Limpish walk. Please help
 

So i have a 3 year old yorkie s**tzu mix. His name is raul. I just love this little guy. But anyhow, i recently noticed that his back legs look like they have a "pop" to them, but only when he is walking slowly. When he is running jumping or trotting normally i cant notice it. Its got me kinda worried. He is in zero pain and when i manually bend his hind legs there is no pop or discomfort. Im not sure if its always been there and im just noticing it. I originally thought it was his toe nails but after a trim its still there. I took him to the vet and they chalked it up to acute pateller luxation. She said its very very minor. But again i dont think that correct since its consistent only on slow walking. Also the person i bought him from said he had a leg injury when he was a pup due to his leg getting caut under a door ;( poor little guy. Any advice. Again he is acting as normal as he ever did. Maybe his injured leg never healed properly? I guess im just confused to y it only happenes when he walks slowly

Also i cannot hear a pop, it just looks like a small pop ... If u know what i mean

What has your vet told you in the past about his legs? They always access for joint issues at the annual visit. Welcome to YT :)

They said in the notes from previous visits it showed a peteller laxation. But they say they range from 1-6 and his is a 1

It can change....

What can change. They told me it was a 1 today. ... And y would he only walk like that at a slow walk.

Actually looking at it not it doesn't even seem to be popping at the knee. Its more in the joint right above the foot. Its like it rolls whenever he walks slow. Maybe its always been there and I'm just noticing it

If you were at the vet today I suggest that you call and ask them. I am not a vet :)

Dogs are very good at hiding pain so he could be in pain and you just don't know it. It sounds like LP but I'm not a vet nor have I seen your dog. You could always go and get an orthopedic specialists opinion.

He doesn't have the normal symptoms of LP . Like walking and all of a sudden holding his leg up. I would love to go and get a second opinion but right now is hard with the newborn and all. Is there anything else it could possibly be? I know your not a vet and I need to go to the vet but I've already been there and I can't afford them to play guessing games with my wallet

Welcome to YT, if you take your pup to an orthopedic specialist there would be NO guessing. Better to be safe then sorry, could be most costly down the road if not diagnosed early. Good luck, for the sake of your lil pup I hope you make the right decision.

My dog had LP in both back legs never has she just held it up and both of hers where grade 3. One caused her ACL to tear so we had to have surgery on it 4 years ago. Now her other leg I could very well see popping in and out when she would walk and when running it was hard to see but it was getting to the point it was bothering her so she had have surgery on it as well. It won't be a guessing game if you go to an orthopedic specialist because it sounds like an orthopedic problem and they can tell you straight out what it is, if it should or should not be causing pain, and what to do about it. I'm sure it is hard with a newborn but it's important you don't slack on your dogs health because it could cause problems worse in the future.

A good vet will be able to easily and accurately diagnose luxating patella, so I would trust this diagnosis (unless you have reason to believe he is not a good vet, in which case I would switch vets). There are 4 grades of LP (not 6), and grade 1 is very mild and doesn't require surgery. You usually don't need to consider surgery unless the leg is up most of the time. I would keep an eye on it, and if it gets worse, consult an orthopedic specialist.

Well I went to get a second opinion ... The vet said that there is no movement in the knee cap and LP is not the cause. She was certain. She moved his back legs in every direction possible and felt no movement nor caused him any discomfort. When he gets his teeth cleaned next month they are going to x ray his back legs to see exactly what's going on. She said that he could very well just walk funny due to his physical makeup. But it'll give us piece of mind thru the x rays

I'm a little confused you said the vet said it was luxating pattella but now you are saying the vet said it was not Luxating Pattella so what is it the vet said?

Second opinion....first vet at my last appointment said it was LP. This vet in which Ifeel is much more eexperienced said is was not the cause.

Wow, I'm glad you got the second opinion. I'm shocked that the first vet got it wrong. My vet trains students at the U of I vet college, and even the vet students he is mentoring can diagnose LP. I'm glad that new vet students are learning about the vet care of Yorkies from my Bella :love:.

See now im freaking out. He has an appt for xrays in three weeks but i cant help but be paranoid. Now im noticing his bunny hop run and wondering if its hip displasia. Hes always ran like that at half speed. He doesnt have a hard time jumping or standing on his back legs. Any words of encouragment to get me thru these next few weeks.

How is doing the Xray and for what reason? Personally, my vet easily diagnosed LP in all of mine on physical exam without the need to Xray. When I had a concern about Bogey my vet referred me to a board certified Orthopedic Surgeon and X-rays were discussed but not for diagnosis on the exam. Normally, the Ortho will do X-rays prior to surgery under general anesthesia.

Let me back track. I went to the vet to get a second opinion. After the physical exam she said LP wasnt the cause cuz its non existent. She said she felt a pop in the hip and hip displasia coukd be the cause of the jerk in his step and then pointed out he was running around like a bunny. So i go online and start reading up on hip displaysia and now im freaking out. He is getting his teeth cleaned in three weeks and while under anestesia they want to take sone x rays of his back end. How common is hip displaysia in these little ones. Hes only 6 pounds and will be three in october. ... Let me point out that the jerk in his step is more down by the foot rather then in the hip. Also he sleeps with his legs streched out but has no issues jumping on the couch or jumping on his hind legs.

I will say first don't overstress. What will be will be. But your general vet should be easily able to diagnose LP in a dog. If they missed that I would be changing vets if I possibly could.

HD is not common in Yorkies, but something called Leggs Perthes is unfortunately on the rise. This is were the artery to the femoral head atrophies, ie in the top of the leg bone where it joins into the hip joint. It once clinical,presents limping symptoms. ANd often presents around 7 to 8 months old.

Now please let that new vet know, and maybe even video his movement, as there could be something going on with the ankle joints and or the hip joint.

There are other conditions that affect the ankle joints again not so common in Yorkies as far as I know.

But I would ask when your pup is going under to take an Xray of ankle joints, and to ask the vet what through their Xrays are they trying to eliminate/diagnose?

For example HD Xrays require a certain positioning and view of the Hip Joint, and Leggs Perthes a different view.....

Also Xrays ideally should be read by an orthopaedic specialist, so if I am going forward with Xrays I would have them done at the specialist.

Ok, I see they will do X-rays while he's under to look at his hips. Legg-Calve-Perthes is more common in Yorkies. Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

I agree with the previous poster that X-rays should be read by a Radiologist and not just your vet.

Ok so dont judge me for this but i was curious tonight if i could get his feet to do that byacting like i was walking him by moving his legs. Well when i did that both of his feet bones had that kinda play in them from left to right. Its almost like when he steps down he isnt steppjng down flat and it kinda "jerks" . i guess im saying the movement i was seeing i pin pointed to his feet and not his hips. .... I know im not a vet. Just an extremely worried parent.

Then you will just need to hang in there until you have the dental and X-rays done. It's not an emergency or life threatening so there is no urgency at this time. Just keep us posted what after the dental. Good luck :)

Have any of u heard of popping hock? Is it serious

Here's an article by a vet on hock instability:

Hock Instability

But really, the best thing you can do is remain calm, try not to second-guess the vet, and wait for the x-rays and diagnosis. Be sure to ask all kinds of questions. It's okay to ask the vet if they think it's luxating patella, hip dysplasia, legge-calve-perthes disease, or hock instability--that's what I did when my Bella had luxating patella--but let the vet make the diagnosis, and try to remain calm until then. If your dog takes a dramatic turn for the worse or seems to be in pain, take him to an emergency vet. Keep us posted!

Well needless to say I'mstill a nervous wreck. Now iI notice sometimes when he stands on his hind legs his ankles seem to bend to the side...what the heck could this be? And words of encouragement