Front leg limp

Question
Hello, I hope you can help me. I have a 3 year old ACD.  The Heeler is a very active dog and usuallly goes for an hour long walk 5 out of 7 days.  She has free range of the backyard.  The kids keep her pretty active throughout the whole day.  She has developed a limp in one of her front quarters.  She has no problem with short explosive activities.   The jackrabbit starts are no problem even if she is limping badly.  The long walks are not possible as she slows to a crawl.  I have taken her to the vet for X-Rays.  The vet says that he could not find anything wrong with the joints if he tried.  All the X-Rayed joints are crisp and clear lines.  Hopefully this is enough information, if not, let me know what you need to know.  Is there anything that we can do to help the dog get better?  How would a person limit the dog from those jackrabbit starts?
Thank you for your time.

Patrick Zips

Answer
Hi Patrick,

My Cattledog has free run of five acres, and by the end of the days she is TIRED - but she goes back out the next morning and "works" the whole day, anxious to rid HER land of all other creatures!  They're unique little powerhouses, that's for sure!

I've seen this sort of thing over and over.  They "forget" when it's important enough, but in normal, slow activity, clear lameness.  I think you ought to find an animal chiropractor and get this dog adjusted.  Do you know anyone near you?  You can ask your chiropractor, or even your vet, or go to avcadoctors.org for a referral list of certified doctors.  

If you're in SoCal let me know.  Otherwise, keep me posted as to your progress, and if you have any more questions, I'm here to help!

Dr Larry