Should I take my dog to the vet about an occasional limp?

[TheLastNotch]

I am concerned about my dog's back left leg and not sure what to do for the best.

She is playing, eating, drinking, moving, sleeping and living normally. She is showing no sign of pain or discomfort or anything.

However

1. Sometimes on a walk she will do the little hop thing, I can't explain it perfectly, but where they skip putting that leg down for one step, and it creates a little hop, if that makes sense? She done this since she was a pup, it isn't constant but rather once of twice on a walk. Maybe. It's not even every walk.
2. Today, I was scratching her little tush when I got through the front door. The next thing that left leg seemed to give way. Or maybe it was the laminate surface and her paw pad just slipped? I don't know, it was so quick I can't be sure. I was horrified.

It is playing on my mind. I don't know whether to take her to the vets for them to look.

The reason I hesitate is because could this bugger up insurance if it is nothing going on now, but years down the line she needs help for something that might possibly be deemed connected because of this one conversation I had with a vet years ago?

I remember when I moved to PetPlan Lifetime insurance, they asked me a question that said "have you ever taken [name redacted] to the vets for something, even if it turned out to be nothing at all?" They literally asked that question, with the caveat that even if the vet said something was in your imagination or not happening or not relevant, they deem it relevant.

Stats:
Age: 2 years old
Breed: Miniature poodle
Weight: Stable and perfect 7.9kgs
Sex: Female
Diet: Raw with added green tripe (but is allowed biscuity treats), loves yogurt and cheese obviously.
Vet: She's there all the time and they see her a lot, glands mostly. There was her spay, couple of ear infections, wormers, vaccine boosters. They see her often and seem to have a feel of her body inc legs every so often, they haven't mentioned anything.

Insurance:
PetPlan Lifetime £12k Policy that I don't intend to move away from until her premiums become unbearably expensive in her hopefully old-old age.

I'm not asking anyone to diagnose or rule out Luxating Patella in my dog, but rather talk me through taking my anxious dog mum vibes to the vet or not, considering her insurance it should be ok? Lifetime right? I don't know, I don't want to be kicking myself in ten years time....

They asked because you were taking out a new policy and they wanted to rule out any pre existing conditions. They don't ask on renewal of a lifetime policy. At least, I have never been asked.

AFAIK it is pretty standard for insurance companies to have a clause stating they need to be notified of any illness or condition within a year of diagnosis. So if your vet did find anything wrong, you would need to notify Pet Plan regardless of making a claim.

My dog has luxating patellas. The condition showed by her doing a hop, skip and a flick of her leg when running. One was a grade 3 and needed operating on.

Yes this

I’ve used Petplan for 9 years and never been asked that question.
my dog has developed a limp the past few days. Occasionally gets it if he’s overdone it on the beach. But it’s not got better so booked an appt for the morning. Best to get it checked out.

So what are you going to do @TheLastNotch ?

Try to get a video the next time she does it to show the vets. I'll have to take her many times to the magic cat hedge and just video constantly to catch it; it's like a one second hop once and that's it. So you'd have to film constantly

I hate having my phone out on dog walks (dont want to look like THAT person) but needs must

ETA - look out for a thread on AIBU titled "to think that people walking their dogs should not be filming on their phones?! 🤣" it'll be about meeeeee 😂😂

So you’re going to book a vet app?

You won’t be able tag this in to your booster shot app as a freebie!

The next thing that left leg seemed to give way. Or maybe it was the laminate surface and her paw pad just slipped? I don't know, it was so quick I can't be sure. I was horrified.

this sounds like it was more than just a laminate floor. And sounds disturbing. Book the vet. You don’t need a video

It will of the OP wanted to move insurers. It would count as a pre existing condition. I can’t move insurers due to dpup having had a grass seed, it’s now a pre existing condition and wouldn’t be covered. so I’m now stuck with Admiral and wanted to move to a better insurance but feel stuck.

Friend of mine told the vet her dog eats dog poo on walks and then when took out insurance after that conversation isn’t covered for anything relating to “scavenging” as that’s a pre existing condition.

OP, at least you have lifetime policy so you’d be covered for anything down the line as long as you stay with them.

in your position I’d find a good dog McTimmony practitioner and go see them and see what they think. Ime they are very good for any muscular skeletal stuff and if they think it needs a vet check they will tell you. But if it doesn’t need a vet it’s all off the books.

PetPlan covered for life is that- covered for life. My Pupper had pancreatitis last year 😞😞 insurance paid. Next insurance year - again they paid out for a flare up.
The only time it would be a pre-existing condition is if you change insurance- or break your cover with PetPlan
And tbh, I’d probably get it checked out now (I’m like Mrs Pumphrey - All Creatures Great and Small … without all the cash 😭😂)

My dog was doing this. She was unfortunately diagnosed with bone cancer. She had her amputation in January this year. One of her front legs. She's doing really well considering it's terminal. We didn't opt for chemo. But she'll get painkillers when she needs them. She's happy and content for now.
OP please get it investigated. The care DDog got was covered by the insurance policy. The full £15k of fees.

If you can’t afford the cost implications of taking your dog to the vet - then you shouldn’t have a dog.

Fact is… you would only have been asked about pre existing conditions once @TheLastNotch . When you took out the policy.

I agree with the insurance risk and avoid vets and doctors too for minor stuff for that very reason.

Just find a good private dog physio and work with them to resolve or diagnose the issue.

A good specialist physio will be far better than the vet anyway.

A good specialist vet physio will require a referral from a vet.
You can generally claim the cost back on insurance too but they have to be registered with RAMP or the other one.
Going to someone not suitably qualified is not a good idea.
OP needs to stop worrying about videos and insurance and get her dog to the vet imo.

Are there certain times or the year and certain floor surfaces that it's worse on?!
My dog used to do this hop (though was doing it more regularly than yours). Vet did some x-rays and said there was some mild damage to her cruciate ligament, just from how her bones had developed. He referred me to a physio. The physio was fantastic. Did some exercises with her but the thing that helped the most was laser therapy. She was going every couple of weeks initially and now it's probably 3 times a year and she barely hops now.
The reason I asked about time of the year and surfaces is because I noticed that my dog was worse in the woods and in autumn time. The physio said that the wet mud can make it harder for some dogs to pick their feet up - it almost becomes a bit sticky and if there is a weakness already there they can struggle. Other dogs find it harder on hard mud, like when it's just been frozen over winter etc.

100% agree with @redboxer321

OP - you absolutely need to book a vet appointment. None of this 'i'll video' and wait. Sounds like you've waited long enough and if this is LP you could be inadvertently doing some serious damage to your dog.

You have insurance. This is what it is here for. Multiple posters have explained to you have it works. If you're unwilling to listen to (very experienced) advice, and to accept this needs to be taken to a vet now, then I really don't know why you posted...

My lab had luxating patella, it popped out fully one day and he was in agony, that was the first time we knew about it.

The eight weeks after that (while waiting for a referral) it regularly popped in and out and now we knew about it we could see it happening but he didn’t appear in pain, vet told us he was, he could feel him flinching as he examined him, it is just he is very stoic and dogs don’t show pain if they can avoid it.

Sometimes while waiting we had to help him pop it back in if it got stuck out and he never flinched, but it must have been sore.

If you stay on Petplan lifetime going to the vets will not impact future claims

I have had Petplan insurance over the years and have shared all my anxieties about the dog with the vet without issue. They paid out for two separate health issues including multiple, expensive, diagnostic procedures and several surgeries. They didn't contest anything and I know the vet rated them highly, too. I'm aware of problems with other insurers but not Pet Plan. Take your dog to the vet, @TheLastNotch, and put your mind at rest.

Did you book a vet appointment @TheLastNotch ? 🤞

As someone who has worked in canine rehab, I would ask your vet for a referral to an ACPAT physiotherapist, they will write you a report of their findings which you can then feed back to the vets. If it is luxating patella (sounds likely) and it's not a bad grade you can generally manage it with physiotherapy and hydrotherapy which is probably covered under your insurance!

A lot of people don't understand pet insurance and the different policy types. If you have lifetime cover, it is just that, cover for life. If there is an issue then it will be covered for life.
It could be a knee/hip or back issue, only a clinical exam and diagnostics can confirm the issue. Vets can't make a diagnosis from a video, just take the dog to the vet.

The issue with the insurance as far as I can work out is that she switched company and so even with lifetime insurance, anything mentioned or treated in the period when she was with the previous insurer, won't be covered by the new insurer. So she may well not be covered for the limp but has either got to find the money or rehome the dog. Generally you should never switch insurance company.

Pre-existing conditions are conditions that she’s seen the vet for before you took out the insurance - unless you took her in for a limp in that leg then it’s not an issue.

limping is a sign of pain, dogs don’t limp for fun.

OP doesn't appear to be worried that the limp is a pre-existing condition. She's worried that mentioning a limp now will mean she can't claim for one in 10 years time.

I think you should try and get an xray, tbh. It’ll probably be nothing, and I very much hope it will be, but the first sign our dog had of her cancer was a limp. It was already quite bad by the time she started limping it would seem. Obviously, it may well be nothing, or just a touch of arthritis or something else that she could have meds for, but personally, despite the cost, I would look to have an xray, even if to just put your mind at rest.
(I have read your comments and sorry if I’ve missed that you’ve already addressed this).