Hind leg difficulties - YorkieTalk.com Forums

WRScorpio · 12-10-2006, 09:48 AM

Duke (5 y.o. male) has always limped with his little left leg up when he was jogging... he had hip surgery as a pup and it's always been normal with him. The vet. said he would never walk normally (he does walk normally, as well as run, he just lifts it when jogging), but as long as he wasn't in pain, he was fine. Well, he has stopped limping. Good thing, right? Well, I suspect his other leg (right) is bothering him. He also has had a rough time with jumping up on the couch lately (he has stairs, just doesn't like them... has actually pushed them over a few times!). What really set me off that something was wrong was last night when he had his right leg sticking out a little bit behind him... he was barely touching to the ground. He would touch it, lift it, etc. and each time. He is still walking like he did, but instead of limping, I noticed him doing a bunny hop a few times and not when he was running. When he lifted his leg to pee and kept the right one down, he fell (he's stood on the right leg numerous times since then and been fine). I just don't know what could be up. He's still bending it, doesn't really limp... but, I suspect he's not limping because his left leg has always been weaker. Planning on taking him to the vet. soon, sometime this week. It's a busy time for me finals, but I can't stand for something to be wrong with Duke. He's had no change in his playfulness or appetite and he's not yelping. I moved the leg around and he doesn't guard it. I checked his paw and nails and nothing seems abnormal. There is no clicking sound. I just don't know! Not an emergency I do not believe, but just wondering what may be wrong?

Yorkie3 · 12-10-2006, 02:43 PM

Since you got no response, thought I'd bump this up for you!

cchu · 12-10-2006, 02:47 PM

It sounds like he has luxating patella. This is when his patella is moving in and out of the socket. Zoe had this condition and had surgery for it when he was 8 months old. Its actually really common in small breeds.

Take Duke to the vet and unfortunately there is nothing to fix this condition except surgery.

Sorry about Duke and let us know what the vet says.

WRScorpio · 12-10-2006, 02:50 PM

Thanks.

I was just hoping someone would take me seriously here, which, I know if they possibly knew, they would respond. My boyfriend says he is fine, but I can tell something is up. His gait looks more normal now than it did before, but a dog doesn't just suddenly change his walk after five years for no reason. He's not crying or guarding his leg, but he's still hesitant to put it down or maybe he's having trouble moving it in general. Has anyone heard about steroids making dogs muscles weaker? I read something when I googled about leg problems. He was taking Corta-RX for dogs, but he's stopped that. Maybe I should start it again? The person who told me to give it him said to use it once a day for 30 days and do this once a year.

WRScorpio · 12-10-2006, 02:51 PM

Thanks. I looked that up earlier and I was having trouble putting the symptoms they said with the way he has been acting. I'll definitely look it up some more.

cchu · 12-10-2006, 02:57 PM

I would def take him to the vet before you give him any medication. It does not sound like Duke is in too much pain but do realize that he is in pain. A dog would not limp if he wasn't. The leg is obviously bothering him since he does not want to use it.

The symptoms you described is very similar to Zoe's when he was diagnosed with luxating patella. This may not be the case for you but whatever it is, get it checked out and update us so we can all root for Duke to get better!

WRScorpio · 12-10-2006, 03:06 PM

The crazy thing is that since he is using his left leg more to compensate for the right, it looks like he is actually walking better. It's devastating to me though because now this is both legs instead of just one. He's trying to act like a little tough guy, but I do realize his gait is not normal for him and by his hesitance to jump up on some things, that it does hurt. I'll be taking him to the vet. on Monday or Tuesday, hopefully. I just wish I could get my boyfriend to understand that although it looks like he is walking more normally, where he isn't drawing up his left leg (normal for him, vet. even says it's normal... it is monitored) when he jogs, that he is having difficulty.

I just found this written as a symptom of the luxating patella and this is very characteristic of how Duke is behaving.
What are the symptoms?

"Most dogs are middle-aged, with a history of intermittent (on-again-off-again) lameness in the affected rear leg(s). An affected dog commonly stops and cries out in pain as he is running. (Doesn't do this, at least not yet...) The affected leg will be extended rearward, and for a while, the dog is unable to flex it back into the normal position."

12-10-2006, 09:48 AM	#1
WRScorpio Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 96	Hind leg difficulties Duke (5 y.o. male) has always limped with his little left leg up when he was jogging... he had hip surgery as a pup and it's always been normal with him. The vet. said he would never walk normally (he does walk normally, as well as run, he just lifts it when jogging), but as long as he wasn't in pain, he was fine. Well, he has stopped limping. Good thing, right? Well, I suspect his other leg (right) is bothering him. He also has had a rough time with jumping up on the couch lately (he has stairs, just doesn't like them... has actually pushed them over a few times!). What really set me off that something was wrong was last night when he had his right leg sticking out a little bit behind him... he was barely touching to the ground. He would touch it, lift it, etc. and each time. He is still walking like he did, but instead of limping, I noticed him doing a bunny hop a few times and not when he was running. When he lifted his leg to pee and kept the right one down, he fell (he's stood on the right leg numerous times since then and been fine). I just don't know what could be up. He's still bending it, doesn't really limp... but, I suspect he's not limping because his left leg has always been weaker. Planning on taking him to the vet. soon, sometime this week. It's a busy time for me finals, but I can't stand for something to be wrong with Duke. He's had no change in his playfulness or appetite and he's not yelping. I moved the leg around and he doesn't guard it. I checked his paw and nails and nothing seems abnormal. There is no clicking sound. I just don't know! Not an emergency I do not believe, but just wondering what may be wrong? __________________ whitney diann duke

12-10-2006, 02:43 PM	#2
Yorkie3 Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,373 Blog Entries: 1	Since you got no response, thought I'd bump this up for you! __________________ Janet Joey, Gidget, Fancy, Emilee My Web-site MySpace Pee Pads Blow Out Sale http://www.pee-pads.com/FreeShipping

12-10-2006, 02:47 PM	#3
cchu Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 1,482	It sounds like he has luxating patella. This is when his patella is moving in and out of the socket. Zoe had this condition and had surgery for it when he was 8 months old. Its actually really common in small breeds. Take Duke to the vet and unfortunately there is nothing to fix this condition except surgery. Sorry about Duke and let us know what the vet says. __________________ Christine and Zoe www.dogster.com/?269135 Yes guys...Zoe is a BOY!! He finally forgave me.

12-10-2006, 02:50 PM	#4
WRScorpio Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 96	Thanks. I was just hoping someone would take me seriously here, which, I know if they possibly knew, they would respond. My boyfriend says he is fine, but I can tell something is up. His gait looks more normal now than it did before, but a dog doesn't just suddenly change his walk after five years for no reason. He's not crying or guarding his leg, but he's still hesitant to put it down or maybe he's having trouble moving it in general. Has anyone heard about steroids making dogs muscles weaker? I read something when I googled about leg problems. He was taking Corta-RX for dogs, but he's stopped that. Maybe I should start it again? The person who told me to give it him said to use it once a day for 30 days and do this once a year. __________________ whitney diann duke

12-10-2006, 02:51 PM	#5
WRScorpio Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 96	Thanks. I looked that up earlier and I was having trouble putting the symptoms they said with the way he has been acting. I'll definitely look it up some more. __________________ whitney diann duke

12-10-2006, 02:57 PM	#6
cchu Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 1,482	I would def take him to the vet before you give him any medication. It does not sound like Duke is in too much pain but do realize that he is in pain. A dog would not limp if he wasn't. The leg is obviously bothering him since he does not want to use it. The symptoms you described is very similar to Zoe's when he was diagnosed with luxating patella. This may not be the case for you but whatever it is, get it checked out and update us so we can all root for Duke to get better! __________________ Christine and Zoe www.dogster.com/?269135 Yes guys...Zoe is a BOY!! He finally forgave me.

12-10-2006, 03:06 PM	#7
WRScorpio Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 96	The crazy thing is that since he is using his left leg more to compensate for the right, it looks like he is actually walking better. It's devastating to me though because now this is both legs instead of just one. He's trying to act like a little tough guy, but I do realize his gait is not normal for him and by his hesitance to jump up on some things, that it does hurt. I'll be taking him to the vet. on Monday or Tuesday, hopefully. I just wish I could get my boyfriend to understand that although it looks like he is walking more normally, where he isn't drawing up his left leg (normal for him, vet. even says it's normal... it is monitored) when he jogs, that he is having difficulty. I just found this written as a symptom of the luxating patella and this is very characteristic of how Duke is behaving. What are the symptoms? "Most dogs are middle-aged, with a history of intermittent (on-again-off-again) lameness in the affected rear leg(s). An affected dog commonly stops and cries out in pain as he is running. (Doesn't do this, at least not yet...) The affected leg will be extended rearward, and for a while, the dog is unable to flex it back into the normal position." __________________ whitney diann duke