My dog has sudden, intermittent back leg and hip pain. What is it?

Question

There have been a few times in the past when my Jack Russel Terrier/Schnauzer mix has experienced sudden pain in his back leg, always resolved within seconds. Today it happened again, but it lasted for an hour. During that hour he favored his other legs and seemed extremely nervous. The problem seems to be in his hip. This doesn't happen often, but I want to know if there is a name for this. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 2 years and 4 months old | 30 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Cappy! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. There are many things that can cause intermittent rear leg pain and lameness, so it's hard to say what the specific problem might be without being able to examine him and run some tests. He may have unilateral hip dysplasia, a partially torn cruciate ligament or torn meniscus in his knee, a luxating patella, or even something like a pinched nerve in his back causing these symptoms. To get a better idea of what may be going on, I would recommend taking him in for a vet visit. The veterinarian can do a complete orthopedic exam and may also recommend x-rays or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem.

My dog has sudden, intermittent back leg and hip pain. What is it?

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