# Dog gets limp, then disappears?



## Remmy (May 10, 2009)

Hi, any help would be appreciated.

My 3.5 year old border collie has done this about once a month for the past 4/5 months
In the garden, when all of a sudden he develops a severe limp in his hind left leg (always that leg). He won't put any weight on it at all and can't sit or anything. I always thoroughly check his paws and nails and all seems fine. I try to find the pain but he doesn't yelp or give me any signs. After about 10 minutes he just goes back to normal, no limp, nothing! 

We have a 1ft drop between our patio and our grass but he always jumps up and down this and always has. We have watched him when he has suddenly developed this mysterious limp and he always seems to get it when he jumps at a certain place, have examined the area and came up blank and he jumps there fine between times.
Any ideas?
We are just totally stumped and haven't a clue and it never lasts long enough to get him to the vets when it does happen!
Thanks
x


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Have you checked further up his leg? Could be a knee or hip problem - possibly luxating patella though that's not a problem commonly found in collies.


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## alyssa_liss (May 4, 2009)

has he had an xray? worth doing as i found out my BC had hip dysplasia  at least we know now. We found out becaue we noticed occasional limping


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## peds (Oct 15, 2011)

One of a litter of seven border collies I had, Barney, affected a limp whenever he wanted a spot of attention. Clever hound.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Could be his Knees, certain breeds especially have problem with their Knees where the joint isnt a precise fit, the knee can dislodge and then slip back in again. there are degrees of it from fairly insignificant to very bad. Its actually called Luxating Patellas if you want to look it up to find out more.

Another condition that I believe can also cause intermittent lamness is problems with the Cruciate ligament, again there are degrees of the problem, to the most severe the cruiciate ruptures, but I think the lower grade probs can again cause intermittent lameness.

Last scenario could be the hip on that side, again in some dogs the ball and socket joint of the hip isnt a good fit, again there is degrees of the problem. Even though your dog may not be showing signs when you took him to the vet, a lot can be apparent on manipulation and examination of the joint, as the vet may be able to feel whether the joint is unstable or not. He would then likely arrange Xrays if he thought there was a likely problem to confirm it.


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## Remmy (May 10, 2009)

Thanks for all your replies. I think it will be worth getting him checked out anyway then.

I did wonder if it was something like you know if you jump and land not quite right you get a sort of jarring. I suppose though it wouldn't always be only the one same leg.

Thank you I will be having a look on the web and getting on to the vet now so thanks all I was totally at a loss without your help so thank you.


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## Remmy (May 10, 2009)

I forgot to mention before but will now is that he also doesn't like to extend his leg, he keeps it up against himself as if he were in a laying position even though he won't lay down when asked when this happens.
Is this suggestive of knee or hip issues?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Remmy said:


> I forgot to mention before but will now is that he also doesn't like to extend his leg, he keeps it up against himself as if he were in a laying position even though he won't lay down when asked when this happens.
> Is this suggestive of knee or hip issues?


Hard to tell because certain extensions bring more then one joint into play,
Thats why on examination a vet does a variety of different extentions and manipulations, it could actually be knee or hip because of this, if I have understood you correctly putting his leg straight would bring both hip and knee into play so hard to say. Now you have said that though, there must be some discomfort and difficulty if he wont entend that one and he is OK with the other leg. With this and the intermittent lameness on the same leg sounds too much of a co-incidence. Whether he actually has a problem with the joints/ligaments themselves ot he has had a trauma to the leg causing an injury that may fix, only way to tell Im afraid is the Vet.


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## suewhite (Oct 31, 2009)

My BC leapt over a tree trunk and the next day was limping took him to the vets and was told to lead walk only and to rest the leg worked fine until he was back and running again this went on for a couple of years now he is fine and touch wood has not had the problem for at least 3 years,but I think I would get him checked with the vet only way to find out what it is


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

*


Remmy said:



I forgot to mention before but will now is that he also doesn't like to extend his leg, he keeps it up against himself as if he were in a laying position even though he won't lay down when asked when this happens.

Click to expand...

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Remmy said:


> *Is this suggestive of knee or hip issues?*




It could be knee, hip or cruciate ligament.

Your first port of call is your vet and possibly x-rays.

If, after examination/x-rays and nothing is found, I personally would want a referral to a MacTimoney chiropractor, who are much more likely to pin-point soft tissue problems.


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

peds said:


> One of a litter of seven border collies I had, Barney, affected a limp whenever he wanted a spot of attention. Clever hound.


Benjie does this too (GSD x)

My friends Collie has also started mysteriously limping, X-rays showed no signs of anything..

Hope you find out what is the matter.


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