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Why is my dog's leg giving out, causing pain and difficulty jumping?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | neutered | 11 years and 10 months old | 20 lbs

My jack russell terrier has been having trouble with his left leg it's been giving out on him. He can't jump up on sofa and has been yelping if you even pat his back around the top of his left leg area.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on November 12th, 2017

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lameness can be an indication of an orthopedic condition. This can be due to conditions such as a soft tissue injury, ligament conditions, a fracture and even a tumor. For this reason, I recommend that you have Jo evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. A veterinarian should be able to perform an examination and localize where the pain is so that further diagnostics like radiographs can be performed. Treatment will be highly dependent on what is causing the lameness. At the very least your veterinarian can start Jo on pain control medications to provide comfort. In the meantime, keep Jo's activity level to a minimum avoiding any jumping, running or rough playing. I hope you find this information useful in helping Jo. Wishing Jo a speedy recovery!

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