Why does my dog lift his back leg for one step then walk normally?

What you're describing sounds like a condition called a luxating patella. This is when the knee cap slides in and out of its groove. This condition overtime can lead to arthritis and potential he predispose a dog to tearing a ligament in the knee. Your veterinarian maybe to do an orthopedic exam and tell you if this is the case.

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.

Poor Terry! He may have stepped on something sharp, or he could have a condition called a luxating patella. This is a common problem in small and toy breed dogs where the patella (kneecap) moves out of it's correct anatomical position. It will cause intermittent lameness, and would make him walk funny. I think it would be a good idea for Terry to see a vet on Monday. The vet can do a physical exam to see if he does have a luxating patella. Should he have one, depending on the severity of it, he may need surgery to fix it.

His abnormal gait, or [lameness](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/lameness-1/), may have several causes. There might be something in the paw bothering him, either an infection or a [foreign body](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/grass-seeds-and-awns/). If he will allow, examine the pads and in between the toes for redness or swelling. If you find a grass seed or splinter, this could be the reason for the behavior. Remove it, if possible, and monitor for resolution. If there is something stuck in the pad or if symptoms persist, a visit to your veterinarian would be recommended. Mushu might need to have any infection, injury or other prthopedic condition (such as a[ luxating patella](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/luxating-patella/)) addressed by the doctor. Antibiotics, maybe steroids, may be indicated to treat any infection and calm down the inflammation.

It could be that Chispa is suffering from a luxating patella, which is when the kneecap comes out of it's correct anatomical position. When this happens, you notice the dog skipping and not using the leg. Because it happens sometimes, that means the kneecap is going back into place. This can be felt with palpation of the knee, so you can take her into another vet for a second opinion. Depending in the severity of the luxation, surgery may be needed to keep her kneecap in place if she does have a luxating patella. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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?

The most common condition causing this symptom in this breed is called patelar luxation which is basically displacement of the knee cap. you will need to get it checked by your vet to assess the severity of the condition, it might require surgery depending on the level of pain and lameness.