Limping/favoring back leg...

tiffy

Is this vet worthy?

The leap may have caused her knee cap to slip (luxating patella) and then pop back in place.  If the patella ligament has been stretched (permanently?), it may be easier now for the knee cap to slip, but not cause as much pain since the ligament was already stretched. 

The patella ligament lies in a groove (like a river in a valley).  Over time the ligament can slip over and wear down the sides of the groove (the mountains).  This wear can make the slippage more frequent and lead to eventual arthritis. 

I think it is too early to know if Tootsie has any permanent damage from the leap, but I would ask the vet to check it on your next regular visit - assuming, of course, that the limping doesn't get worse before then. 

My terrier had a luxating patella when I thought she just had arthritis.  It reached a point where the knee cap did not slip back into place and she wouldn't put any weight on the leg.  The vet diagnosed a luxating patella and when he operated he found that the groove was virtually nonexistent.

My stoic baby had probably been in frequent pain from the luxating patella and I just didn't know it!!  This was before the days of the Internet, so I didn't have access to as much information as we do today.  Her problem probably started as a puppy when she jumped from my-ex's shoulder (Grrrrrr!) when he wasn't being careful.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2084&aid=457
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/01/11/recognising-floating-knee-caps-in-pet-dogs.aspx

Yeah -- what Janet said. 

I have also been "had" by a master manipulator dog -- ohhhh they can be SO crafty.

But they can also be too hard to reliably read (because they may actually be trying to TELL you it hurts). 

So honeslty?  yeah -- vet.  But TELL the vet before you go that you are having the devil's own time telling whether this is "live or is it Memorex" to quote the commercial.  Is it a real limp or a "taped pre-recorded" one if you get my drift.

You're merely human -- you **can't** accurately second-guess a smart dog even "most" of the time LOL

 Ok, really Tootsie. Now shes favoring her front left leg. Manipulated, squeezed,pulled, rotated,nothing. She didn't even tense up , whimper, no reaction. She actually thought it was play time. Roll over sure does come in handy for this stuff. Shes even putting full weight on it. Now what?

If it were *me* I'd still be at the vet.  simply because sometimes *that* leg isn't the problem -- but when she bears weight on it then something *else* is a problem. 

For *me*?  That's what I pay a vet FOR.  I've seen too many times when I go in for *this* and it winds up being *that*.  Does that make sense?

 I'll give her the weekend, but if it persists we'll go to the vet. Oh, the trials of having a short and long dog.

 Limps gone. Master manipulator, that is Toots.