I have a 4 year old pekingese. She has been limping off/on for 2 weeks now. She is 12lbs, tiny, I think. Last year, she was limping a bit, but she would always get better, but not this time. I am concerned and will take her to doc soon, but thought i'd ask if anyone else has experienced something like this. She still likes to play with my other dog and shows no signs of pain. There is no swelling, long nails, or burrs in her paw. I feel so bad.
2006-11-17 08:49:47 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Small dogs often have a condition called luxating patellas. Basically it's caused by the grooves in her bones being shallow so the knee caps will pop in and out which could explain it happening off and on. I would take her to the vet to confirm and talk about treatment options. Four is pretty young to consider arthritis, especially in a small dog and I wouldn't lean towards trauma if she's not constantly limping. When at the vet's office expect that they will probably want to do x-rays. I wish you the best of luck!
2006-11-17 09:10:51 · answer #1 · answered by LaShelle H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are ton of things that can go wrong with little dogs like hip dysplasia, subluxation of the patella or even bone diseases like arthritis which can happen at any age and OCD that happens while the dog is still growing. Is the dog limping behind or up front? Some viruses cause intermittent lameness. The dog can seem perfectly healthy, but have a limp occasionaly in the early stages of something like Lyme disease. The vet might want to do some blood work or X-rays to figure out what is wrong.
Personally, I think worrying about the worst things possible creates a lot of stress I would rather live without. You sound like a very responsible pet owner who takes more than general care of their pets. It's a bummer when your four leggers don't feel well and you have already decided to go to the vet. You are doing the right thing, so don't feel so bad. Best of Luck.
2006-11-17 10:18:07 · answer #2 · answered by Kelly S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Something else you can look for is wet spots on her fur. It will mean she is licking it to make it better. Then you can look at that area for any problem. If not then the next question is, is the weather cold and if so she may have a bit of arthritis. Also a dog will never show pain in front of another dog. It displays a weakness that would show her enemies that she is not as strong as she once was. It is an inherant instinct. Other than that, take her to her vet for a check-up. Don't worry and keep smiling. Message for pup,.....woof woof. : - D
2006-11-17 08:58:07 · answer #3 · answered by emyelli 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your dog has been limping off and on now for 2 weeks, I think a vet visit is needed to have your dog examined and treated. Good Luck.
2006-11-17 10:02:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dog Holly, hurt her leg from a door that was closing. we took her to the vet he said there were no broken bones just a little swelling. A few months later she started to limp, we took her to the vet again, he said she has signs of arthritis in her leg. did ur dog hurt her leg when u didnt see it? it could be arthritis. When my dog played it didnt hurt her @ all, but when she would just walk around, she also too limped. until the day she died, everytime she walked she limp. but she wasnt in pain.
GOOD LUCK! ;)
2006-11-17 09:08:52 · answer #5 · answered by ○HiD○ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs are stoic. They don't sit around and whine. They try to go on about their business as much as possible, but if she's limping, she hurts. That's what dogs do when their limbs hurt - they limp. They can't walk up to you, tap you on the shoulder, and say "Hey, my paw hurts. Could you take me to the vet now, please". Instead, they quietly limp around and hope you'll notice and do the right thing. Take her to the vet.
2006-11-17 08:53:29 · answer #6 · answered by zartsmom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
often they have mild to severe cases of arthritis. this is an inbreeding problem typical of this race. Try giving her some glucosamine capsules every day for a couple of weeks, if this helps her, continue doing so. Also i recommend you see a vet. We can tell when our illnessses are serious enough to require medical attention, unfortunately they can't. and the best medicine is prevention.
2006-11-17 08:53:36 · answer #7 · answered by sandy t 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My female Chihuahua also does this from time to time. Similar to another response, small dogs suffer from joint problems, I have always heard it referred to as "slipped stifle."
Lay your dog on her back and gently and slowly, massage her legs and extend them (stretch). You may hear a light "pop." Just be gentle, don't force or try to move her legs in an unusual way.
2006-11-17 09:17:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely take your pup to the vet. That is the only way to be absolutely sure that your pup is okay.
2006-11-17 08:57:25 · answer #9 · answered by Trish 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋