What Causes a Dog to Limp?
There are a huge variety of possible reasons why your dog is limping - from simple injuries to chronic conditions. Below are some potential causes:
- Injury - This includes (but not limited to) sprains, broken bones, ACL (CCL) tears, spinal injuries, and dislocations. It can occur while your dog is playing, jumping, etc.; just like in humans, accidents happen! Limping can also occur from paw injuries. Maybe they got something stuck in their paw, got stung or burned, or broke their toenail and it’s uncomfortable or hurts to walk. Be sure to check their paws when you notice that your dog is limping.
- Joint Disease - Conditions like hip dysplasia, arthritis, luxating patella, Intervertebral disk disease, and elbow dysplasia can all cause a dog to limp. In these cases, it’s important that you speak with your veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis.
- Bone Disease - Cancers (like osteosarcoma) can affect bones and need immediate veterinary attention. Other conditions like panosteitis and hypertrophic osteodystrophy can cause limping as well; these tend to be seen in younger dogs, typically large breed puppies.
What to Look for if Your Dog is Limping
You may have asked yourself “why is my dog limping all of a sudden?” or “why does my dog’s limp keep coming back?”. Knowing what to look for if your dog is limping can help to determine if a simple home treatment can be done or if it requires a visit to the vet. Analyzing the type of limp and taking note of what you observe, like if your dog is limping but not in pain or if there are other possible symptoms, can be useful information for you and your vet. Here are a few things to take note of.
What leg is your dog limping on?
This is the first thing to ask yourself, it might seem silly but in milder-looking limps it may not be so easy to tell which leg it is. With dogs limping on the front legs, they tend to raise their head when the bad leg touches the floor. Dogs limping on the back legs raise their tail or hip when they walk on the bad leg and tend to lean forward.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell which is the affected leg. In this case, you can try to very gently touch or squeeze each leg and observe if your pup has any reaction - like wincing, vocalization, or pulling the leg away. Only do this if you do not visibly see that it is broken or your dog is not clearly in pain.
Dog limping but no pain when touched? If it is the first time they are limping, aren’t showing other symptoms, and it is not visibly affected then you may be able to do a home treatment. Keep reading to try to determine the type of limp and if it requires veterinary attention.
What type of limp is it?
The two types of limping are sudden (acute) limping and gradual (chronic) limping.
- Sudden (acute) limping is just like it sounds, your dog out of nowhere starts to limp. Usually due to an injury. In this case it’s important to determine if it is mild or severe. If your dog still appears to be using the leg somewhat and no other symptoms - like trembling, vocalization, behavior changes, bleeding, abnormal amount of swelling, vomiting, fever, disorientation, limb dragging, and trouble breathing - are present then keep your pup quiet for a few days. Contact your veterinarian if you don’t see quick improvement.
- Gradual (chronic) limping is a limp that doesn’t improve in two weeks, is recurring, or it starts off slowly and gets worse over time. It’s still important to monitor other symptoms (like the ones above) your dog may be experiencing, as this can be crucial for the vet. This type of limping is typically caused by underlying conditions such as arthritis, dysplasia, or even bone cancer. Veterinary treatment needs to be sought out in these cases.
How to Treat a Limping Dog at Home
First take a few moments to analyze if the limp can be treated at home. You may be able to treat your dog at home if the following apply to you:
- Your dog is able to put some weight on the leg.
- He is visibly not in pain and it is not broken or dislocated.
- If it is a sudden limp (contact your veterinarian for a recurring limp or if it has taken more than two weeks to heal).
- He is not displaying any other symptoms like trembling, vocalization, behavior changes, bleeding, abnormal amount of swelling, vomiting, fever, disorientation, limb dragging, and trouble breathing.
If the above applies to your dog then you may do a home treatment for your dog, but if you are unsure then it’s best to contact your veterinarian.
Start by restricting your dog’s movement by confining them to a small room or crate for a few days. Don’t put your dog in a crate if it makes them anxious, this could cause further damage to the leg. Be sure to closely monitor your pup to see if it worsens or any symptoms develop. Do not attempt to give your dog a pain reliever intended for humans or one that was not prescribed to your dog.
Treating the Limp
With a home treatment, you want to try to determine what is the cause of the limp. Here are some treatment options for different causes:
- Sprain with slight swelling - Apply an ice pack for 10-15 minutes twice a day using a towel to prevent them from getting frostbite.
- Injured paws or broken nails - If your dog has a foreign body in their paw and it is not big and does not look deep, try to remove it completely. Any leftover pieces can cause infection. Clean the wound with antibacterial soap, wipe it dry with a clean towel, and apply antibiotic ointment. If you notice that there is some swelling, you can soak your dog’s foot in warm water with povidone or epsom salts for 5-10 minutes prior to applying ointment. Use a cone or collar to prevent them from licking the wound site. If your dog is bleeding be sure to treat that first, bleeding that exceeds 10-15 minutes is an immediate sign that you need to take your dog to the emergency vet clinic.
Conclusion
A dog limping is a sign that something hurts and they don’t want to put weight on that leg. Injury, joint disease, and bone disease can cause limping. Look at what leg is limping and what type of limp - sudden (acute) or gradual (chronic) - can help determine whether your dog needs to go to the vet or not. In certain cases, a home treatment may be used to treat a limping dog.
