The most common occurrence is your dog limping on back leg, as the back legs are the extremities that are the most strenuously involved in movement. It is not even unusual for a dog to exhibit a limp without showing any signs of pain or discomfort.
This can be an important consideration in determining whether an immediate trip to the veterinarian is required. Even some conditions will cause a limp to be sporadically exhibited, disappearing and then reappearing later.
Before taking your dog to the vet, it is important to note the dog’s behavior when rising from a prone position or when walking, as this will help the vet narrow the cause of the limp.
What Is Causing The Limp?
There are many reasons for this, including injuries, problems with toenails, arthritis and even back problems. While this may sound scary, the most common reason will be a very simple cause, such as a cut or irritation to the pads of the paws.
The first step will be to closely examine the pads and nails of the animal’s paws. Often, they will sustain a small cut or can even have a burr or other foreign object imbedded in the fur around the toes or in the area between the toes.
Simply removing the foreign object or gently cleansing any small cut or injury will solve the problem. These small injuries usually heal on their own and rarely become infected.
If the limp is a sudden occurrence, it is probably due to an injury of some sort. Check each toenail, including the dewclaw, if present. It is easy for the dog to break a nail down into the quick, leaving a very sore paw.
In older dogs, nails can grow too long and even curve inward, causing injury. If either of these instances are the cause of the limp, it is best to have a vet or groomer correct the problem.
Next, check for swelling or bruising that may have been caused by impact injury or bites and stings, or even snakebite. If any swelling is present and you are unsure of the cause or proper home treatment, see a vet as soon as possible.
How Can I Help My Dog?
If you are unable to find a visible cause of the limp, it may be possible to wait a few days to see if the limp improves on its own, as is the case in many instances, especially if it is simply a pulled or sprained tendon or muscle.
If the limp does not improve or worsens, have a vet make a thorough examination, with possible x-rays, to determine whether the limp requires treatment.
This examination should reveal whether the root cause is located in the knee, leg bone, hip or even the spine. If the lameness has progressively gotten worse, the reason may be found in degeneration of the hip socket or discs in the spine, especially for older dogs.
If all tests and x-rays fail to reveal a cause for the limp or lameness, other reasons may need to be explored, such as arthritis.
Even though arthritis is often considered a condition of older aged animals and people, it can occur at any time and in any joint. The most obvious sign of the onset of arthritis will be stiffness on rising from a prone position and difficulty walking until they have “warmed up”.
It is important to only administer medications to your pet that have been prescribed only by a veterinarian and never give your animal over the counter pain relievers, as they can not only be hard on the animal’s internal organs, but can even be fatal in some cases.
If your pet is in enough pain to warrant consideration of these medications, it certainly warrants a trip to the vet. In addition, always, when in doubt about your pet’s health and well-being, never hesitate to have your veterinarian give his professional opinion.