My dog limps intermittently and lifts his hind leg. What's wrong?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Limping or lameness can be caused by a variety of conditions. Possibilities include soft tissue injury (such as a muscle sprain), fracture, bone tumors, cranial cruciate ligament tear (if it is a hindlimb), etc. Limping is not something that is associated with seizures and it does not tend to be life-threatening. It is though an indication of pain and warrants further investigation to ensure Danny's comfort. I recommend that you have Danny evaluated by your veterinarian so that the pain can be localized and further diagnostics pursued to direct therapy at the specific cause. At the very least, pain control/anti-inflammatory medications can be started to make him more comfortable. Sometimes if it just a soft tissue injury, it may improve just with rest. Keep him quiet and prevent excessive exercise or playing for at least 1-2 weeks. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

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.

Poor Alfie! It sounds like he has a chronic problem. This could be related to an abnormality within the bone structure of his lower back, or hips. Sometimes an issue like hip dysplasia or a pinched nerve can show up like this. It would be less common, but an injury to his cruciate ligaments could also present this way. The only way to know will be to have Alfie visit his veterinarian. The doctor will palpate all his legs to determine the cause. The doctor may also need radiographs to look for changes to the bone. Until you get him into the veterinarian, he needs strict rest, so no walks, no running, no playing and try to keep stairs to a minimum. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

The symptom you report could have a few origins; the nervous system, bone, muscle, blood vessels, or the soft tissues. If he is limping (toe touching or hopping) this could be a knee related issue (cruciate injury) which is a common problem. If he is dragging the limb and not placing his foot over correctly (dragging the top of his foot and not flipping it to put the pads down) this may be a neurologic issue. There are a few disease processes that can cause neurologic impairment so a neurologic exam by your vet would help to localize if this is the issue. If there is no trauma a vascular event (clot) is also possible as well. Is the foot warm? It is good that Lakota does not seem painful although sometimes not using the leg is their symptom of pain, any swelling anywhere on the leg? I think what is best is an exam with a veterinarian to localize which organ system is causing the issue, orthopedic (bone, soft tissues) vs neurologic, and help ease your mind about what is causing this. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Some causes of hindlimb lameness in growing dogs that are less than 12 months of age include: Hip dysplasia, Avascular necrosis of the femoral head - Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, where the ball of the thighbone in the hip doesn't get enough blood, causing the bone to die Osteochondritis of stifle - fragments of cartilage or bone have become loose within the knee joint Patella luxation - medial or lateral disorder, in which the kneecap dislocates or moves out of its normal location Osteochondritis of the hock - fragments of cartilage or bone have become loose within the hock, the joint of the hind leg Panosteitis – inflammation of the bones Hypertrophic osteodystrophy - a disease characterized by decreased blood flow to the part of the bone adjacent to the joint Trauma to the soft tissue, bone, or joint Infection – may be local, or generalized (systemic) Nutritional imbalances Congenital abnormalities (present at birth) If the lameness persists, even if she seems better afterward, I recommend getting her seen by your vet as soon as possible to check for one of these conditions and get her started on treatment if need be.

Dogs limp for the same reason we do, because it hurts to use it. If this continues more than a few days then I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian. The most common injury to the hind leg in larger dogs is an ACL injury, but of course there are many other possibilities. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Since Dante can't talk, only a physical exam will be able to determine the source of the lameness. Just like people, the pain/limping can be related to many causes including a ligament tears, soft tissue injury, a developmental abnormality or even a spinal issue. You may try strict rest for a few days (no walks, running, jumping or stairs). If Dante does not improve, have him examined by the veterinarian. He may need radiographs and the doctor will determine this based on the exam. I hope he starts feeling better quickly.