question about bullmastiff and joint problems

[kc926]

My bullmastiff is 1 year and 5 months old. He has been treated for a shoulder problem. It has never been diagnosed as a torn ligament but just for a sprain. He has been medicated for a long time with etodolac and responds well to the medication. The problem now is that for the last month he refuses to come up the stairs into the main level of our house. He is very active, he runs, plays, etc. but just refuses to come up the stairs. I don't know what to do because it seems as if he wants to but just won't do it. If anyone can help, maybe has had the same or a similar problem please help. The last vet appointment could not find anything physically wrong. Could it be a psychological problem?
Thank you for any help at all.

[davet]

question: will he go up stairs if you lead him and if so does he hesitate or act like it hurts???

[kc926]

yes, I have tried leading him up the steps. unfortunately, he weighs in at approximately 140 lbs. it doesn't work out too well for me. what he will do is walk up about 3 steps using just the front legs,never the back. I don't know if he hurt his shoulder originally on the linoleum floor at the foyer and that is why. very perplexing.

[Traci]

When was the last vet checkup? If over a month, you might want to get him re-evaluated, and include x-rays (including views of the hips and rear leg joints). If there haven't been any recent changes in his environment, undue stress, or obvious events that he is avoiding the stairs, then you can probably rule out psychological.

Also, is your vet routinely doing baseline bloodwork while your dog is on etogesic?

[davet]

i think this sounde more like a pain or discomfort problem which i think, as traci says, should be looked into...doesn;t sound psychalogical , rather phiological....

[davet]

doesn;t sound psychalogical , rather phiological

Traci what did i just say...i think i may have had a spell check moment