# other reasons for walking on 3 legs?



## lilmisscookie (Dec 24, 2005)

I went to the vet this morning to see if Nero had a luxating patella. Well he doesn't - thank god! But the vet couldn't give me much of an explanation for him to be holding up one of his back legs. Anyone have suggestions? I know there's always the possibility it's because of an injury, I just don't have any proof that's what happened. The vet did mention that it could be some kind of neurological problem, even though there are no other neurological symptoms. 

Background: We had a week off from walks, to see if it would help. (it didn't much) For the few weeks leading up to it, Nero would hold up his back right leg for an increasing amount of the walk. Up to about 90% of the walk he would do this. We were walking for 35-45 minutes, about 5 times a week. Short walks/long walks had the same behavior. It starts just a few feet from the driveway. He almost never does it in grass. When he runs, he uses both back legs at the same time. I only see one or two hops in the house - he's usually too busy running around.

Our first short walk after the visit this morning (and after the week rest) was better. He only did it for maybe 25% of the walk.

We will be taking shorter walks from now on. I'm thinking 15-20 minutes max.


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

I'm not sure if this is similar to what you're experiencing, but when my baby goes down flights of stairs, she'll lift up her back right leg and only use three legs. She always does this when she goes down the stairs. Maybe your baby is doing it for fun, or because that's more convenient for him? That may sound ridiculous, but when I see my baby, it looks like it's more efficient for her to walk on three instead of all fours. I wouldn't worry about it too much though if the vet says there's nothing wrong with Nero.


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## lilmisscookie (Dec 24, 2005)

I know, I know, I'm probably paranoid, but aren't all mommies? But you know they do these things ON PURPOSE to MAKE us crazy!  Well, thanks, but I can't test the stairs thing because we don't have any!


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

How long has this been going on?

If it's not his knees it could be his hips.
If it's been going on for more than 2 weeks I'd get a second opinion or find a bone specialist (sorry I can't think of the name right now).
Did your vet take x-rays?


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## joeyvinny (Mar 30, 2006)

My Joey does this too and the vet told me that some dogs just like to do it. Joey switches legs while he is running - It is just his thing. My roomate's dog, Molly, actually skips when she runs, very very cute!


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

Ms_P said:


> How long has this been going on?
> 
> If it's not his knees it could be his hips.
> If it's been going on for more than 2 weeks I'd get a second opinion or find a bone specialist (sorry I can't think of the name right now).
> Did your vet take x-rays?


Great practical advice...I totally agree!!


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## JoJos_Mom (Dec 24, 2005)

I don't expect this to be any help to you, whatsoever, BUT, it's the first thing I thought about when I read your post..

I saw an interview on the Ellen show with Paris Hilton and her 4 chis-- well her one chi, Tink, doesn't walk on her back legs, and Ellen was asking her, "What's wrong with her, why does she walk like that?", and Paris laughed and said, "We don't know, there's nothing wrong with her, we've taken her a bunch of different vets and she's in perfect health!?"

See, told you it wasn't going to be very helpful, LOL! Nero is super cute, by the way!


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## lilmisscookie (Dec 24, 2005)

I don't think it's been more than a month, but it was getting progressively worse. The thing is he really only does it on walks, and not so much in the house. Only a few hops now and then.

I guess I didn't think that it could be the hips. The vet did really move everything around, feeling both legs and all. I think I'll call and ask the vet if he checked those too. He did mention that he didn't feel any tendon tears. And no, we didn't do x-rays.

I kinda want to just take things easy and see how it goes. Do I need to rush out and find a specialist? He doesn't seem to have any pain.


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

If it's been going on for over a month, I would certainly want to know what's causing it. And while you don't think he seems in pain, the reason they are holding the leg up is because it hurts them to walk or run on it. While it's not life threatening, it needs to be looked into sooner rather than later.

My chi Koke has had both her knees operated on. She started out hopping occasionally, and it just got to where she was doing it more and more. 
After having both of her knees operated on, the only time she hops now is when it's really cold outside.


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## NaliaLee (Jul 16, 2005)

Hey!! You sound like me four months ago! Pedro was doing the same thing. I took him to the vet and they thought it was his knee but he felt it and knew it couldnt be that. I am a bit of a paranoid mother when it comes to my chihuahau (im that crazy over reactive dog lover lady haha) and i wanted to know exactly what was the problem. We did an xray. The xray revealed that the cartilage was not connecting properly onto his hip joint. It was his back left leg by the way. The vet suggested different kinds of surgery. I didn't want to just jump the gun and get a surgery that would cost me a bajillion dollars as well as be a traumatic experience for my dog unless i had no choice. Pedro (whom by this time, was now getting nicnamed tripod around the house) would hold his back leg up and just use three legs. My sister suggested I give him glucosamine for his joints. She gives it to her rotweiler and she said it has helped her dogs joints. So i phoned my vet and asked how much i should give my dog. Its been about three or four months and pedro just started using his leg again about a month ago. His one leg use to be small compared to the other side but now the muscle is starting to grow bigger and isn't as much of a size difference. Anyways, i hope your chi has what mine had because it has gotten better without a vet bill. It could be a hip disease (the suggestion from my vet before pedro got better) and i really hope it isnt that because that would mean surgery. GOOD LUCK! I hope my long story helped.

Oh and by the way, pedro also had no pain, he just lifted his leg was all. If you do decide to try glucosamine (its just the regular human supplement) it does take time, it doesn't kick in right away. Be patient. I would recommend getting an xray just incase its something else. Its not that expensive and it wont hurt your dog either. I give my dog 1 pill a day. I get the powdered kind and then i open the capsule and put it in his mouth (he's not a big fan of medicine time hehe).

Oh yeah (sorry this is loooong) my vet also said if its a knee problem (before he found it wasnt), the dog will run, stretch out there leg and pop their knee cap back in. Is your dog doing that at all?


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## Sariss (Jan 22, 2006)

It could be a ligament problem. Maybe he needs ACL surgery?


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

There could be several things causing it, that's why I recomend trying another vet and not just shrugging it off. Better to find out exactly what it is and then decide on a treatment.


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## lilmisscookie (Dec 24, 2005)

I appreciate all the stories - at least I know what other things go on and how they have been resolved.

Ms P - can you tell me what kind of specialist I should ask for? I want to make sure I call and ask the right questions... 

I wasn't sure about giving him glucosamine, the vet wasn't too keen on it, saying he would need so little. And I don't want to make anything worse or hide the problem.


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

I believe they are called Orthopedists.

I'm glad you are looking into what may be wrong. Please let us know what you find out.


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## trixiesmom (Jan 31, 2006)

Trixie has been a 3 legged runner since she was a puppy. I mentioned it to the vet, he xrayed her and found it was the knee thing. I just don't have the $3000 to $5000. the vet thought it would cost, so I asked what else we could do for her. He gave me some pain medicine, but after a period of time she becomes very listless and I was afraid it would cause liver damage, so we quit it. I am giving her the Hartz glucosamine. I started with the humane kind, but switched because she eats the Hartz really well, she thinks its a treat. I have started giving it to Rainbow also because she has such thin long legs. Trixie is doing so well now that she is atarting to play with the other dogs again. She will not climb stairs yet, she is so cute she stands there looking at me as to say , pick me up Mom.


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## reedgrl1 (Oct 3, 2005)

OK ... I just have to pop in here.
It will have been a year in August since Max came to us as a foster through a local rescue organizaton who told me the switching back legs was probably just a 'quirky' chi thing. Like your dog he 'hopped' with a back leg up occasionally. His first weeks here I asked the rescue vet, AND the local SPCA vet who neutered him what was going on. He had so many other ailments at the time it was secondary, but they both had a look and said his hips, and knees were fine. I eventually found this site because I was not familiar with small dogs since we'd only fostered large breeds pre Max. 
I posted to ask a variety of questions, including questions regarding the hopping, to familarize myself with the small breeds. At the time I didn't know I would end up falling in love with this particular dog, and adopt him myself! In any case over the next few months I continued to post and read/ask enough to educate myself. At one point I asked the exact same question as you did here ... my post was met by one long time poster with so much animosity, that the thread was eventually locked. 
Since that time max has not only become an intregral part of our family, but has been seen by TWO additional veterinarians (not in the same practice), and his joints are said to be fine (both knees, and hips). That said, he is now on the supplement Dinovite as is our lab, and he seems to be having fewer bouts of hopping around. Let me also just say that during these three legged romps he has never once seemed uncomfortable, or in pain, nor does he favor one back leg over the other. I've heard that chi's have especially "oily" joints, and ocasionally they pop in, and out, but this does not necessarily mean they have bad joints, or need surgery. 
That said, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. 
I do agree with the suggestion above of a second opinion ... we had several. 
Simply enjoy your dog! 
If he/she is in pain I'm sure you'll realize, and act on it!
Good luck!
Tamara & Max
And yes, we did have xrays ...


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## NaliaLee (Jul 16, 2005)

glucosamine wont make anything worse or mask a problem, its not a pain killer. Its a supplement that restores cartilige.
My vet didn't even tell me to try this out, i actually told him i was oging to try it and see what happened. He didn't think anything would come of it.
Here is an article on glucosamine for pets 
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1448&articleid=670

Honestly i think you should try it, its up to you of course. My vet is a really nice guy but he didn't even suggest it until i brought it up. He was ready to do this huge surgery. By taking this supplement it will build back the cartilige and will help ease your dogs discomfort. Anyways, good luck. If he does end up getting a surgery glucosamine may be good for him to be on afterwards to help heal the cartilige and bones.
oh and "Glucosamine and chondroitin are normal substances found in the body of living animals. They are at their highest concentration in cartilage". Usually on a bottle that is the combination you will find.


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## lilmisscookie (Dec 24, 2005)

hmm well at least I now have something to go on. You guys are all so helpful.  Work was way too busy today for me to start looking for a specialist, but I will be getting at least one more opinion. I will also look into and ask about the glucosamine. I really hope that something simple like glucosamine will help. 

But my immediate plan is to lay off the walks, just in case there was an injury and rest helps. He did seem to improve after one week of rest. And the search is on for a specialist!

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know if we figure something out! (even if it takes months!)


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## lecohen (Feb 13, 2005)

Ms_P said:


> How long has this been going on?
> 
> If it's not his knees it could be his hips.
> If it's been going on for more than 2 weeks I'd get a second opinion or find a bone specialist (sorry I can't think of the name right now).
> Did your vet take x-rays?



Was going to say the same thing, it took my vet way too long to diagnose Scruffy's limping problem correctly despite me insisting that it was his hip.


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## lilmisscookie (Dec 24, 2005)

*Update!!!*

Well I saw another vet this morning. She was a surgeon, and she was very nice and knowledgeable. She said Nero has a Grade 1 lateral luxating patella in both knees. The right is "slightly looser" so that may be why he favors it. X-rays didn't show any deformities or arthritis. She said he was a tough case and didn't think that surgery would really help, and that it could actually make him worse. We're going to try gluscosamine and see if it helps.


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