# Puppy hips?



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

My puppy is 4 mo old.

This morning, she was running in the front and hopping in the back. Her left hind leg almost atys on the ground and drags a bit? :???: She isn't slowed at all or in any pain and she was normal last night. Is there any benefit to having X-rays done? Is there any temporary cause of this or is this pretty much indicating HD?


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

If it was normal last night it could be any number of things. I suppose Pano is one option. Another is that she was acting like a doofus and hit her leg on something, or slipped on the grass. Puppies are always doing stupid things, usually if I see one of my dogs or pups limping I will grab em and massage their bum leg for a few seconds, stretch it out and wiggle it around. If they scream and bite me I'll take em to the vet, otherwise I'll tell em to quit their faking and go play 

Hip x-rays at 4 months will not determine HD at all. I have seen pups with 10 month old prelim's that showed HD that were fine at 18 months. If all you are hoping to see is the potential for HD then 4 months is too young. If the problem persists and isn't better soonish I would call the vet just to be sure, but 9 out of 10 times when a puppy is limping they just did something stupid. Tiko has run into the flower pot on the patio once or twice, and each time he screams like a lil baby and walks around limping making me think he broke something, I stretch his leg out n he's walking around like nothing happened :roll:


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

change on pano, sprain (sp?) a muscle is a possibility,being stupid certainly an option. Watch it for a day or 2, if it isnt getting better go to the vet.


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## Lindsay Janes (Aug 9, 2007)

My sister's border collie run like a bunny hopping. Later she find out that he has severe hip dyplasia. I would be serious about checking it out.


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## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

Anne how is the pup today? Any changes?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Torn ACL? happened to my buddies GSD and my daughter's pit.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

The one hind foot dragging a bit would worry me - has she slipped and twisted her back legs to one side? and - that can put quite a torque on the spine and produce those symptoms. I would spring for a vet visit on this one.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

She is still doing it. She walks perfectly normal, but runs like a rabbit. I guess the one leg isn't really dragging, but kinda sticks out at a different angle - which freaks me out even more. 

I would post a video of her running except my camera is out of batteries.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Y'know, I am watching this video of Emma at 12 wks and at 00:20 and right at the end, she is doing it. At that time I never thought anything of it. Puppy crazies y'know?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ4SCtGFzs4


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Cute puppy, but I dont see anything wrong? Maybe I'm not looking properly....


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Yeah - it wasn't really anything then. But she has the same running in the front, hoping in the back style of running.

With doing high-jump with my dogs, any little limp sends me into a fit of worry. Usually no one else can notice them. But my husband noticed her current hopping right away without it being pointed out. It's obvious now.


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## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

I do see what your talking about (in the video) and for good or bad I also notice the slightest gait "problems" with my dogs as well. My now 2 yr old Mal made several visits to the vet because I was worried about her gait and occasional bunny hopping - which turned out to be nothing medically wrong according to the vet. My vet called me a hypochondriac concerning my dogs, although it was costly (X-Rays etc), it eased my mind a bit to know one way or another. She does bunny hop every now again, as does Zane but her hips and elbows OFA'd good and the X-Rays looked even better then good in the specialists opinion who viewed the X-Rays before sending them in. Zane will get his PennHip done at the end of this month. His gait at times really concerns me, but I have noticed that everytime his back end gets higher, it takes awhile for the front end to catch up and his gait is not pretty at all while this is happening - even when walking sometimes. Darn dogs.......;-)


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Now I am freaking out. She was walking around and stopped to scratch her shoulder with her back foot. She tried on both sides and couldn't reach! It was worse on the side that she drags a bit sometimes when running.

Ugh. I am so hoping this goes away. 

When is too early for X-rays? Should I do 6 mo pre-lims? Or wait until she's 2? 

I'm definitely going to do x-rays, the question is when and how many times. At her pup exam, I told the vet my intentions of canine sports - specifically disc and high-jump and he was VERY thorough in examining her joints. Actually we were there because she had hopped down, landed on both front legs, both buckled, she cried and limped for a couple hours. The vet didn't find any cause for concern at that time. That was about 2 months ago.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Anne Vaini said:


> .... we were there because she had hopped down, landed on both front legs, both buckled, she cried and limped for a couple hours. The vet didn't find any cause for concern at that time. That was about 2 months ago.


This, to me, is a possible red flag.

Besides the ACL and joint and Pano possibilities, the action that you describe above can cause disc damage. Over time, a damaged disc can compress, degenerate, or herniate.

It's not the most likely of the suggestions made, but it reinforces your decision to see an orthopedic-experienced vet. JMO.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Connie - is disc damage something that can be remedied with spinal manipulation? One of the vets I go to does spinal manipulation. *Sigh* Sunday. Why aren't vets open on Sunday?


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I had her into the vet again today for her Rabies vaccine. I had the same vet check her over carefully. He is confident that there isn't a neurological problem or anything wrong with her spine. He thought her knees were well seated. Basically narrowing it down to the hips. 

He didn't recommend hip x-rays now because they would be so subjective. He thought a series of x-rays every couple months might be helpful, but not necessarily worth the cost. 

And we talked about surgical options for improving severe HD if that happens to be the case. 

So I think I'll x-ray her at 6mo, 9mo, 12 mo. We'll see... I'll have to save my pennies and do it on the sly or my hubby will freak out. :lol:


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I would just wait till 12 months.

You cant change anything about it till she is an adult anyway.

If you xray at 6 months and they look bad, you will be stressed for the next 6 months, when the 12 month xray might show the hips to be fine.

Or if you do want to have them "now" then skip the 9 month xray.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Quote:My sister's border collie run like a bunny hopping.

But not all of a sudden.

Get rid of the stupid pit bull and get a decent working dog. Especially if it cannot walk.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

> Get rid of the stupid pit bull and get a decent working dog. Especially if it cannot walk.


But she is SOO much cuter than a working dog! :lol:


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