Dog limping, leg popping, no diagnosis. Should I see a specialist?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Dexter! Since it has been going on for 3 weeks already I think it is time to have him seen by your Vet. Common causes of hing leg lameness are: hip dysplasia, cruciate (ACL tears), Lyme or other tick borne disease, immune polyarthropathy, HOD, panoseitis, or simply a strain or a sprain. If you haven't strictly rested him (leash walks, no running or jumping) for a week you can try that first. But if he is still having problems he should be seen. I hope this helps and I wish Dexter the very best!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Storm. Just by the description an ACL injury (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) would be suspected but there are other causes also including hip or other joint problems (arthritis, degenerative joint disease), trauma, puncture wounds, fractures, soft tissue injuries to tendons/ligaments, muscle injuries, tick transmitted diseases, etc. ACL injuries usually occur when dogs are chasing squirrels, cats, birds, etc across the yard. They are fine and then they return lame, holding up the leg or bearing partial weight. That ligament when examined microscopically is undergoing a degenerative process in almost all of the cases. The strain on the ligament eventually tears or rips it completely. That same process can occur in the other knee and that's why this is so important to diagnose properly. Some dogs tear one ACL, get it fixed and then tear the other one. There are multiple ways to fix an ACL rupture or tear and I would discuss these with your veterinarian. Some of the newer techniques are specialized procedures only certain vets perform and they require that hardware (plates, screws) be put into the area to stabilize the knee joint. One older technique is called the lateral imbrication technique and I still think it works well if an experienced surgeon does it. It is much cheaper also compared to the newer procedures. There are some braces out now also for dogs that are unable to have a surgical repair done but I don't have any experience with those. So I would advise taking Storm to your vet if this condition persists, worsens, or other signs develop. They can evaluate her, gather a history, and then make a diagnostic plan, and eventual treatment plan. A physical exam may include sedation/anesthesia and x-rays to fully assess the knee. Good luck with Storm.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Akira injured her leg. Many orthopedic injuries need xrays and sedated examinations to determine fully what may be going on (such as a CCL tear). They can be managed medically instead of surgically (though a surgery is the recommendation if she does have a CCL tear), but knowing exactly what is going on is important to then figure out the best game plan for her. I would stop the aspirin, as there are canine anti-inflammatories that are safer and more effective, and have her evaluated by her regular veterinarian to determine what exactly is causing her pain in that leg, and then what can be done to help treat it. Good luck!

Thanks for using PetCoach! I'm sorry to hear about Xena. So if the position you describe (with the hurt leg extended) is when she is SITTING, I am most suspicious of a torn ACL. This is especially suspicious if she will walk on 3 legs but not the injured leg. Staffies between the ages of 1 and 5 are textbook for that particular injury. If it is when she is standing, that would be an odd way to carry herself and not typical of the usual injuries. (And I would see your vet). Finally, with this information, I cannot rule out a back injury or disk problem - more likely if she truly cannot stand, even if you help her up and put her back legs under her. You don't list Xena's age but as I mentioned before, if she is young, some sort of soft tissue injury is more likely. If she is older, an arthritis flare up or other problem may be more likely. Long story short, I recommend getting her in as soon as possible for evaluation and some safe pain medication. We as veterinarians have so many wonderful pain medications that are safe for long term or occasional use. As such, I would strongly recommend heading to your vet and NOT giving over the counter pain medication (it is not as effective and can interfere with what we would ideally prescribe). If you are unable/unwilling to go to the vet, probably the “least bad” choice would be aspirin. Be sure to use a product labeled for dogs and use the dosing on the bottle. See the link below for more information about the safe use of aspirin. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/aspirin/ Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Xena!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Lameness can be caused by a number of things. Unfortunately, in this breed, ACL injuries are common and are typically due to degenerative changes with the ligament (if this is a back leg lameness). Also, if this is an ACL injury, there is a > 50% chance that the opposite leg will be affected by the same problem down the road. On the examination with the veterinarian, they will check her knee joint and see if there is an instability called a cranial drawer or a tibial thrust. Both of these manipulations help confirm the suspicion of an ACL injury. Most of the time, an ACL injury requires surgical correction to fix. This can be discussed further with your veterinarian once diagnosed. This may not be an ACL injury and may be osteoarthritis or hip dysplasia causing discomfort. I would recommend x-rays of the affected leg. If this is a front leg, there are other possibilities such as arthritis, a bone fracture, infection, ligament injury, elbow dysplasia, etc. I would definitely get Bliss on a joint supplement along with omega 3 fish oil. I typically recommend Dasuquin and Welactin for supplements, which can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please remember to rate this answer as helpful or not. Thank you!

Good Evening...thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Luna is experience some trouble with her left front leg. Since the lameness seems to be reoccurring, I would recommend you bring her into a veterinarian for an examination. Young dogs can often experience many conditions that can cause lameness. These can range from conditions such as panosteitis (growing pains) to congenital conditions such as elbow dysplasia, or OCD lesion of either the shoulder or elbow. Certainly a soft tissue injury (muscle strain or sprain) may also be the culprit. Regardless, it may be nice to see if the veterinarian can determine her "pain point" and localize where her lameness is coming from. They will also be able to give you prescription medications that ma help to ease her discomfort. I hope this information helps, good luck and I hope Luna gets some relief soon! :-)

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is possible that he has a fractured bone that is causing him discomfort and lameness. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having x-rays taken of this leg to rule out any bone fractures as the cause. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.