Why does my dog's front leg limp intermittently, but not when running?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Intermittent, painful lameness in dogs of her breed is often related to slipping patella, hip problems (for the hind leg) and sometimes elbow dysplasia (for the front leg lameness). A visit at your local vets is recommended. Full clinical examination should allow making the diagnosis and starting treatment, if required.

It is very likely she has a condition called patellar luxation. This is where the ligament in the knee goes in an out of the socket. She can have this surgically repaired if it becomes a chronic issue and impedes on her quality of life. Otherwise joint supplements (i.e. Dasuquin) may be able to help reduce some inflammation and pain in the joint itself. Have your vet do a simple physical exam and check the knees. Patellar luxation is detectable by a physical exam and doesn't require radiographs to diagnose. I wish you well at the vet. Best wishes with Mindy and take care.

Until Sally is examined by the veterinarian, make sure her activity is severely restricted. That means no walks, running, jumping, no climbing on furniture or the bed, outside to potty on a leash only and minimize stairs. This will help to prevent further injury and possible allow minor injuries to begin healing. A joint supplement for pets and an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets will help to decrease inflammation though will not likely fix the problem. Just like people, she could be lame for many reasons including a bad back, a bad hip or a torn ligament in her knee. She needs an exam and likely radiographs. You may ask your vet if any type of financing is available in New Zealand. I hope this helps and best of luck.

Poor Lily. When a pet isn't showing a pain response but limping on their back leg, it could indicate that they have either torn a ligament in the joint or have a severe muscle sprain. Also if you don't notice any obvious swelling, then a fracture is likely not the cause. Rest her, no running, jumping playing and leash walk only for the next couple of weeks. You can also do cold compresses on the limb 1-2 times a day. if there is no improvement within 3-4 days, then it's best to get her seen by your veterinarian for a full exam and pet friendly pain medication. She may also need x-rays of the leg to determine the underlying injury (cause). Do not give her people pain meds however because these can be quite toxic to pets and cause major liver and/or kidney damage. It's better to get all pain and anti-inflammatory meds from your vet. Even though she isn't crying out, there is presumed inflammation at the very least, so she can benefit from medication at any time. I hope your puppy gets well soon. Best wishes.

Hello. More than likely this is a soft tissue injury, possibly even a ligament sprain or tear. Your veterinarian can sometimes determine where the injury is ( hip, knee or foot ) & may recommend a through examination under sedation to obtain diagnostic x-rays at the same time. Regardless, Tudos needs pain medication to manage his discomfort. Until you can have him seen, rest him as much as possible by confining him, only allowing enough leash walking for outdoor eliminations. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tictac. It sounds like that back leg is really bothering her. If she is otherwise acting normal, I would give her strict rest for 24-48 hours to see if that improves her lameness. This means no running, jumping or playing. Take her outside on a leash to go potty and bring her straight back inside. Allowing her body to rest will resolve most mild causes of lameness. If this does not help, then she will need to see her veterinarian. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

I am sorry Suki has not been feeling great. I would recommend having an x-ray done of her front leg since the limping has returned. It could still be a soft tissue injury. sometimes soft tissue does take longer to heal than an actual fracture/break. Soft tissue does usually include ligaments and tendons. With Suki being a rescue dog it is possible she has had trauma before that did not heal right, She could have arthritis, infection, a hidden fracture or even a bone chip lesion in the shoulder. An x-ray would be the next step for sure. I would continue her restricted activity for another 2-3 weeks to decrease more stress on her leg. You could also start an over the counter glucosamine and chondroitin supplement to help her joint health