialist? unfortunately there are only about 3 chow chows in the whole city I live in and I think the vets have limited experience here, and in NZ in general.... I e mailed Chowy's video footage to the vet here but I could always do the same to a specialist els...

The vet e mailed again this morning to tell me to look up Congenital Myotonia. He thinks it may be this, quite a few of his symptoms point to it....

new thread started updating situation.....

Just to update those who had been following my situation. I am still convinced something is amiss with Chowy re him dragging his bag legs at times (mainly evenings), and seeming to have trouble getting up from sitting position..... Because of this I took some video footage of him and sent it to the ...

Hi everyone. Thanks again for all the replies. I had a try with the massage, as we sit together every night anyway while I groom him. Hard to tell whether he liked it or not, he was a bit wriggly so thought maybe it was a bit sore..... I am still not convinced all is as it should be, so I will defin...

PS - I purchased Chowy from a reputable breeder for $2000 (there are only 3 well know breeders in the whole country!). They are not a commonly seen dog here.

Well I have been doing a LOT of research, and the term Caudia Equina (Lumbar sacral syndrome) came up in one of the links in this forum. I looked it up and the symptoms sound quite similar to what Chowy is experiencing ie; slow at getting up (mainly in the evenings) and dragging the back legs before...

Update: Had a second vet look at Chowy and I got a bit more information, however this vet was still dubious about doing an x ray this early in the piece. He said with dogs not fully grown it is hit and miss whether the x ray is accurate and often comes out obscured due to them wriggling (if not unde...

THANK YOU. I just rang another vet and got a second opinion, and you are absolutely right. They have said they CAN do an x ray without him being fully anesthetized (may just need a small dose of sedative to keep him calm). He also disagreed with the wait and see approach. I have an appointment for F...

Chowy as at last week!

Thanks for the replies. I have been to the vet and have been informed it is either Luxating patellar (loose joint in leg), which cannot be operated on until 12 months, and could right itself, OR hip dysplasia. The hip dysplasia cannot be determined without a full x ray and Chowy having to be put und...