9year old Westie carrying his back leg.?

My Westie is carrying his back leg really he will put weight on it but it seems to buckle. He seems to be in no pain and he lets you touch and examine his leg. It started a month or so ago and he was prescribed painkillers for a sprain, I noticed it again today after a 30minute walk which wasn't at all strenuous. Has any one experianced this before?

If this poor dog weren't in any pain, he wouldn't be carrying that leg, he'd use it normally.He needs to go back to a vet - one who's actually going to x-ray him to find out what's wrong with his leg and treat it correctly. He's been living in pain for a month already/

Could be any number of things. You do understand that when you say "seems" not to be in pain, that dogs do not show pain the way humans do. Yeah, there are some drama queens out there, but mostly if it is mild or annoying pain, your dog could just be stoically bearing it.What did the vet say was sprained? Knee, hip...? I am thinking most likely knee. From what little you post I would imagine what may have been a sprain could have been a small tear possibly ACL or patellar tendon/ligament. And it may have torn a little more. Though you may not expect Westies to be at risk for this, any feisty terrier that does a lot of dashing and jumping can tear a ligament. And once torn even slightly, the risk for it getting worse is pretty high. Another trip to the bet is in order. There are many dogs who can get by on some physical therapy and pain killer if they can rest the leg. Others might need surgery...it depends on the dog, the leg and the extent of tear.

yes something similar happened to my 10yr old westie. turned out to be arthritis. I hope he feel better soon. Love westies

Sounds like a cruciate ligament tear. Once they tear it it's pretty unstable and dogs aren't able to walk on their hind legs normally. There are surgical repairs, but if you don't want to go that route the leg will eventually compensate and he will walk on it again. It will always be unstable and he will limp, but he can have a full functioning life. Rest, rest, rest, rest, and anti-inflammitories. But I do urge you to go to the vet for a diagnosis, they will be able to help you the most.