Dog not weighting rear leg/foot when going DOWN steps

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by cledford on 28 September 2009 - 17:09

I recently (past Friday evening) noticed my dog (3 years old, SchH1) not weighting her hind right leg/foot when going down steps. She is acting fine is every other sense. She is a very high drive working line shepherd and retrieves, heels and is running, jumping, ec. the same as always. She also jumps up (on me, counters, inside of kennel run) just fine and is one of the “I’ve got to be up on my hind legs all the time” type dogs and is showing no hesitation from her typical behaviors. She shows no hesitation doing anything physical, is not limping or favoring it in any other respect – but it is very obvious that she is not putting it down when going down flights of stairs to the basement. The day I noticed the behavior was when she was going back down to her kennel after her “hang out upstairs” time. Earlier that afternoon we’d worked on retrieves on the flat, over hurdle and scaling wall – but I noticed no injuries or other issues during training. We attended an Ivan seminar over the weekend and she was easily one of the quickest dogs there - keeping up with the mals with no problem. She performed outstandingly and no one noticed anything and all were impressed with her quickness. I returned home and the issue is still there however.

Any ideas? I’ve got a an appointment with a vet practice that specializes in canine orthopedics, but the first opening is not for 2 weeks and I’m curious to see thoughts from the board.

Hips and elbows are OFA'd normal.

-Calvin

by eichenluft on 28 September 2009 - 17:09

maybe it's just a habit, or just the way she chooses to go downstairs. I was at the seminar and certainly didn't see any sign of lameness. I'm pretty good at noticing even a slight problem, from years of working with equine vets and trainers.

There are many dogs, usually small ones, who hop around on 3 legs (one hind leg held up) even though there's nothing wrong - don't know why they do that, they just do....

molly

by BoCRon on 28 September 2009 - 20:09

Generally an indication of a knee issue. Will use the leg on the flat and going up the steps but not down. Could be ACL or luxating patella, although luxating patella is more common in small dogs we've seen in a lab and a boxer mix in the last 6 months. (Dogs that we had here for training that the vet diagnosed when we told the owner to have the knees checked, not that we diagnosed ;)).
If you follow the dog down the steps they will kick the leg with the bad knee out to the side, it is a very distinctive maneuver.
We have one client dog here who has had a knee issue for a couple of years. She does hunt trials with him and he works fine with the occasional lameness. If he really runs out and twists it or something he'll hold it up for a day or so and then is fine except for the step thing. The vet told her that it's a cruciate issue and that he may very well tear it but for now it is holding.
Annette

by Mystere on 28 September 2009 - 20:09

Keep the appointment with the orthopedic vet!! I cannot stress this enough. That same behavior was the FIRST indication that my male had a constricted muscle, due to injury, repeated mini-trauma, etc. It could have been treated most efficaciously IF I had taken him to an ortho vet when I noticed the behavior going down stairs. I wasted over a year with rest, heat, eliminating a blown cruciate ( which I KNEW it wasn't!!), hips, etc. It was a small muscle in the right rear thigh. With e-stim and other treatments, it could have been treated and reversed EARLY ON. I did not get a correct diagnosis for over a year. Even now, years later, there is marked improvement immediately after massage...temporarily. KEEP THE ORTHO VET APPOINTMENT.

by BoCRon on 28 September 2009 - 21:09

Oops, sorry if I made it sound like you didn't need to get it checked. Just wanted to let you know the going down steps part is significant in diagnosis. The one dog here went to the vet 2-3 times for the knee, but like a car does at the mechanic, he was fine at the vet's office. Finally on one visit the owner remembered to mention the stairs and the vet then could get a better diagnosis.
We have had 5-6 clients who have had knee surgeries on their dogs in the last year. It was very expensive (like $3000.00 for the surgery and another $1000 for water therapy), whereas a couple people just did the water therapy and thought that helped just as much. Regardless, get multiple opinions if that is possible. Oh, a friend with a golden retriever did stem cell treatment on her dog's bad knee and had good results.
Annette

by Mystere on 28 September 2009 - 22:09

Stem cell is being used successfully in a number of situations. It was also discussed for my male, but that was only last year-- years after the problem began and I was not willing to accept the risks of anesthesia at his age (he will be 11 in December). The dog is in no pain and does not realize he has a "hinkty" gait in the left rear. :-)

by SitasMom on 29 September 2009 - 00:09

A friend of mine has a dog that hurt its hind foot, it was given crate rest for a month. The dog healed and is perfectly fine, but when it gets excited it starts running around in 3 legs. Its a funny habit.....

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