My Yorkie is carrying her back leg. What should I do about it?

There is a very common problem in Yorkies called a luxating patella that often causes these symptoms. Basically, the knee cap pops out of place and causes her to hold the leg up intermittently. This is the first thing your vet will probably check for - it can usually be diagnosed during the exam. If this isn't the problem, then she may have some other type of injury to her leg, such as a torn knee ligament, or something more minor such as a sprain or pulled muscle. I would recommend keeping her calm and quiet for the rest of the night. If she is still holding her leg up in the morning, then she should see a vet to find out what's wrong.

Sweet Pea may have injured her leg or she may have arthritis or a joint abnormality that has flared up. Tick borne diseases can also occasionally cause limping and joint pain. Even though she does not seem to want to extend her leg the pain could be anywhere along the leg and not necessarily the paw or hock (ankle joint). Since she has continued to limp for a few days I would recommend seeing your veterinarian - they would hopefully be able to localize the pain and can recommend tests such as an x-ray and also prescribe pain medication. Limping is nearly always a sign of pain.

Two things come to my mind when I hear about rear legs giving way suddenly. I will address both separately. 1) Luxating patellas. This is a fancy name for loose knee caps. The groove the knee cap sits in is often shallow with smaller breed dogs, especially with the Yorkie or Maltese. The knee cap can slip in and out of place on its own quite readily in some dogs. It typically is not painful but can develop arthritis with time and this causes more irritation. What typically happens is the dog goes to step on the leg, the knee cap is not in place and they cannot place weight normally. Sometimes they do not place any weight on it, almost like a little skip, or they hold the leg up. The knee cap typically goes back into place on it's own or the dog kicks backwards and this puts it back into place. The arthritis can be managed with joint supplements or anti-inflammatories but typically the knee cap problem can only be fixed surgically and is only warranted in pets with severe trouble. 2) Bone injury -- without a known trauma, such as a fall or being hit by a car, a fracture is less likely. This causes the area to weaken and can suddenly become painful. It may not break but can be difficult to walk on. If this was the case, I would expect your dog to be painful if that area of his leg is touched. If you feel up and down his leg with pressure, does he seem painful? Do you feel any areas that are swollen?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Pain on extension of the hind legs can be indicative of hip pain, knee pain, spinal pain, or even a soft tissue injury in that area. I would recommend having Coco evaluated by a veterinarian so he/she can perform a complete physical, orthopedic and neurologic exam to better localize his pain. Based on what is found, he/she may then be able to prescribe an anti-inflammatory pain medication to help Coco feel better. I hope this is helpful!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chichi. I recommend that she a veterinarian today if she is unable to walk properly. Dragging her hindlimbs can be a sign of severe back disease. If this is the cause and it goes untreated, permanent damage can occur. Her veterinarian will examine her and may recommend x-rays of her spine. Based on these results medications can be started if necessary. In the meantime, do not give her any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

If you’ve checked her paw and it’s normal she may be holding her foot up because she has injured her knee and doesn’t want weight on the leg. Knee injuries are common and when first injured dogs hold it up like you are describing. If it’s a knee injury it can heal with rest if the cruciate ligament isn’t fully torn, if it is torn then she may need surgery to repair it. I recommend leash walks only for potty breaks for a week. If she isn’t using the leg normally after that time then please bring her in for and exam and diagnosis. If she’s currently painful then certainly bring her in right away so they can find the problem and get her on pin medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pup.

There are a number of reasons that a dog will not put weight on a leg suddenly. They can range from a back problem, to a soft tissue injury like an injured knee, to a problem in the bones and joints, or even a problem in the paws or nails. The only way to determine the problem is to have your veterinarian perform an examination and possibly take x-rays. Some conditions are mild and will resolve with rest and pain medication, but some will require more extensive treatment. I would recommend keeping Delilah rested (no running or jumping) until you can have your veterinarian examine her to determine what is causing the problem and decide how to treat it. Good luck! I hope Delilah feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.