My young dog bunny hops on one leg. Is this normal or serious?

Yes, this can be a sign of poor hip conformation or hip dysplasia. Usually dogs with hip joint laxity run with both rear legs together or bunny hop. As Coco is still growing the pain also could be due to panosteitis which is pain in the bones from growing too fast. I recommend switching her to adult large breed dog food so she will grow slower. She will still reach her full size, it just may take a little longer. Adult food is fine for all ages so you do not need to be worried, she will still get the nutrition she needs. Your veterinarian can feel her hip joints for laxity, but X-rays are not conclusive until she is six months or older. It is best to exercise Coco on a leash and prevent running and jumping. Your veterinarian may also prescribe pain medication to make her. more comfortable. While hip dysplasia can cause arthritis later in life, many dogs go through short painful episodes, then they are pain free for long periods of time. If she has poor hip conformation she shouldn't have puppies as they may have bad hips also. Keeping Coco active, thin and well muscled in addition to joint supplements and pain medication when needed will give Coco the best chance to live a normal active life. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Coco.

Hello, sorry to hear about Dexter. He is still very young to tell accurately, but he could have early signs of hip dysplasia. One way to tell for sure is by having Dexter evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon no later than by the time he is 3 months of age. They will then schedule him to have a PennHip study to confirm more than normal joint space in his hips. If so, they can talk to you about certain types of procedure which can aid in decreasing the possibility that he could have full hip dysplasia. Other causes of this is that he is a growing puppy this could just be associated with him growing. Hope this helps and best of luck.

At this age, it’s hard to say- it could be either. Bernadette will need to start or continue her puppy vaccines around this age anyway, so have your vet do a good exam of the hips while you’re in for that. We really can’t diagnose hip dysplasia without xrays (unless it’s so severe that the hips are popping out of their sockets) but your vet could certainly do that at any time. Hope this helps and best wishes to you and your big puppy girl!

Based on your description, I would be concerned that your pug has a luxating patella. This would cause him to not use the leg properly because the knee cap is sliding out of it's correct anatomical position. This is a common condition in small breed dogs. I would have your dog seen by a vet first thing tomorrow. The vet can do a lameness exam and possibly x-rays to diagnose what is causing his lameness, and can discuss treatment with you. With a patella luxation, surgery may be required to fix it.

This depends on the age of your dog. In older dogs, this is a classic sign of hip dysplasia. In young patients with hip dysplasia, the hip joint is often "lax" or loose. The ball of the hip does not fit well into the socket. The actual formation of the ball of the hip joint may be improperly formed at the neck or head. Young patients often have the appearance of "bunny hopping" when running as this more evenly distributes weight across both back legs. They can also be intermittently lame, like your dog. They may have trouble rising or you may hear a click when he does or walks. We also see the weight being held more on the front limbs than the rear (leaning forward) when standing. In an older dog, shifting leg lameness is a sign of arthritis. Without further information, I cannot tell you what is causing this in your dog. Depending on the cause, medication can be useful to help the signs improve but a veterinary exam would be needed.

The most common reasons for young dogs to have issues with mobility include congenital bony abnormalities, juvenile onset arthritis, or a traumatic injury. If this is a relatively chronic issue, I would definitely recommend a physical exam by your veterinarian to see if a specific problem can be identified. Depending on the vet's findings, x-rays might be advisable to further investigate the matter. Snowy's breed and size will likely play into the likelihood of one condition over another. Hope this helps!

Yes, this is a common sign seen with luxating patellas (dislocating knee cap). Small breeds like Bailey tend to be affected by it and it can have various ranges of severity. If Bailey is skipping, then it is likely a high-grade luxating patella and may need surgery to correct it. In order to get his condition diagnosed and treated, you'll need to start by scheduling an exam with your veterinarian. For more information about this condition, I recommend you read the article at the link below. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/luxating-patella-or-kneecap-in-dogs I hope that helps and Bailey gets better soon.