Dog's got a limp - any advice?
Discussion
Out walking yesterday suddenly my Dog (a b
h) started to limp.
She now won't put any weight on the leg unless she really has to (eg jumping onto the bed) or forgets she's got a bad leg (eg. chasing squirells).
She doesn't seem to be in any pain apart from that and is in no distress (that I can tell)
She's let me have a good prod and poke and doesn't wince apart from if I push on her "ankle" (OK probably not an ankle in a dog but you know what I mean).
My complete no knowledge diagnosis is that she's just sprained her ankle to am inclined to leave it and see how she is in a couple of days time, with only short walks in the mean time.
My thoughts being that if I were to take her to a vet they're only likely to give her an anti-inflamatory so see if that cures it (the human equivelant of a Neurofen) which will only mean she doesn't feel the pain whilst it heals and as she's not in pain then no need to mask it. Further thoughts being that if it doesn't heal within a couple of days then my diagnosis is possibly wrong and no harm done and off to the vets we go.
Do any dog owners (or even those who know what they're talking about) have any suggestions/thoughts?
TIA
h) started to limp.She now won't put any weight on the leg unless she really has to (eg jumping onto the bed) or forgets she's got a bad leg (eg. chasing squirells).
She doesn't seem to be in any pain apart from that and is in no distress (that I can tell)
She's let me have a good prod and poke and doesn't wince apart from if I push on her "ankle" (OK probably not an ankle in a dog but you know what I mean).
My complete no knowledge diagnosis is that she's just sprained her ankle to am inclined to leave it and see how she is in a couple of days time, with only short walks in the mean time.
My thoughts being that if I were to take her to a vet they're only likely to give her an anti-inflamatory so see if that cures it (the human equivelant of a Neurofen) which will only mean she doesn't feel the pain whilst it heals and as she's not in pain then no need to mask it. Further thoughts being that if it doesn't heal within a couple of days then my diagnosis is possibly wrong and no harm done and off to the vets we go.
Do any dog owners (or even those who know what they're talking about) have any suggestions/thoughts?
TIA
HowMuchLonger said:
Be careful.
Our little one had the same symptoms, turns out to have been a floating kneecap. Won't bore you with the details, but I would recommend a visit to the vets if it does not improve.
Monday soon enough? Thinking gives it a couple of days to sort itself out?Our little one had the same symptoms, turns out to have been a floating kneecap. Won't bore you with the details, but I would recommend a visit to the vets if it does not improve.
DickyC said:
Something sharp in a pad? Or between the pads?
I don't think it's anything to do with the pads, shes quite happy for be to prod, poke and separate them to look for something sticking in.... the only area which annoys her is the ankle.balders118 said:
I saw my my girlfriend's freind's dog the other day. He was running around like a nutter, on three legs. Seemed happy and not in any discomfort, but he was waiting for a operation as he'd torn his cruciate ligament. Dogs have a high pain threshold I think.
Not always and it would explain why he was running on 3 legs not 4, too painful to place the injured one to the ground. Difference is they just get on with life if they can 
Very hard to say what is wrong, if the limp is not too severe, then 24hrs rest, if no better then off to the vets. If you get palmed off with some painkiller and no explanation then ask for more info, if no joy then find a vet who does care and will give a proper examination and potentially further investigation. Maybe I missed the dog details but breed and age can give a few very good leads to the cause.
Piglet said:
If there is no obvious sign of injury and it's a one off then I'd go with leaving it for a few days and see if there is any improvement.
My working cockers pick up several injuries each season and virtually all clear up within 48 hours unless it is something serious.Pad splits/thorns,torn nails etc are always accompanied by licking and chewing and the dog still attempts to use the leg.
"Internal" injuries usually have some signs of swelling which will gather at the ankle and the leg will have a bit of heat. The dog will react to extending the leg and is very reluctant to use it at all.
I've just had a dog hang herself by the backleg jumping a rylock fence. What a difference 48hours rest made. I thought she had broken it below the ankle.It certainly looked like it.The ankle was the size of a golf ball.(X-ray all clear).
She was back out working 4 days later. No treatment.
So unless it looks really bad I would leave it at least 48 hours.
Oh, and at this time of year I have had a few cases of grit or salt jammed in the quicks of their nails when on the road. Not very obvious but worth a check. Not in this case though.
Just to answer a few questions; she's an 8 year old cross breed (Spaniel:Terrier).
Looking at it again (24hours later) the paw looks swollen, we can't see any thorns etc etc in there.
We think we're leaving it for tonight, see how she is in the morning and then if no sign of improvement popping her down to the vets.
Looking at it again (24hours later) the paw looks swollen, we can't see any thorns etc etc in there.
We think we're leaving it for tonight, see how she is in the morning and then if no sign of improvement popping her down to the vets.
Marcellus said:
Just to answer a few questions; she's an 8 year old cross breed (Spaniel:Terrier).
Looking at it again (24hours later) the paw looks swollen, we can't see any thorns etc etc in there.
We think we're leaving it for tonight, see how she is in the morning and then if no sign of improvement popping her down to the vets.
Could be something as simple as an infection or maybe a damaged bone/ligament, neither as serious as some of the other causes. Hope all goes well.Looking at it again (24hours later) the paw looks swollen, we can't see any thorns etc etc in there.
We think we're leaving it for tonight, see how she is in the morning and then if no sign of improvement popping her down to the vets.
OK just to update all.... been to the vets, he doesn't think that there are any broken bones but that she has damaged her tendons connected to the little claw on the outside of her paw.
He says common injury in Greyhounds and Lurchers (which is hat she was running but not keeping up with), often caused by putting paw down on rock/stone as they run.
Says 8/12 week recovery, not much really can be done other than make sure she doesn't start to really try and use the paw too much too soon, gave us some anti-biotics as a precaution against an infection as there's a lot of blood flow around that area. At the moment Sasha is resting it very well (3legged dogs can still run quickly!!) and that's no bad thing, no anti-inflamatories as that would mask the pain and she might start to use paw before she should.
I might not have explained all of this correctly/well enough for the vetinary minded, but at the time we were being told it all made sense and seemed reasonable.
He says common injury in Greyhounds and Lurchers (which is hat she was running but not keeping up with), often caused by putting paw down on rock/stone as they run.
Says 8/12 week recovery, not much really can be done other than make sure she doesn't start to really try and use the paw too much too soon, gave us some anti-biotics as a precaution against an infection as there's a lot of blood flow around that area. At the moment Sasha is resting it very well (3legged dogs can still run quickly!!) and that's no bad thing, no anti-inflamatories as that would mask the pain and she might start to use paw before she should.
I might not have explained all of this correctly/well enough for the vetinary minded, but at the time we were being told it all made sense and seemed reasonable.
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