# my dog keeps limping



## heafy (Oct 31, 2009)

My APBT has been limping on his back right leg for probably about a month. He's almost a year old..

Not sure how it happened, but probably from wrestling with the other dogs.

Even tho its hurt however, he still runs fine - full speed in fact. But then after he gets done running he'll start limping again.

At first I thought his leg was a pulled muscle since he would always just bolt at of his pen and go full speed then afterwords stop and limp.

But, the other day I had my hand on his knee when he was walking and I believe I felt his knee pop as he bent it.

Anyone have a clue whats up? I plan on taking him to the vet since it seems to be getting worse. The only bad thing is that I'm broke as hell (probably like everyone!) and not sure if I could even pay for whatever he needs..

Please help with any info! Thanks in advance.

PS - please pray for him! if its real bad - that means no breeding.. no weight pullling..


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## Czar (Nov 11, 2009)

I'm not great at giving advice, since Im' pretty new to this. I'd honestly say take the guy to the vet , so they can check him out give him some xrays. I dont think its good to keep letting him walk alot...Try to maybe rest him somehow keep him off his feet for a lil


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

First off he should be on crate rest to give it time to heal. Every time you let him run around he can do more damage to the leg. Since this has been going on for a month the first thing that comes to mind is he torn something in the knee. Taking him to the vet would be a good idea but since it is an old injury already you can try crate rest
That means the dog lives in the crate and comes out only to go potty, when you take him out he needs to be on leash so he cannot bolt. If you want him to hang out in the house like to watch tv put him on leash and do not let him jump on anything including the couch. It could be a torn muscle that you never let heal because the dog was able to remain active. It mostly likely is something with the knee.

If you put him on crate rest for 10-14 days and he is still limping then it is vet time. If he has something torn in his knee that needs to be fixed then you are looking at 900-2500 depending on the vet you go to and what the issue is with the knee.
Good luck with your pup, I really hope it is a soft tissue injury that can heal with rest and not something torn in the knee.


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

Mikado had this problem too. I had him to three vets (they all said knee surgery I didn't like that answer so I kept taking him to different vets) anyways I could not afford surgery so I kept putting it off and had him on rest ( he tired easy because of his heart condition so thi was not a problem). Well one night we were sitting watching tv and when Mikado got up he was stumbling like he was drunk. It was late about 11pm so I took him to bed and stayed up all night watching him in the morning I took him right into my one vet. He had a tick disease. He put Mikado on a strong antiboitic and gave him a shot of antiboitic also. You know what his knee cleared up. The vet figures he had an infection down deep. He didn't need surgery and he never limped again.


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## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

Great advice was already posted... crate rest and get money together or work out a payment plan with your vet.

I hope the pup is better asap.


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## Black Rabbit (Nov 14, 2009)

OMG please be careful with yous pup. Our old american bulldog Mack hurt his leg like that when he was a puppy and my b/f let him run around still cause he semed like he wasn't that bad. Well he let him out to go potty and he ran across the yard after a cat and bam he snapped his leg. Poor Macaroni had to get his leg fused back together. He could never walk right again and his leg was always stiff. Our breed is tough so the pain could be worse then it seems, like Lisa said crate him and take him to the vet before he gets the chance to make it any worse. We spent about 3000 on surgerys and vet bills.


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## Nizmo (Jan 15, 2009)

performanceknls said:


> First off he should be on crate rest to give it time to heal. Every time you let him run around he can do more damage to the leg. Since this has been going on for a month the first thing that comes to mind is he torn something in the knee. Taking him to the vet would be a good idea but since it is an old injury already you can try crate rest
> That means the dog lives in the crate and comes out only to go potty, when you take him out he needs to be on leash so he cannot bolt. If you want him to hang out in the house like to watch tv put him on leash and do not let him jump on anything including the couch. It could be a torn muscle that you never let heal because the dog was able to remain active. It mostly likely is something with the knee.
> 
> If you put him on crate rest for 10-14 days and he is still limping then it is vet time. If he has something torn in his knee that needs to be fixed then you are looking at 900-2500 depending on the vet you go to and what the issue is with the knee.
> Good luck with your pup, I really hope it is a soft tissue injury that can heal with rest and not something torn in the knee.


+! :clap::clap:


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## heafy (Oct 31, 2009)

Thanks for the advice! I brought him into the house, taking him to the vet either Monday or Tuesday.

I felt his knee again today as he was walking (he quits walking when I try to touch his knee lol) and it feels like everything is kinda popping or squishing or something..


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Bringing him in the house is not enough, if you do not own a crate look on craigslist, borrow one, or get one at walmart. It is important that you make him lay still and not move. Only a crate can really do that unless you sit by his side 24/7. Good luck.


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## heafy (Oct 31, 2009)

I went to the vet today.

It seems that the ligament on his kneecap is loose and so his knee cap is moving around. The vet said he could do a minor surgery for like 450.

Anyone ever had this happen to one of their pitbulls? Could it be genetically inherited?


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## Sampsons Dad (Jul 4, 2008)

heafy said:


> I went to the vet today.
> 
> It seems that the ligament on his kneecap is loose and so his knee cap is moving around. The vet said he could do a minor surgery for like 450.
> 
> Anyone ever had this happen to one of their pitbulls? Could it be genetically inherited?


This dog is not a dg you want to breed.
#1 the knee problem
#2 low funds--if you don't have money to spend do not breed.


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## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

No it would not be genetic. He probablly tore it playing around.


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## Sampsons Dad (Jul 4, 2008)

OldFortKennels said:


> No it would not be genetic. He probablly tore it playing around.


Bad conformation and or hip displasia could have been the cause of the knee problem....so I disagree, it could very well be genetic.


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## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

its a torn ligament, could it be genetic, maybe... .but not likely

I had a dog do the same thing but she was 8 when it happened. Routine knee surgery and she was better. Was it genetic, no rough housing with the other dogs.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

You said it was the ligament on the knee cap is loose? That sounds like a luxating patella. I has one of my dogs have that surgery and yes it is cheaper than a tear. It is when the knee cap is sliding around and causes pain. That is why when you bent the knee you felt the knee cap pop. The surgery is simple and recover time is quick. Good luck getting it fixed it is not as bad as a torn ligament. 

Luxating patellas can be genetic or it could have just happened. You see it in small breeds and many times it is genetic from bad breeding practices. In large dogs some times it just happens.


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## Patch09 (Apr 23, 2009)

My dog is always spraining his joints, every 3 or 4 fetch season we have he alway starts limping a 1/2 hour after, he just goes to hard, I'll let it go for a day and if the limp is still there, I'll crate him for 2-3 days, takin him out for small walks and bathroom breaks, after that he's usually back to 100%, but I am worried one day he really is goin to mess up his leg, good luck with the surgery, man these dogs play hard!


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## heafy (Oct 31, 2009)

performanceknls said:


> You said it was the ligament on the knee cap is loose? That sounds like a luxating patella. I has one of my dogs have that surgery and yes it is cheaper than a tear. It is when the knee cap is sliding around and causes pain. That is why when you bent the knee you felt the knee cap pop. The surgery is simple and recover time is quick. Good luck getting it fixed it is not as bad as a torn ligament.
> 
> Luxating patellas can be genetic or it could have just happened. You see it in small breeds and many times it is genetic from bad breeding practices. In large dogs some times it just happens.


Thats exactly what the vet said: Luxating patella. I'm going to let him rest for a week and see how he looks then. But its looking like I'm going to go ahead with the surgery.

How would one tell if it is genetic??


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## heafy (Oct 31, 2009)

Sampsons Dad said:


> #2 low funds--if you don't have money to spend do not breed.


Thats absolutely ludicrous! Especially in this economy.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

This problem will not go away but many times you can wait a bit to do the surgery. Save up for 2 months then get it done, your dog will be uncomfortable but waiting is not inhumane. Tasha had a mild grade one luxating patella and we waited till we had to do surgery and that was 3 years later. Now my Boston Terrier has grade 3 luxating patellas and his pop in and out with every step. The vet said to leave them till they have to be done and that could be in the next few years. Dogs get around with them very well. The only time I think it is an emergency is if they are pain, most times it just pops in and out and is weird feeling but not painful.
I think if you save up for a few months your good to go.


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## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

My dog has torn both ACL's and one vet said she had a luxating patella... another vet told me that she did not. She acted the same though, wanting to run and jump and play. You just have to keep him in a crate... especially after the surgery.

A lot of times these problems are genetic... If your dog has papers... is there a way you can find out if his parents had any similar problems? If the dog does not have papers... you don't need to think about breeding anyway.


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## sydking (Jan 3, 2009)

Same thing happened to my girl, ran up the stairs an slipped then was limping after that for a while, took her to the vet and she had pulled the ligaments holing in her knee cap so i would have to pop it back in place and rest her with some anti imflas aswell, 2 weeks rest and no limping, much better but still need to be very careful, i would let him run around at all.


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## heafy (Oct 31, 2009)

ok, he's been resting and he's no longer limping but I can tell its still bothering him..

We'll see but I msg'ed the guy I got Drake from. I sure hope its not genetic since I have another pup from the same parents..


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## Sampsons Dad (Jul 4, 2008)

heafy said:


> Thats absolutely ludicrous! Especially in this economy.


If you don't have funds you shouldn't breed. You may not like to read this FACT but C-sections cost, health certificates cost, x-rays of parents cost, and pregnant mothers should be x-rayed or ultrasound for a pup head count....all of that costs money. 
AND if a dog has joint problems that weren't caused by an outside cause the dog shouldn't be bred.


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## aimee235 (Apr 29, 2007)

:goodpost: I agree with everything you said except I don't think prego dogs should be xrayed or have ultrasounds. Unless the vet thinks there is a problem. Since I think they could be potentially damaging to pups.

I think if you can't afford stuff in this economy you can wait to breed til it picks up and you can.


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## Bohdi's Mom (Aug 13, 2010)

Check out our story. We are going through ACL/CCL knee surgery recovery right now;
Bohdi's Tightrope CCL Repair Procedure

It's tough, but my guy is already feeling better.:woof:


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