hurt leg

Question
my german shep/border collie 3 yr. old female slipped on my porch and started holding her back leg up walking only on the other three. she isnt in pain that i can tell and sometimes walks on it and then goes back to not walking on it. the vet said it is probably atorn ligament and will need a $2800 operation to break it and fix it. i dont have the money. is there anything else i could do. what will happen if i cant get the operation.

Answer
Ouch!  You might check another vet.  You could also ask your vet about payment plans.  Some would say if you can't afford, or aren't willing, to give a dog the care it needs, you shouldn't have a dog.  I tend to agree, but it does sound a little harsh when nobody would have expected a $2800 accident.  

If you don't have it fixed, the dog may have a permanent limp.  It is not pleasant to see a dog hobble around like that, but many dogs seem to enjoy life while doing so.  Think of the misery that $2800 could relieve if donated to a spay/neuter clinic?  We do need to look at priorities.