TL;DR
Dr. Ellie Lederer, an ECVS board-certified small animal orthopedic surgeon at Umm Suqeim Veterinary Centre in Dubai and founder of MOVES, explains why the phrase "they're limping but they're not in pain" is almost never true, dogs and cats are simply wired to hide discomfort. She covers the subtle signs of joint pain most owners miss, why slippery flooring may contribute to hip dysplasia in puppies, when to stop "waiting and seeing" and get a vet involved, and confirms that feeding at the correct height and posture is clinically recommended for dogs with osteoarthritis, neck pain, or disc disease, while flagging that floor feeding puts unnecessary flexion and weight load through the front legs at every single meal.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ellie Lederer, an ECVS board-certified small animal orthopedic surgeon, and the founder of MOVES, a free online orthopaedic journal club for vets across the Middle East. We get into the subtle signs that your dog might be in more pain than they're letting on, the most common orthopedic conditions in small dogs, what slippery floors are actually doing to your puppy's hips, when waiting is fine versus when you really need to see a vet, and, something that is incredibly close to my heart, why feeding posture matters so much more than most of us realise, especially for dogs already navigating joint issues.
Guest Bio:
Our guest today is Dr. Ellie Lederer, an ECVS board-certified small animal orthopedic surgeon currently running a referral orthopaedic service at Umm Suqeim Veterinary Centre in Dubai. She specialises in joint replacements, fracture repair, cruciate disease, elbow disease, and all things bones and joints in dogs and cats.
With two decades of veterinary experience, five years of training followed by fifteen years in practice, including a full residency in the UK Dr. Ellie holds one of the highest qualifications available in her field. She is also the founder of MOVES (Middle Eastern Orthopaedics Veterinary Excellence Society), a free online journal club designed to improve clinical outcomes for pets across the UAE by making the latest research accessible to vets in practice.
Outside the operating theatre, she competed as a contender on the BBC reboot of Gladiators and is an avid bagpipe player, which, as it turns out, is excellent training for surgery.
Takeaways:
- "They're limping but they're not in pain" is almost never true. Dogs are hardwired to hide discomfort. Limping, lameness, or gait changes are pain signals 99% of the time. The 1% exception is a structural leg-length difference — everything else warrants investigation.
- Pain shows up as behaviour change, not just limping.
- Common orthopedic conditions such as luxating patella, hip dysplasia, and cruciate ligament injuries prevalent in specific breeds
- The significance of early diagnosis and appropriate interventions to improve quality of life in senior and arthritic dogs
- How breed, age, and body condition influence decisions around neutering timing and orthopedic health
- The importance of proper feeding posture and how elevated bowls support joint health and reduce strain.
- The role of scientific research, including MOVES, a veterinary orthopedics journal club, in advancing pet care
- The benefits of collaboration and shared knowledge among veterinary professionals for better clinical outcomes
Relevant links mentioned in the episode:
- Dr. Ellie Lederer: Instagram Dr. Ellie USVetCentre/ Youtube/ Website
- Review the podcast on Podchaser
- Sign up to our Tails and Tones newsletter here
- Sign up to our Tails and Tones waiting list for our first product (Elevated Food System) here
- Find Tails and Tones on our socials: Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / LinkedIn / Website
Timestamps to relevant points within the episode:
[00:00]-Intro
[02:30] BBC Gladiators, bagpipes, and what they have in common with surgery
[04:25] What does ECVS board-certified actually mean? Breaking down the credential
[06:34] The difference between "specialist" in the UK vs UAE, and why it matters when choosing a vet
[07:04] What drew Dr. Ellie to orthopedics, putting things back together and keeping pets pain-free
[07:56] How do you actually know if your dog is in pain? The signs most owners miss
[09:10] "They're limbing but they're not in pain", why this breaks Dr. Ellie's heart (and why it's almost never true)
[11:22] More hidden pain signals: licking joints, reluctance to exercise, lying down on walks
[12:47] Mariska's own story, Piper becoming snappy with dogs, and how pain was the real reason
[13:35] Hip pain and behaviour at daycare, why irritability with other dogs is a common red flag
[15:17] The most common orthopedic conditions in small dogs, luxating patella, cruciate disease, elbow disease
[16:13] How luxating patella (dislocating kneecap) actually works, and why grade matters
[17:58] Piper's grade 3 luxating patella — Mariska's story, the snap in the park, and the physio she wishes she'd prioritised
[19:15] Traumatic vs developmental patella luxation, and "let dogs be dogs" (the guilt-free moment)
[21:00] Community question: can running (zoomies) on tiles cause joint trauma or luxating patella?
[21:13] The hip dysplasia + slippery floors study, and why runner rugs are a simple fix
[23:37] Wait and see, when is it fine and when is it a problem?
[25:18] "I'm the same", Dr. Ellie as a pet owner, and why going to the vet is never a waste
[26:09] Which breeds walk through Dr. Ellie's door most? Labradors, French Bulldogs, Dachshunds, and more
[28:42] Community question: does early neutering (7–8 months) negatively affect body development in Pomeranians?
[29:08] How neutering affects calorie needs, hormones, joint development, and cancer risk, and why it's breed-specific
[32:36] Chemical castration, the reversible implant option most people don't know about
[33:43] MOVES: Dr. Ellie's free online orthopaedic journal club for vets across the Middle East
[34:47] Feeding posture, what is actually happening in your dog's body when they eat from the floor?
[35:08] Why Dr. Ellie recommends elevated feeding for dogs with osteoarthritis, neck pain, and disc disease
[36:26] The French Bulldog head weight question, proportionally, how much pressure does that big head put on their front legs?
[37:46] Elevated feeding for senior dogs, esophageal motility, aspiration risk, and why height helps
[39:16] The 60/40 rule, how weight should be distributed across your dog's limbs at mealtime
[40:48] How high should the bowl actually be? The ergonomic posture principle
[41:38] "If your dog is getting into an extreme posture to eat, trying an elevated feeding bowl seems like a sensible step."
[42:22] The one thing Dr. Ellie wishes every dog parent knew before their first orthopedic appointment
[42:36] Biggest misconception revisited, "they're limbing but they're not in pain" and why early intervention changes outcomes
[44:04] Quality of life with arthritis, body condition scoring, keeping dogs lean, and what's actually possible
[46:41] Where to find Dr. Ellie, Instagram, YouTube, MOVES, and the new joint replacement program
FAQ
Is it true that my dog can limp without being in pain?
Almost never, roughly 99% of the time, a limp or lameness in a dog signals pain, with the rare exception being a structural leg-length difference that creates an asymmetrical gait without discomfort.
What are the subtle signs that my dog might be in pain?
Look for reluctance to jump onto furniture they used to love, stiffness when rising, sudden changes in sociability (more aloof or more clingy), snapping or irritability around other dogs, or lying down partway through a walk.
Can slippery floors really affect my puppy's hip development?
There is a study suggesting that raising puppies on slippery flooring could be a contributing factor in the development of hip dysplasia, and adding runner rugs along main walking paths is a simple way to give puppies better traction.
How long should I wait before taking a limping dog to the vet?
Rest your dog for a day first, similar to how you'd treat a minor strain in yourself, but if the limp persists beyond a week, keeps returning on the same leg, or doesn't improve, it's time to see a vet rather than continuing to wait.
Does the height of my dog's food bowl actually matter for their joints?
Yes, Dr. Ellie confirms that eating from the floor causes dogs to lean forward into extreme flexion and shifts excess weight onto their front legs, and she actively recommends elevated feeding for dogs with osteoarthritis, neck pain, or disc disease.
What is the ideal weight distribution for a dog's front and back legs?
A healthy dog should carry roughly 60% of their body weight on their front legs and 40% on their back legs; feeding postures that force significantly more weight onto the front legs can be uncomfortable for dogs with existing joint issues.
Can elevated feeding help senior dogs too?
Yes, elevated feeding can help senior dogs with esophageal motility issues by using gravity to assist food movement, which reduces the risk of regurgitation and aspiration-related lung infections.
Is my dog's neutering age affecting their joint development?
It can be, and it's breed-specific, smaller dogs reach skeletal maturity earlier than large breeds, and studies suggest some breeds benefit from delayed neutering to reduce the risk of certain joint and cancer-related conditions, so this is worth discussing directly with your vet.
About the Author: Mariska Nell
Mariska is the founder of Tails and Tones, a design-led, sustainable dog product brand. She's also the host of the Tails and Tones podcast, where she explores dog health, product design, and intentional pet parenting with experts, veterinarians, and fellow dog parents.
Background: Mariska holds a Master's degree in Sustainable Design, a Bachelor's in Interior Design, and a Postgraduate qualification in Environmental Science. She's spent over 10 years working as a sustainability designer and strategist across the UAE, Australia, South Africa, the UK, and India. Her previous work includes collaborations with brands like Nespresso, Costa Coffee, and Dubai Airport, and she founded Design By Mariska, known for trash-to-treasure art exhibited at Dubai International Airport. She's also the host and founder of Mama Earth Talk, a sustainability podcast with 200+ episodes on zero waste and climate action, featuring guests including Dr. Sylvia Earle and the late Dr. Jane Goodall. She created the free Living Lighter course for practical sustainable living.
Piper: Mariska shares her life and work with Piper, her French Bulldog rescue dog. Piper joined the family in 2021 at 5 months old and has been the Chief Paw-duct Tester for everything Tails and Tones creates. Piper's journey, including cleft palate repair, luxating patella, arthritis risk, and recent mobility challenges, directly shaped the founding mission of Elevé (Tails and Tones' first product: a modular, height-adaptive feeding system).
Mission: We are on a mission to help modern dog parents simplify everyday care and elevate life with their pets, without sacrificing style or sustainability. Tails and Tones exists to build products that show up for dog parents, beautiful, sustainable, and robust enough to support you on the worst days. Not just the easy ones.
You can find Mariska at @tailsandtones on Instagram, or visit tailsandtones.com to learn more about Elevé and the Tails and Tones mission.
