Italian Greyhound with bum leg

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    • Gold Top Dog

    Italian Greyhound with bum leg

    My cousin adopted an italian greyhound from an animal shelter.  He was abused by his previous owner and has a crooked tail and a bum leg.  His leg appeared to have been broken and self healed.  It doesn't look really abnormal, but you can tell there was something wrong with it.  He sometimes walks on it and sometimes he hold it in the air when he walks.  Do you think that he should be taken to the vet and have it rebroken so it can be healed in place?  What should be done?
    • Silver
    Is it the front leg or the hind leg? It is not uncommon for an IG to have a front leg break that healed with a slight bow or not quite straight, it can occur in natural healing as well as those that had plates and hardware. Many of these dogs go on to have normal active lives.
    Since he is holding it up though I worry that something may be wrong, even arthritis.
    Some IG's have that habit of holding up the front leg, they are even commonly photographed that way. But if this dog is doing it often there may be pain.
    Do you know if there is hardware in there?

    There ARE rear leg breaks but it is not as common as the front.
    Now if it's the rear leg it may possibly be a luxated patella (slipped kneecap).If it is luxation, then depending upon the degree of luxation the animal may hold it up or it can even fuse the joint, where the animal can't even put it down. Either way whether it is the front or hind leg, an old break or even a luxation, it needs to be seen by a vet. One who knows IG's and thier health and skeletal issues. All vets are not the same (that's why I travel so far to see my vet).
    To find a vet, your cousin can get an referral in  his or her region by asking an IG rescue rep, they are a wealth of information:
    [linkhttp://www.italiangreyhound.org/rescue/rescurep.html]http://www.italiangreyhound.org/rescue/rescurep.html[/link] 
    also you can find by asking at
    [linkhttp://www.igpost.com]www.igpost.com[/link]

    Good luck and please keep us updated!
    If it's the rear leg, it could also be a torn ACL.  I'd have it checked to see what you're dealing with.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I would have it checked out for sure/  It if is arthritis, the dog needs to be started on joint sups.  If it is a rear leg and luxated patella, probably it will need surgery--my golden retriever, kayCee had to have both knees done for this.  it would be much better to know for sure if it is something that needs treatment or sups or whatever.
    • Silver
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    • Gold Top Dog
    The leg that he always lifts is his front leg.  I don't think there is any pain because he walks on it sometimes, and will let you touch it without any problems.  He doesn't whine when he walks on it and lays on it too.  I will still tell her to have it checked out to make sure everything is okay.