Noticing your beloved pup has developed a limp can be pretty scary and upsetting. Especially if you’re not sure what’s causing it. However, the good news is that you can find a wealth of information about lameness in dogs and what to do about it, below. Just keep reading to find out more.
How Can I Tell If My Dog Is Limping?
Sometimes it's not always easy to tell if your dog is limping, but usually, with some careful observation, you will be able to see that they are avoiding placing their weight on one of the limbs when they move. This will result in difficulty walking, and they may be avoiding running altogether.
Types of Limping
There are various types of limping or lameness, as it is also known.
Dog Limping Front Leg
The first type of lameness to look out for is canine limping front leg. If you have a dog with a limp front leg, they may hold it up off the floor to prevent putting weight on it. Although some dogs also perform this action as part of play/begging so it can help to observe their behaviour as a whole, including noticing whether they are happy or crying, to ascertain whether it's an issue that needs to be dealt with.
Dog Limping Back Leg
While your pup may hold up a back leg when struggling with lameness, it can be more helpful to watch how they walk and whether there have been any changes to the gait. Look for a hopping or unstable gait, with a shorter stride. Another indication can be that your dog's hip/tail goes up instead of down when the affected limb touches the ground.
Chronic Vs Acute Limping
Acute limping is lameness that has not been going on for a long period of time. Basically, it's acute if your dog is just showing signs of developing a limp in the last day or so. If you find your dog suddenly limping, you’ll need to assess whether it's mild or severe, which you can get more info on in the section below. This will then tell you whether you need to seek veterinary help.
Chronic limping, on the other hand, is lameness that has been around for a while. In this case, limping that has been present for two or more weeks is classed as chronic. Although it's always worth seeing your vet if your dog is limping for more than a few days, as it could signal something serious is going on.
Mild vs Severe Limping
Mild limping is often the hardest to notice, as your dog will still be able to get some use from their leg, but just avoid putting their full weight upon it. In the case of an acute mild limp, putting your pup on bed/crate rest and seeing whether it gets better in the next few days can be a sensible option.
A severe limp is usually much easier to spot because your dog will be avoiding placing any weight on their leg at all. It may also be accompanied by other behaviours that indicate they are in pain, such as whining, licking the affected area and displaying backwards tilting ears. Any severe limp, chronic or acute, is one that should be examined by the vet, so if your dog is showing such signs, it's best to get them an appointment as quickly as possible. It's also worth noting that some dogs will be reluctant to show that they are in pain even if they are experiencing a severe issue. With that in mind, getting any limping you are concerned about checked out immediately makes sense.
Causes Of Lameness In Dogs
There is a wide range of issues that can cause limping in your dog.
Joint problems
Sadly, just like their owners, dogs can be susceptible to arthritis in their joints. Indeed, chronic osteoarthritis is a condition that can impact dogs as they age, resulting in limping, stiffness, and joint pain, as well as other mobility issues such as being unable to jump up or climb onto beds and sofas.
Fractures, strains and sprains
Anyone who practices running will know that the risks of strains, sprains and even fractures are high, and of course, the same thing applies to our furry friends. Sprains and strains are muscle-based issues and, while usually less serious, still need to be checked out by a vet. A broken bone, on the other hand, is a more serious injury that will need immediate veterinary care.
Immune conditions
One of the rarer reasons for limping in dogs, immune conditions like IMPA (Immune-Mediated Polyarthritis), SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) can also be the underlying cause for lameness in your canine pal. If you suspect such issues, getting them tested at your vet is vital.
Paw and nail issues
Keeping your dog's nails and paws in good condition is crucial to their overall health and well-being, and will help reduce the risk of them developing a limp. This is because a frequent cause of limping and lameness in dogs is issues with their pads, such as grazes or burns and even foreign bodies that have become embedded when they are on their walks. Broken nails can also be incredibly painful for our canine friends and cause them to limp as well.
How To Treat A Dog Limp
At home
There are two main things that you can do at home if you discover your dog has a limp. The first is to limit their movements as much as possible. This is important because although dogs feel pain, they do not always understand that using the limb can make things worse. That is why you have to guide them.
With this in mind, it's best if you crate them, only walking them outside on a short leash. This type of treatment is only for dogs displaying acute mild limps, as it allows you to keep an eye on them to see how the condition develops. If it gets worse, or your dog has had a limp for more than two days, then you will need to take your dog to the vet.
At the vets
If your dog has a mild or severe chronic limp or a severe acute limp, the best course of action is to always take them to the vet to get them properly checked out and any underlying cause diagnosed. Your vet will then be able to examine your dog and get to the bottom and what is causing them to limp.
To do this is they will likely observe them walk from the front, side, and back, as well as look at the limb closely for any additional signs of problems and check its range of motion. Blood tests are also a common diagnostic tool when a dog presents to a vet with a limp. These can be used to detect infection or disease. Joint fluid analysis can also be helpful, and in some cases, your vet may wish to use X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans to get a better idea of what is causing your dog to limp. They will do this to ensure that they provide the right treatment and maximise the chance that your dog will recover.
Veterinary treatment options
The treatment your vet will recommend for your dog will depend on the underlying cause of the limp.
Medication and rest
The most common treatment option offered by your vets will be that of medication and rest. Usually, medications will be either pain relief or anti-inflammatory or a combination of the two. These should help reduce any swelling in your dog's legs, as well as help soothe the pain they are feeling. It's important to always administer these medications properly and in the right dosage.
The rest of the treatment usually means keeping them in their crates so they cannot move around too much and put more strain on their injury. To help them from getting bored during this time, you must provide plenty of stimulation that does not involve much movement, such as chew toys and puzzle feeders.
Surgery
Some cases will require more serious treatment, including surgery. While this can be scary for dog owners, it's important to realise that their pets will be fully anaesthetised during the process and so will not feel any pain. It's also often the best way to restore your dog to full health or manage the condition that is making them limp in the first place. For example, if your dog breaks its leg and it breaks the skin, surgery will be needed to realign the bone and repair the damage. Similarly, if your dog has Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) lesions, having them removed surgically may be the best way to prevent associated problems such as repetitive microtraumas and reduced blood flow.
Management and Prevention of Lameness at Home
Limp recovery management
Once your dog has received the correct treatment at the vets, and you have been given the all clear to bring them back home, there are some actions you can take to help them recover as quickly as possible.
Plenty of Rest
The first of these is making sure they get plenty of rest. Remember, your dog won't understand that if they suddenly take off running after another pet, or bound across the garden to you, they will cause more damage to their leg. That is why it can be very helpful to make sure that you keep your injured pup away from other pets so they are not tempted to overdo things before they are properly healed.
Incremental activity
Another thing that you can do to help manage your dog's limp recovery at home is ensure that their return to activity is both gentle and incremental. What that means is, even if your pup looks fully healed, taking them on long walks or runs is not the right approach for a while. Instead, make sure you build up any physical exercise slowly in line with what your vet has advised.
Limp prevention
Once your dog has experienced a limp, it makes sense that you will want to do all you can to stop them from having the same problems again.
Fitness
One of the best limb prevention activities is to make sure that your dog remains fit and slim. This is because the more your dog weighs, the more strain it will be placing on its joints every time it moves.
Supplements
Another smart way to help minimise the chances that your dog will develop a future limp is by supplementing their diet with ingredients that help promote joint health. Indeed, there are several different supplements you may wish to consider.
In particular, good quality collagen for dogs that combines both undenatured and hydrolysed can work wonders. This is because it supports not only their joints and ligaments but their cartilage too, soothing stiffness and increasing joint mobility.
Nail and paw care
Last of all, if you want to do all you can to prevent your dog from suffering from a limp again, make sure you take the best care of their nails and paws will help. Be sure to trim your dog's nails regularly, as keeping them short will stop unwanted breaking. Protecting your dog's paws from hot or rough surfaces when they go out for a walk is crucial, too. This may mean changing your walk times to avoid hot pavements or your route to avoid abrasive gravel. You may also want to consider investing in some doggie boots to protect the delicate skin on the surface of their paws as well.
Dog Limping FAQs
Should I take my dog to the vet if they are limping?
If your dog has a clear, severe limp that has just appeared or has progressed from a mild limp, then yes, taking them to the vets is crucial. However, if your dog has a mild limp that has just appeared, you may want to crate them and then observe if it gets better over a day or two.
What does it mean when my dog is limping but shows no sign of pain?
Not all dogs show pain by whining or pushing their ears back. Just because your dog is not showing these signs does not mean it's not in pain. If the limp is severe or has lasted for two days or more, you should take them to the vet.
Should I walk my limping dog?
No, you should not walk your limping dog. Instead, crate rest and a short leash for toileting is best.