What To Do If Your Dog Is Limping
First, you’ll need to identify what type of limp your dog has. There are two types of limping in dogs: gradual onset and sudden onset. Gradual onset limping develops slowly over time and is usually a sign of a degenerative condition like arthritis or hip dysplasia (especially if your dog is limping on his back leg). A dog suddenly limping is typically due to an injury or trauma.
Next, you’ll need to assess how serious the limp is by watching your dog walk. Identify which leg is affected. Is your pup able to put most of his weight on the leg when walking, or is he stumbling on it? Does your dog limp when walking, but balance on the leg when standing still? Is your dog limping but not in pain? Is your dog limping after playing? Does the limping come and go?
With minor limps, dogs still use the leg but just won’t put all their weight on it. If your dog seems otherwise comfortable and not in pain, he may not need veterinary care. However, if the limping persists for more than 24 hours, you should call your vet.
If the limping is more severe, you’ll need to assess if you can wait to see your regular vet or if your pup needs emergency care. If your dog seems in serious pain and isn’t putting weight on the limb, it’s time for immediate care — he could have a broken bone or dislocated joint.
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Like us, dogs limp for a variety of reasons. Unlike us, dogs can’t tell us what happened or where it hurts using words, which leaves us struggling to figure out why a dog is limping.
Your most valuable resource for determining why your dog is limping is your veterinarian. Before calling to make an appointment, however, most of us want to know a little bit about the common causes of limping in dogs, what to expect from a veterinary visit, and when a dog limping is a veterinary emergency.
How to Move an Injured Dog
Be very careful when moving an injured dog as you could accidentally make his injuries worse or cause unnecessary pain. A painful dog may bite out of self-protection, even if he has never bitten anyone before. Carefully lift your dog into the car, even if he is able to walk on his own. If your dog is unable to walk, its best to find help carrying him to the car (unless he is very small). If possible, slide a sheet or blanket under your dog followed by a board or cardboard box to act as a stretcher. With the help of another person, slowly move your dog to the car and secure him in place if possible.
If you are concerned about moving your dog or need help finding the best way to move him, call a veterinary office for advice.
Why Is Your Dog Limping? (Natural Remedies to Help!)
This isn’t just a catalog of limping dogs. By knowing the leg problems that dogs get you have a better chance of preventing some, identifying others and taking them all seriously.
I’ve gone back through our records, found the top 20 with pictures. The list below is sorted into ‘puppy’, ‘adult’ and ‘common’ problems. Visit this page to see which problems happen in the front or back legs and how to tell which leg is sore.
If a puppy starts limping, you may need to act fast to prevent a lifetime of problems. All these problems need to be identified and treated quickly in growing dogs. See also the common causes of limping discussed later and the cost of X-rays.
Fractures in growing dogs are a lot like breaks in children. Most of the time they are either:
Growth plates are the dark bands you see in puppy xrays where new bone is forming, and are natural weak spots. The picture shows the repair of a tibial crest avulsion in the knee, a sort of growth plate fracture. The small piece of bone that’s now fixed down was pulled off by the force of the patellar tendon.
Greenstick fractures are just like the name suggests- cracked but not fully broken, and heal very well if supported. The most common cause of both sorts of fractures is when puppies are dropped or fall from furniture.
This is the most common cause of limping on and off in dogs, where a dog will walk normally, pull the leg up, then walk normally again. It’s caused by the kneecap slipping out of the joint, and happens due to abnormalities in the growth of the leg. Patellar luxation usually starts before a dog turns one year old.
The picture shows my dog Loki just before his surgery. You can read more about patellar surgery here.