My dog's back leg is swollen and she's limping. Should I see a vet?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If you can see an an obvious swelling, I recommend taking Trigger to the vet. Many times with mild limping we don't see any swelling at all. So I worry that Trigger may have torn a muscle or have an abscess or other injury that may cause worse problems if left alone. Until he is seen, I recommend keeping him confined (as possible with a pup). If he is crate trained, then keep him crated and leash walks only until he is evaluated to prevent furhter injury. I hope he's back to normal quickly!

Poor Pepper! The slight shaking can be a sign of pain, and if the leg looks swollen and she's lethargic, I would be concerned that she is in pain. The swollen leg can indicate an injury or an infection. I know it's Sunday in New Zealand, but there are vet clinics who are open for regular hours today here. I would take her into a vet today to have her leg examined and treated. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. If you absolutely cannot find an open vet clinic today, rest her. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a lead only, and bring her right back in when she's done. Then take her into the vet first thing Monday. Find an ER vet if her leg becomes very swollen, she becomes very lethargic, and/or she stops eating. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Hello, so sorry that Fifa is having this issue. It is very difficult to comment without seeing her leg. I suspect she has cellulitis. Probably some of the IV fluids and/or medications went around the catheter and into the surrounding tissues causing inflammation. It is not typically an emergency but I suggest you call the hospital she was at, or your regular vet, to get her seen for treatment of this problem as soon as you can. Typically oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are needed to help correct this. In the meantime you can do some cold water therapy on the leg for 10 minutes 2-3 times per day. This entails using a hose with a firm spray (and cold water) on the leg - move the water up/down the leg for the entire 10 minutes. Use as hard of a spray as she will allow. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

The leash must be removed immediately to relieve the obstruction of the blood flow. If the leg is evidently distorted or broken or her foot is cold to touch she needs urgent vet care otherwise monitor for a reduction in swelling and discomfort over 12 hours or so

The swelling appears to be near the joint, but it's difficult to tell from these pictures. Swollen joints on two sides can indicate an infection, so it is best to have her seen by a vet as soon as possible. It's not an emergency unless she is also not eating, drinking, or acting normal. Otherwise, it would be best to see if she could be seen sooner by your regular daytime vet. Without knowing exactly what it is causing this, it's best to leave it alone until the vet can have a look. Sometimes, you can make things worse by applying medication or bandaging. I hope that helps and Pizza gets better soon.

Try and keep her exercise restricted today (no running/jumping). Also, check her toe nails on that paw to make sure she didn’t break or tear a nail. If she is still painful tomorrow or you notice a broken toe nail, take her to see a veterinarian for an exam and some pain meds/anti inflammatory drugs. If her toe nail is broken, she may need antibiotics as well. If you think she would benefit from pain meds today, go ahead and take her to see a veterinarian. No need to ice it.

Great question! I would definitely take her into the vet for an x-ray since Moka has been limping for the past few days. The leg is obviously bothering her, or else she wouldn't limp at all. Keep in mind as well that limping is a sign of pain, and you don't want her to be in pain any longer. It could be that she has arthritis, which would get worse when the temperature drops at night, or it could be something more serious like a torn ligament in her knee. I would have her seen by a vet tomorrow if possible. I hope this helps :-)