TL;DR: Intermittent skipping is often a sign of a luxating patella and typically requires a scheduled vet visit rather than emergency care. Recording a video of the behavior at home is the best way to help your veterinarian reach an accurate diagnosis.
What causes my dog to intermittently skip or hitch their leg while walking?
Intermittent skipping, often described as a dog 'hitching' their leg or 'bunny hopping' for a few steps before returning to a normal gait, is a common orthopedic observation. In many cases, this is a classic sign of a luxating patella, where the kneecap temporarily slides out of its groove. Other potential causes include early-stage cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease or minor soft tissue strains.
Is intermittent skipping an emergency for my dog?
- Low Urgency: If your dog is eating, drinking, and walking comfortably most of the time, the condition is not a life-threatening emergency but warrants a veterinary exam within the next week.
- Moderate Urgency: If the skipping becomes a permanent limp, or if your dog is in visible distress or refusing to put any weight on the leg, the situation requires more immediate attention.
How can taking a video of my dog skipping help with a veterinary diagnosis?
- Overcoming Adrenaline: Because this behavior is intermittent, dogs often walk perfectly normally at the clinic due to adrenaline, making it hard for vets to witness the issue.
- Natural Environment: A video captures the skipping motion at home, showing the frequency and severity of the 'skip' in a relaxed setting.
- Diagnostic Accuracy: Seeing the specific leg involved helps your veterinarian provide a faster and more accurate diagnosis during your appointment.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
Intermittent skipping lameness in the hindlimb of dogs can be attributed to several factors. Patellar luxation, categorized into Grades I-IV, presents with varying degrees of lameness. In Grade II, the patella luxates during joint flexion and repositions upon extension, resulting in resolvable skipping lameness. Lumbosacral junction abnormalities, detectable via ultrasonography, encompass congenital anomalies, disc degeneration, intervertebral malalignment, and intertransverse osteoarthrosis. Acute sacroiliac ligament strain, stemming from injury, manifests as severe pelvic pain and marked hindlimb lameness.
Chapter: Neurology, Orthopedics
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1246)