Dog not putting weight on back leg.

[TwinsetBeck]

Hello! First post on this board. I have a 6 month old whippet/JRT cross. She is usually very active and loves running about.

I noticed about 4 weeks ago that sometimes in the morning when I came down she is a bit stiff in one of her back legs. She would hold up her rear left leg and hop about but it would quickly sort itself out and she would be fine. I thought she was just a bit stiff and had slept a bit "funny" on it.

I walk her twice a day 30 min- 1 hour. She is very whippety and spends most of her life asleep.

Yesterday she seemed a lot worse and I just only took her for a gentle hobble round the block in the evening. She was still putting some weight on the leg but not consistently.

Today she is putting no weight on the leg at all- even to chase next doors cat out of the garden! When I manipulate the leg she seems in no pain. Her paw/pads are also pain free. She has suffered no knocks or bumps that I know of. Any ideas?

She needs to have a trip to the vet to have it checked out. My whippety lurcher recently managed to strain his leg and it took a week to resolve and as he could get around very quickly without weight bearing was keeping off it a lot

I would call the vet just to be sure. 6 months is quite young so and still growing so you want to make sure if there is a prob it's not a growth one. Some dogs won't show pain too. Worth getting checked out.

I've booked in to see the vet tonight. Just wondered about the lack of pain. Could it be a ligament do you think? Bless her- she loves running!

Maybe or even a muscle she pulled that happens repeatedly? It could be many things really so it's hard to say. The fact that it's not just a one off injury for a few days/week would be my main point with the vet (along with all the symptoms and not showing pain). Hope she's ok and you get an answer x

I don't know if this is any help but both my mums dog and my ferret have had a similar sounding problem. In both cases it turned out to be that the hip socket was mishappen and the bone kept sliding in and out / dislocating.

I would say see a vet ASAP, you don't want any further damage occuring (also, animals try not to show weakness as it can be very detrimental to them socially. If you are noticing that there is something wrong then the dog is likely in pain).

Good luck, I hope it's nothing serious

My dog (3 yr old lab) has just had surgery for bi lateral cruciate rupture, she started off like yours by holding her leg up and not putting weight on it. I doubt it's that at such a young age but you definitely need to see a vet to rule anything sinister out

Thank you for all your responses. I am worried it is developmental because of how young she is. She is seeing the vet at 6pm.

She is now batting her eyelashes at me trying to get a walk. She is very cross but I think it is best she stays in today. She has taken to her bed in a huff!! Here is a pic- the best I managed- of her holding her leg up while chasing a ball earlier.

She's a bit gorgeous! Let us know how you get on

With those ears I think your dog us part kangaroo.
Hope she is ok

Glad she is being checked out tonight.
It could be cruciate damage, hip problem, luxating patella, or something more minor.
Definately don't let her run around chasing the ball, just keep her fairly quiet now until the appointment.
Good luck for later.

Thank you, Figwin, I think she is a bit gorgeous, too! I am a bit biased, though! She may well be kangaroo, majestic- although my DH thinks she is a very big chihuahua. She looks just like Dobby from Harry Potter from behind!

She is very sad right now. She just threw up her breakfast. I will post again later tonight when the vet has seen her.

Sorry to hear about your poorly greyhound, Utter. Hope he feels better soon- they are so sad when they are ill, aren't they?

Back from the vets- he said it may be her patella but since she is very young it is not necessary to x-Ray etc. yet.

Best rested for a few days and if she needs it then, some anti-inflammatory medicine.

She has perked up now and is using her leg, the little monkey!

Aw nothing like a bit of r&or for one that wants to be on the go! Good luck and glad she's ok