Injured hind leg of my Blue Doberman

Question
Hi Dawn:
I am hoping you have a suggestion/insight for me.  My two year old blue dobmerman who is very fast and athletic, woke up three mornings ago with a limp.  She is hopping, by raising her left rear paw off the ground, to get around.  I am with her all of the time, for play and walks and in the house, and she has never fallen or yelped in pain.  There is no cut anywhere.  Is it possible that her new toy, a plastic stick that cradles a tennis ball and throws it far, could have caused her to overexert some part of her leg/foot? Or do you have other ideas as to sources and causes of pain?  My impression is that it is her paw that hurts but she really does not express pain as I rub down her leg bones and foot.  I am baffled as to whether I should consider a fracture or break although I don't see how it would have happened.

Answer
Hi Holly,  That is a good possiblity of what happened.  She probably strained her leg running.  If she is not putting any weight on it at all, and it is dangling, then I would look at a fracture, but if she actually is putting it to the ground and limping on it, then it is more than likely a strain.  Especially since you just got her a new toy.  Hope this helps,

Dawn