OUR ALMOST 1 YR OLD MINI AUSSIE LIMPS

Question
QUESTION: Our almost 1 year old mini aussie limps on his back right leg.It started after he would wake up from sleeping then after a walk. Sometimes when he runs he doesn't limp at all. I have had him xrayed and they don't see anything. What could be the cause?

ANSWER: Lameness that comes and goes could be Lyme disease or any one of a number of other things.  Keep communicating with your vet and don't give up.

I think it's pretty nasty to leave such a negative review of my response when you have asked me a question that should be answered by a vet.  Had I been able to give you an Aussie-related reason why your dog was limping, I would have.  Has he been tested for Lyme, or other tick-borne illnesses?  If so, you certainly didn't mention it in your question.  Here are some other reasons for intermittent limping:
luxating patella
strained anterior cruciate ligament
foreign body in the paw
As you can see, no one can diagnose these things but a veterinarian.  Since you have a "mini-Aussie", which are largely bred by unscrupulous breeders who just want to make a buck on a fad, luxating patella would not be a big surprise, since many ill bred small breed dogs have it.
The next step is to go back to the vet - I thought my answer made that abundantly clear.  One test is not all you do - you go back, or if you aren't satisfied, you find another vet.  But, no one on an internet page can diagnose a physical problem in your dog - in fact, it would be illegal to do so.  Suggestions are one thing, but the dog needs a vet to take the next step in diagnosis.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: How unprofessional of you to respond back to me upon receiving my review of your answer. My expectation of "Ask the Expert" was to get more opinions as to the cause of the problem I asked.I hoped it would be helpful to me in going back to my vet with other options. I thought someone who was familiar with mini aussies might be able to shed some light on his limping.  Apparently I was wrong.

Answer
You were not wrong, you just didn't like being told the truth.  I doubt that you would find much different answer from any person who is not a veterinarian.  I don't think it's unprofessional to question why someone would respond unkindly to a professional and reasoned response, even if it was not what they expected to be told.  My only fault in this, aside from wanting to help you, was not to simply decline the question and tell you to ask one of allexpert's veterinarians.  I feel that honesty is the best policy, therefore, I told you, in my second response, what I was too polite to tell you in the first.  You bought an ill bred designer type dog and both you and the dog are now suffering the consequences of a system that I do not participate in nor condone.  That is the unvarnished truth, and I'm sorry that you got angry at me, both for not telling you what you expected to hear (a veterinary medical diagnosis from a trainer and breed aficionado?), suggesting that you see your vet again (why would you not?).  There is nothing unprofessional about an exchange of ideas, and I have not been disrespectful to you, simply blunt.  So, let's just part ways, and be done with it.  I hope your vet can offer you the help your dog really needs, because in the end, I know you love your dog.