Why is my Jack Russell's back leg limping and getting worse?

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lameness can be an indication of an orthopedic condition. This can be due to conditions such as a soft tissue injury, ligament conditions, a fracture and even a tumor. For this reason, I recommend that you have Jo evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. A veterinarian should be able to perform an examination and localize where the pain is so that further diagnostics like radiographs can be performed. Treatment will be highly dependent on what is causing the lameness. At the very least your veterinarian can start Jo on pain control medications to provide comfort. In the meantime, keep Jo's activity level to a minimum avoiding any jumping, running or rough playing. I hope you find this information useful in helping Jo. Wishing Jo a speedy recovery!

He could have arthritis but he could also have a partial cruciate tear in his knee. The best thing would be to have your vet examine his leg to determine the cause. He may just need an anti-inflammatory to treat some pain and inflammation.

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?

It may be. She may have a soft tissue injury or some slight swelling at the knee which is causing the patella to luxate even though it has not been a problem in the past. Your veterinarian can most likely determine if that is the case by a physical exam. If her patella is loose and moving around, it is usually pretty easy to detect.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Intermittent, painful lameness in dogs of her breed is often related to slipping patella, hip problems (for the hind leg) and sometimes elbow dysplasia (for the front leg lameness). A visit at your local vets is recommended. Full clinical examination should allow making the diagnosis and starting treatment, if required.

Yes, this is a common sign seen with luxating patellas (dislocating knee cap). Small breeds like Bailey tend to be affected by it and it can have various ranges of severity. If Bailey is skipping, then it is likely a high-grade luxating patella and may need surgery to correct it. In order to get his condition diagnosed and treated, you'll need to start by scheduling an exam with your veterinarian. For more information about this condition, I recommend you read the article at the link below. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/luxating-patella-or-kneecap-in-dogs I hope that helps and Bailey gets better soon.