M.W.Lewis
Posted : 12/1/2006 3:21:58 PM
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:
[link
http://www.italiangreyhound.org/rescue/rescurep.html]http://www.italiangreyhound.org/rescue/rescurep.html[/link]
also you can find by asking at
[link
http://www.igpost.com]www.igpost.com[/link]
Good luck and please keep us updated!