# One hock bigger than other causes limping



## Shandroid (Sep 10, 2011)

Rusty has been having problems the last week or so (that's when I noticed the limping) with his back left hock (it is actually where the elbow? bends). Anyway, it is noticeably bigger (rounder) than the other leg and everyday after running outside, he favors it and starts limping. He will run on it again later and the next day, but then limps on it like it starts to hurt him. He runs at top speed, so it doesn't hurt him all the time. It is hard like bone, not soft. We need to take him to the vet soon about this, just thought I would run it past you all to see if anyone has had a similar problem. Thanks!!


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## lrained7 (Aug 19, 2011)

How old is your dog? Mine has the same issue. She is 4 months now. This has been going on for a while. 
I asked the vet when I took her in a month ago, and they took xrays and said it was HOD. We have been 
treating for that. I went on to greatdanelady.com and am pretty much following her feeding and suppliment
program. She is also getting a anti inflammatory. I am watching her close. I keep wondering about this because
the vet said they have never had any other dog with this problem. It is in her back legs not front. She will 
even hold up that leg when eating. Let me know what your vet said.


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## Shandroid (Sep 10, 2011)

Hi Irained7, well I took Rusty in and the vet didn't think it was bone cancer. He thought that maybe Rusty had broken the leg in the past and he wasn't properly treated, but he wasn't sure. I live in a small town and my vet was recently purchased by a bigger vet in a nearby town. The old vet had an inferior x-ray that he didn't think would tell us much. We will have to have it x-rayed in that town if we want to figure it out. We rescued Rusty from a road with no houses around in the middle of nowhere in September of this year so we don't know how old he is. The vet looked at his teeth and thought he is probably around three years. We don't have the luxury of knowing how long he has had this problem. We certainly don't want him to be in pain the rest of his life.

If an x-ray determined it was HOD in your dog that is promising for Rusty (not good promising, but good for diagnosing purposes). Does your dog's hock look and feel like a hard ball? It is the size of a golf ball on Rusty, plus the lower leg is bigger than the other one. On the good leg, you can see the ligaments and stuff and you can't on the bad leg. It's hard to describle without a picture. 

Rusty doesn't always seem like it bothers him. He will gladly run at top speed for a while, then later he will limp, but then be fine the next day, and so on. I will have to figure out a time to take him to that other vet. Given that it is holiday time, I am not sure when that time will be, but I can let you know what they say.


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## lrained7 (Aug 19, 2011)

HI Shandroid, Sorry I have not been on the computer in a while. HOD is usually in puppies. It is the growth
plates, but it can damage limbs. Sometimes Elaina's hock is puffy, but mostly hard. She does the running
and then will limb, yelp even and start to cry. Elalina's is not the size of a golf ball. That is pretty large. I am suppose to take her 
back in to see the vet in a few days. 

I hope you find out soon. Wow, I can't believe someone would just dump a dog like that. Elaina is 4 1/2 months.


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