My dog sits sideways and sighs. Is it old injury or new hip pain?

That's a good question. Dogs with hip or knee problems often sit sideways but puppies who have not learned a formal sit through obedience classes can also do it. I find that dogs can have a sloppy sit when they are relaxed whether or not there is a problem. Dogs who have an orthopedic problem are reluctant to sit at all when asked, sit crooked, often with one leg out to the side, or they flop down, not using the rear legs. If Max runs normally, can walk up stairs alternating his legs, and doesn't have any muscle trembling after exercise the sideways sitting is probably nothing to be concerned about. You can take a treat and hold it up while asking him to sit to see if he can sit squarely without resistance. If he won't sit, sits with one leg out to the side, or bunny hops when running then he should have an exam and X-rays to see if he has a hip or knee problem which is causing the sideways sitting. If it's due to discomfort the veterinarian can prescribe medication for pain. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to get answers to your veterinary questions.

IF he is whining this is an indication he is in pain but there are many possible injuries, infections or accidents which could cause it. A full check up and possibly xrays is recommended if it persists beyond 12hours and your vet can prescribe appropriate pain relief and treatment once the cause has been identified. Keep him well rested and on a deep, soft bed in the meantime

Legally, I am not allowed to give you a diagnosis, but based on the x-rays you posted, I suspect that your vet told you that Sly has significant hip dysplasia and arthritis in both hips. I'm sure that came as a surprise to you since Sly is only showing some limping after resting. Dogs are very stoic and do not show us pain as we would expect. Since you have just started Sly on a glucosamine and chondoitin sulfate supplement, you certainly could wait and see how he does on that, but I suspect you will need to add some additional supplements or medications to resolve his limping, so don't be afraid to talk to your vet about those. We frequently use fish oil, MSM, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and many other drug combinations for arthritis. I also highly recommend physical rehabilitation and acupuncture. Although we expect our dogs to cry in pain, most dogs with arthritis pain act exactly like Sly and only limp after getting up. Our goal with treatment is to get them to the point that their pain is so well controlled that we don't notice them limp at all. I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This episodes could be due to spinal pain that can give intermittent signs when a nerve is ''impinged''. Typically dynamic intervertebral disc extrusion can cause this presentation. If it was just a soft tissue injury (strained muscle) usually with rest and some anti-inflammatories the signs can recede in about a week time. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hi Hillary! I'm sorry that Gemma isn't doing well at the moment. It could be that she injured herself falling, and is still painful when she gets up. Because she isn't actively limping at the moment, you can try resting her at home to see if that helps. I recommend resting her for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a lead only, and bring her right back in when she's done. If she still appears painful after this time, then I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. She may also benefit from some pain medications. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. The vet can prescribe safe pain medications for Gemma. I hope this helps!

If your dog is consistently limping when he walks I would be concerned about some permanent damage he sustained after being hit. He may have had something like a pelvic fracture that did not heal properly. This could cause issues in the long run because it will put increased stress and strain on his other hip. The likelihood of him developing arthritis in this injured hip is much more likely as well. I would recommend taking Duke to see your vet and have X-rays performed. To get very good X-rays he may need to be sedated. Your vet can determine from the X-rays if there is anything that can be done to help allieviate the problem. It would be wise to get Duke started on a joint supplement and to keep him at a good, healthy and trim weight since excess weight can cause more joint problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

It sounds like what you are describing is weakness. Did your pup have a neurologic exam? What we look for is evidence of pain (although this can sometimes be inconsistent in pets), loss of sensation to the feet (does he fail to flip his foot back over when the top of his foot is placed down?), and presence or absence of reflexes. The results of these tests can help to determine if it's neurologic in origin and what portion of the spinal cord may be affected. Although, it can sometimes be hard to differentiate orthopedic from neurologic disease. Plain xrays of the spine are helpful to rule out any bony abnormalities, and sometimes we can see evidence of narrow disc spaces, but ultimately we cannot see the spinal cord, nerves leaving the spinal cord, or the soft tissues. If a neurologic problem is suspected an MRI is often needed. But, there are also some other conditions that can cause weakness that are metabolic in origin (has your guy had any senior lab work recently?) or related to loss of signaling to the muscles (for example a disease called myasthenia gravis) or related to a degenerative process such as degenerative myelopathy. If there is a component of pain detected on exam then anti-inflammatory pain medication may help. If you feel like things are getting worse it would be a good time to have a re-evaluation with your family vet. Another option as well, if a neurologic process is suspected, would be to have a consult with a veterinary neurologist. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!