# roxi is sort of hopping when walking



## codyann (Sep 8, 2010)

hey i have noticed that roxi has been hopping when she walks, its her back legs that seem to hopp, and she will sometimes miss a step its very weird,
has anyone got any suggestions to why shes doing it?


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

It is probably luxating patella, where the kneecap pops out and in. Very common in Chi's unfortunately. I'd have the vet check her out.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

I agree w/ what Tracy said and would have your vet take a look. Sometimes they do need surgery for luxating patellas and it can be expensive...but its worth it to have them able to walk around comfortably


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## Abbykins (Mar 31, 2011)

Hi there, mom my has a little dog who started hoping too. It never bothered her but they decided to take her to vet and have it checked out the vet said that it was her patella. They said she should have surgery done. Her dog walks everyday and is very active. I would assume that if left for too long it may get worse. Maybe you could have a vet check done, just so you will know exactly whats going on. We used to think it was cute, but it's kinda sad. Good luck.


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## codyann (Sep 8, 2010)

thanks i will get it checked out


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Yes Dottie has the L/P as well,if it keeps happening she will need an op.


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## codyann (Sep 8, 2010)

not the best news then  what can i do to help her apart from going to teh vet and checking her out? x
she has been doing it for a while but i thaught it was just the way she walks as she is in no pain.


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

If it happens to Dottie i keep her rested ,and when she's on my lap i massage it i suppose it depends how bad it is,hers seems to be ok the next day,but i would see your vet.


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## codyann (Sep 8, 2010)

michele said:


> If it happens to Dottie i keep her rested ,and when she's on my lap i massage it i suppose it depends how bad it is,hers seems to be ok the next day,but i would see your vet.


ok so cod liver oil wont help or joint care? x ill update when i have seen the vet


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## MyLittleCici (Oct 14, 2010)

yes my mum had yorkie years ago had this problem and t never bothered her, had it all her life, and she lived to 16  but you better get it checked out just to be sure and put your mind and ease!


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

If you get a diagnosis of LP from the vet, then you can look at different supplements. I wouldn't do the supplements though until you have seen the vet. And start a savings fund, as some LP cases require surgery.


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## widogmom (Mar 23, 2011)

I don't know if this will work with luxating patellas, but Kali is having cold laser for a partial tear of her ACL and her spondylosis. It really does wonders for her. She's not a surgical candidate for the ACL because of her age and other medical conditions, and she can't take Rimadyl, so between Tramadol and the cold laser she's been doing great! It might be an alternative to surgery.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I just took my chi to an orthopedic vet. She has both knees affected. She is overweight by a pound, and he wants her to lose that weight and then be re-evaluated for surgery. The problem is if the patella is bad, the joint gets arthritic. This patella only goes out occationally, but the muscle mass is "smaller" than the other, so he is worried. Sue Davis and the chi's Zarita and Emmy


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## chiboyz1 (Aug 11, 2009)

it is probably a luxating patella/slipped kneecap. my 7 year old has this. they come in grades, from 1 (least severe) to 4 (most severe). your vet can tell you what grade it is just by playing with the back leg a bit - no xrays are normally needed. my boy and i go on 5 mile walks every single day and he has had this luxating issue for several years now. he is a grade 1, which means no meds or surgery and it was just recently diagnosed. not a big thing to worry over at this point for a grade 1. the vet said he can continue his long walks and that this type of thing usually leads to arthritis in the joints/knee as the dog ages. when they are 'bouncing' along like that beside or behind you they are trying to get the joint/knee back into position by itself and often it'll slip back into place. the vet said it is not painful for him, just funny looking. a higher grade luxating issue might be painful though. it happens because the joints didn't grow together correctly (or from bad breeding). the advice i got from my vet was to continue his long walks because the exercise is good for his overall health, but to stop walking if he seemed exhausted or was struggling. hope this helps.


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## cherper (May 8, 2009)

leila did this back in december. I took her to the vet and her kneecap was slipping in and out. I put her on a diet .. she lost 1.5 lbs and I put her on 500 mg glucosamine 400 mg chondroitin 2x a day for 6 weeks then just 1x day. She is fine now and hasn't limped/hopped once since. I used human grade pills and there were no other ingredients in them.


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

Lola has LP in her back leg.. It was graded at a 3 when it happened and was told she would need surgery 
A couple weeks later i went back to see the vet so he could see if it had settled down a bit, he re-graded her a 1 so she didnt need surgery.. pheww! but now she just has to be that little bit careful with day to day activities i.e (jumping, running, play fighting etc) and i need to be careful with her weight! especailly after just being spayed!


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## codyann (Sep 8, 2010)

i have been reading a lot about it, but i will get her to the vet and ill do whats best for her  thanks


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## intuition (Jan 19, 2011)

i thought salem had the oh so common knee problems cause he would walk on four legs trot on 3 and run on four. sadly turns out he got Lyme disease from a tick despite my regiment of frontline -_- he's okay now, there's a vaccine/treatment for it, and except some lingering arthritis he's a happy boy. still trots on three legs though.... its kinda funny now LOL


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## widogmom (Mar 23, 2011)

intuition, I thought I was the only one whose dog got TBD despite strict use of Frontline - nearly lost Kali last spring to anaplasmosis and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. We took a vaca in TX early in the year - those ticks must be tougher down there!


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## intuition (Jan 19, 2011)

haha mine was upstate ny, or possibly ohio. its hard to tell. the symptoms are hard to guess sometimes till it gets farther along. I think it might be cause just cause we use frontline/advantage doesn't mean they might not get bit, they just dont' latch on forever cause of the nasty. I'm thinking it may have happened towards the end of the cycle, when things start wearing down. 

I'm sorry yours was so far along! but glad she's okay now  we caught both dogs early and like i said the only lingering effect is a little athritis in both, although kira being 11, it may just oldish age for her ( she's an aussie )


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## codyann (Sep 8, 2010)

thanks all i have posted what the vet said today


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