I just had a similar experience with my Jack Russell. For the past year or two she has occasionally limped (front left paw in the air). I have had her in twice before to have it looked at. Nothing at all they could find wrong with the leg. In fact, it does not ppear tender in any place gently squeezed. So, when she was in for her dental this time, they did full xrays of her leg and spine. Leg is perfect, no arthritis, breaks, cracks, anything. But she does have a little narrowing between two of the neck vertebraes. So, the doc said it is probably a narrowed disk from an old jumping injury. This is similar to the narrowing of disks we all go through as we age, but since she is only 6 and no arthritis anywhere, he felt it was injury not age.
Her limping happens after she has been extra active -- mostly when my grandkids come to swim and she runs aorund the pool begging to be splashed. She loves the water. So, I guess I need to limit her activity a little, while not depriving her of a little fun. If she does limp, I have Rimadal (anti-inflammatory/pain relief). No surgery required. It is not really that bad. It was good to have it checked out and know she didn't have a cracked bone flaring up. It was also good to finally get the vet to see her limp and find an explanation. I think he thought I was crazy before because she was never limping by the time her appointment came around til this last time. |