General Causes of Dog LimpingĬommon causes of limping in dogs include:īacterial or fungal infections of soft tissues, bones, or jointsĭegenerative joint disease (also known as osteoarthritis)Ĭancer affecting soft tissues, bones, or jointsĭamage to or illness that affects the nervous system Sometimes the cause is obvious, but in other cases, a thorough veterinary workup may be necessary to get to the bottom of things. Many different injuries and illnesses can lead to limping in dogs. With a hind-leg lameness, dogs will lean forward to take weight of their back end, and you should see their tail or affected hip rise when the sore leg touches the ground. With a front leg lameness, dogs will raise their head up when the sore leg touches the ground and lower their heads when bearing weight on the good leg. Keep in mind that dogs want to take weight off the leg that hurts them the most. When dogs have mild limps or problems affecting multiple legs, it can be difficult to determine which leg they are favoring. How to Tell Which Leg a Dog Is Limping On When in doubt about your dog’s condition, call your vet or a nearby after-hours clinic for advice. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Extreme Painīehavior changes (like hiding, unwillingness to move, fear, or aggression) Here are some signs that your dog should see a veterinarian right away. Is your dog displaying other signs of pain? Does your dog have other symptoms?Įvaluate your dog’s well-being. The final question will help you determine if your dog’s severe limp warrants a trip to the emergency clinic or if you can wait to see your regular veterinarian the next day. Some dogs will avoid bearing any weight on a mildly sore limb while others are stoic and will walk almost normally even though they’re in a lot of pain. While severe dog limping should be evaluated by a veterinarian quickly, you should take your dog’s personality into account. When severely limping, dogs may refuse to bear weight on the affected limb, or they may just barely tap their toes on the ground. If your dog doesn’t start improving quickly or isn’t back to normal in a week or two, make an appointment with your veterinarian. If your dog has just developed a mild limp, but appears comfortable and healthy in all other ways, it’s not unreasonable to encourage them to take it easy for a few days and see what happens. Mild Dog LimpingĪ mild limp means your dog is still using the leg but not putting as much weight on it. How bad is the limp?ĭetermine whether your dog’s acute (new) limp is mild or severe. If this is the case, you need to answer the next two questions. If your dog has just started limping, this is called an acute limp. A chronic limp is almost never an emergency, but you should make the appointment as soon as possible. Whatever the scenario, if a dog’s limp hasn’t resolved in a week or two, it’s time for a veterinarian to figure out what is going on. Or maybe you thought your dog’s limp would go away with rest, but it hasn’t. Perhaps your dog’s limp was barely discernible a few weeks ago, but now it’s more obvious. Chronic Dog Limpingīy definition, a chronic limp has been present for two weeks or more. In other cases, a dog may limp on and off. Other times, a dog may start limping and it sticks around or gets progressively worse. Sometimes a dog may limp for a few moments and then be fine. If you notice your dog limping, there are three questions you should ask yourself to determine whether it’s a potential emergency. Is Your Dog Limping On and Off or After Specific Activities? How to Tell Which Leg a Dog is Limping On This guide will break down everything you need to know about dog limping and what you can do to help your dog recover their mobility. Limping in dogs is never normal, but some of its associated health problems are more serious than others. It can be scary and concerning because it’s not easy to figure out what caused the limping in the first place. At some point, you’re likely to see your dog limping.
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