I have recently added a young male Jack Russel/Chiuaua mix to my family. He came to me with a limp. He raises his right hind leg only when he runs. Our very competent vet did not seem concerned about it. I have seen a lot of Chiuaua's doing this. Is it just a trait or should I consider getting xrays?

Limping is not a "trait" of any breed of dog. It can indicate an injury, a hereditary problem (such as bad knees or hips), or can simply be a strange quirk the dog has. If it is a mild injury, it may or may not get better without medical attention over time. Sometimes, if the dog pulled something for example, it may just need a few days to heal, like a person. But if the injury continues for more than 2 or 3 days or if the dog seems extremely painful, he should see a veterinarian. You did not mention if he is having any pain….Did your veterinarian palpate his knees or hips to check for any displacement? If he does not seem in pain and your veterinarian has thoroughly checked him out, it's ultimately up to you what you think needs to be done. It may simply be a strange habit the dog has, like I already mentioned, but some people would prefer to do radiographs just for "peace of mind." If they come back normal, you know for future-reference that it's nothing to be concerned about. Hope this helps

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3 Responses

1. pinkstar95 Says:
   January 25th, 2009 at 12:15 pm

   my toy poodle does that too, it's nothing to worry about, its a trait. Must be harder to catch up with 4 legs lol
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   my dog

2. Jenn Says:
   January 25th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

   Limping is not a "trait" of any breed of dog. It can indicate an injury, a hereditary problem (such as bad knees or hips), or can simply be a strange quirk the dog has. If it is a mild injury, it may or may not get better without medical attention over time. Sometimes, if the dog pulled something for example, it may just need a few days to heal, like a person. But if the injury continues for more than 2 or 3 days or if the dog seems extremely painful, he should see a veterinarian. You did not mention if he is having any pain….Did your veterinarian palpate his knees or hips to check for any displacement? If he does not seem in pain and your veterinarian has thoroughly checked him out, it's ultimately up to you what you think needs to be done. It may simply be a strange habit the dog has, like I already mentioned, but some people would prefer to do radiographs just for "peace of mind." If they come back normal, you know for future-reference that it's nothing to be concerned about. Hope this helps
   References :

3. kat19_27 Says:
   January 25th, 2009 at 1:45 pm

   it can be a trait or it can be injury. most little to medium dogs are prown to knee problems like where the knee pops in and out at times. if its not causing any pain to the dog then its just a condition. if your dog is in pain and uncomfortable especially after playing or long runs then I would get him/her checked out.
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