Why is my young dog limping and hopping on three legs sometimes?

Some causes of hindlimb lameness in growing dogs that are less than 12 months of age include: Hip dysplasia, Avascular necrosis of the femoral head - Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, where the ball of the thighbone in the hip doesn't get enough blood, causing the bone to die Osteochondritis of stifle - fragments of cartilage or bone have become loose within the knee joint Patella luxation - medial or lateral disorder, in which the kneecap dislocates or moves out of its normal location Osteochondritis of the hock - fragments of cartilage or bone have become loose within the hock, the joint of the hind leg Panosteitis – inflammation of the bones Hypertrophic osteodystrophy - a disease characterized by decreased blood flow to the part of the bone adjacent to the joint Trauma to the soft tissue, bone, or joint Infection – may be local, or generalized (systemic) Nutritional imbalances Congenital abnormalities (present at birth) If the lameness persists, even if she seems better afterward, I recommend getting her seen by your vet as soon as possible to check for one of these conditions and get her started on treatment if need be.

This depends on the age of your dog. In older dogs, this is a classic sign of hip dysplasia. In young patients with hip dysplasia, the hip joint is often "lax" or loose. The ball of the hip does not fit well into the socket. The actual formation of the ball of the hip joint may be improperly formed at the neck or head. Young patients often have the appearance of "bunny hopping" when running as this more evenly distributes weight across both back legs. They can also be intermittently lame, like your dog. They may have trouble rising or you may hear a click when he does or walks. We also see the weight being held more on the front limbs than the rear (leaning forward) when standing. In an older dog, shifting leg lameness is a sign of arthritis. Without further information, I cannot tell you what is causing this in your dog. Depending on the cause, medication can be useful to help the signs improve but a veterinary exam would be needed.

Poor Gemma! It sounds like she is uncomfortable on her front legs. She could be dealing with any number of issues-I would recommend a visit to your regular veterinarian for a checkup. They can do a thorough physical exam to look for any problems, and may recommend X-rays to check for things like fractures, panosteitis or HOD. Elbow dysplasia can also present in young larger breed dogs. Good luck-I hope Gemma feels better soon!

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!

Since Kilba can't talk, only a physical exam will be able to determine the source of the lameness. Just like people, the pain/limping can be related to many causes including a ligament tears, soft tissue injury, a developmental abnormality or even a spinal issue. You may try strict rest for a few days (no walks, running, jumping or stairs). If Kilba does not improve, have her examined by the veterinarian. She may need radiographs and the doctor will determine this based on the exam. I hope she starts feeling better quickly.

There are a number of possibilities including developmental joint disease, infectious arthritis such as lymes disease and nutritional imbalance. I strongly recommend a full physical exam and possibly xrays by your vet as soon as possible, they can also prescribe pain relief as appropriate

Poor puppy. At this stage Reese needs images taken of his entire leg to pinpoint the problem area and get a good game plan together on how to help improve his mobility. He may have a ligament tear in his knee or even a congenital defect of the bone that wouldn't otherwise be known about if not for radiograph imaging. It's best to schedule an appt with your vet soon to get some solid answers about Reese's leg. I hope things improve soon.