Why is my 10-year-old Yorkie limping for days without pain?

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.

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.

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?

Poor Hank! It sounds like he really hurt himself when he fell down the stairs, and he could have torn a ligament. It sounds like he has been in a pain for a long time if this limping has been ongoing for two months, and he really needs to see a vet. Two months is a lot of time for a dog to be in pain, and the cause of the pain needs to be diagnosed so it can be treated. I would even consider taking him into a vet today because he sounds so painful. If you can't find an open vet, take him into one first thing in the morning. Best of luck!

Hello, sorry to hear about Diesel. It sounds like he could have a condition known as luxating patellas in where the knee caps dislocate from their normal groove. Certain breeds are predisposed to this such as Yorkies and Chihuahuas. I would recommend having Diesel evaluated in the near future for this condition. There are other potential causes, but typically are accompanied by more pain an discomfort. In the interim, if Diesel is otherwise doing well, restrict his activity and do not allow any jumping, running, or rough playing as this can exacerbate any underlying orthopedic conditions. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Osito. There are many causes of lameness in a dog. Start by checking his paw to ensure there is not something stuck in his fur or a broken toe nail. He would likely be licking the paw in this case. If not, then he could be experiencing arthritis. This is common in the hip and knee joints. Other possibilities are a displaced kneecap, a torn ligament in the knee, a fractured leg, a bone tumor or an autoimmune disease attacking the joints. He will need to see his veterinarian to determine where he is painful. X-rays will likely be recommended. In the meantime, keep him quiet to allow his body to rest. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Limping can be due to many reasons that go from relatively uncomplicated such as soft tissue injuries and osteoarthritis to more complicated and serious injuries such as fractures and even bone tumors. I highly recommend that you have Roxy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to localize her pain and decide what the next diagnostic step which will likely be radiographs. At the very least, they can start her on pain control medications. Good luck and have a good day!