10/08/2026
G’morning! It’s time to ask a veterinary surgeon! Let’s do some REAL cases! First, some ground rules. We always start with the signalment (age, breed, s*x) because that can increase or decrease the probability of various diagnoses. Then we get the history: what is the patient being seen for, when did it start, how has it been since it started. This adds crucial information to focus us on the problem at hand, and not find our way to things that may be technically abnormal, but not causing the problem we’re here for (read: fixing something else and not making the patient better). That information, before any physical examination or testing, helps us set off in the right direction. So here we go! Tell me what you’re thinking, what you would do next, and what questions you’re trying to answer with your next steps… A 9-year-old spayed female terrier mix weighing 17.6 lb presents with intermittent non–weight-bearing right hindlimb lameness and a hopping gait when moving quickly.
