Why Do Jack Russells Skip?

[spottydottypony]

My JR is 1 year old. She has always had a skip on her hind leg left and right when she walks. People say "Whats up with her leg?" all the time. Is it a Jack Russell thing?

 

[Red30563]

My border terrier cross Dougal does the same thing and I've seen lots of terriers do it. So I guess it is a terrier/small dog thing.

I wondered about I myself and had so many people saying 'Has he hurt his leg?' that I asked my vet about it. He looked at Dougal's leg and said there is nothing wrong with it. He explained that small dogs often have quite loose patellas (knee caps) which cause them to do the 'skip'. In time it can cause uncomfortable wear and tear so some treatment may be needed but most dogs live quitely happily with the skip.

 

[woodlandswow]

we have had numerous JR and they all do it.. its defo a jack russell thing

 

[spottydottypony]

Thanks just wondered! She skips on both legs (one at a time of course) , i think its quite cute. Just get people saying your dogs hurt its leg etc. I just say its a JR thing

 

[s4sugar]

It is not a Jack Russel thing but a poor or indiscriminate breeding thing.

We had a brilliant little Russel dog dumped on us about seven years ago.
He has patella luxation on one side and skips but I can't count the number of requests for stud services.
When explained that he is not available and why the usual response is along the lines of not all the pups would get it.
While people don't choose for good construction or just pass it off it will keep appearing.

 

[Princess P]

My JR x Chihuahua does this! My friend told me it was to rest his leg for a step or two! He does it with both legs.

He does have crappy breeding - he has a pad missing on one front paw and the small pads are all joined together on the other front paw, and one of his ribs syicks out on one side!

Interesting that bad breeding could cause the skipping! Hope our 'skippers' don't get probs in the future.
x

 

[Booboos]

Interesting! I have a JRTx mongrel who skips but vet had never been able to find anything wrong with him. I also have a Spitz with the best bloodlines who actually has a luxating patella but it doesn't present with a skip at all. Rather his hind leg gets stuck out, straight and stiff. Vet thinks he is better of popping it back in himself which he does after a few strides. He was a lot worse when he was younger and seems to have improved with age.

 

[YasandCrystal]

My schipperkee 'skips' too - he is supposedly well bred. It is obviously a 'little dog' thing as you don't see larger breds doing it.

 

[s4sugar]

You do see larger breeds doing it but as they have more problems from the same condition due to weight it is not brushed away as with some smaller breeds.

I see a lab x in the village with the classic skip.

 

[Suffolkangel]

My JR x Chihuahua also skips, but not all the time.

 

[Oenoke]

Yes, it is luxating patellas, the knee joint doesn't fit properly, it's loose and pops in and out, it isn't a very comfortable thing that's why the dog hops on that leg for a step or two.

 

[Booboos]

Yes, it is luxating patellas, the knee joint doesn't fit properly, it's loose and pops in and out, it isn't a very comfortable thing that's why the dog hops on that leg for a step or two.

Are you sure? Not being contrary, just asking! It doesn't look anything like what my dog with the diagnosed luxating patellas looks like. The JRT hops from the entire back end and the knee joint remains bent, unlike the Spitz whose leg sticks out. The JRT also hops from one leg to the other and back again on each stride, whereas the Spitz is stuck with the leg out for a couple of strides. The JRT doesn't slow down at all, the Spitz is clearly in pain and slows down to a slow walk when this happens. The Spitz also needs to shake his leg to get the patella back in place, the JRT does none of that, just places the leg down and continues uninterrupted.

 

[s4sugar]

The skip is the more common expression of luxating patella, if the patella slips sideways it causes that straight leg.

 

[tweedette]

Yes, it is luxating patellas, the knee joint doesn't fit properly, it's loose and pops in and out, it isn't a very comfortable thing that's why the dog hops on that leg for a step or two.

The above is 100% true, it was rather common in a breed I used to have , bull terrier blood was introduced in order to help with this and other reoccuring problems, in nearly 15 yrs of specific breed involvement, I have only ever seen one pup from this line skip and that was second generation, so a long time ago. But!! it is an unsoundness and is hereditary- and painful , hence carriers or known lines must be avoided when breeding.

 

[Booboos]

Oh, I see, thanks for the clarification. I'll keep an eye on the JRT although he seems very happy at the moment. The Spitz is on Metacam anyway for his elbow dysplasia!

 

[Aru]

Its a patella luxation.Very common in terriers.The skip and quick return to normal where the patella temporarily moves out of place and then returns.Its a mild form of the issue and rarely causes pain to the dog though it can lead to eventual issues in older age depending on the degree of the lock and damage over time.

Luxating patella can be seen in most breeds of dogs but some of the terriers have the mild issue bred into their lines.

 

[prosefullstop]

My Boston terrier's parents are both certified clear of patella luxation by the OFA. She hasn't skipped once in her life. The pug--product of a puppy mill--has grade one luxation in both knees, so we keep his weight down and give him glucosamine.

Patella luxation in the US is graded 1 through 4, with dogs in the higher categories needing an expensive operation to rectify the problem.

I don't think it should be just "one of those things". Any breeding dog, far as I'm concerned, should be free from luxating patellas as much as it should be free from elbow and hip dysplasia.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I don't think it should be just "one of those things". Any breeding dog, far as I'm concerned, should be free from luxating patellas as much as it should be free from elbow and hip dysplasia.

Hear hear, 'just one of those things' is why some breeds are in such a mess.

 

[Booboos]

Just to clarify, I don't think luxating patellas should be dismissed at all, nor that breeders should ignore the problem. It just seemed to me that the JRT didn't have the problem as compared with the Spitz who has it and my vet seemed to have dismissed the idea of a problem with the JRTs movement. But since people have explained that it presents in different ways, clearly the poor JRT has the same issue which is very sad for the little man. Hopefully it won't affect him too badly!

 

[friesian80]

My JRT does it to, vet says its a small dog thing.

 

[s4sugar]

My JRT does it to, vet says its a small dog thing.

This is why the problem persists. Any dog with such a condition shouldn't procreate but if vets along with others just brush it of as "a small dog thing" it will continue.