My dog won't walk after a long walk. Is it a leg injury or soreness?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to a soft tissue injury meaning that it is for example an injury to the muscle. However, this could also be a fracture which can be very painful. It seems like she is in pain so it would be best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to proceed with radiographs and most importantly prescribe medications for pain control. Good luck and have a good night!

I'm sorry Zoe isn't feeling well. I would recommend you take her to a veterinarian. This can be something simple as she sprained something but it can also be a cruciate ligament rupture (it is like an ACL in a football player), a Luxating patella (where her knee cap pops out of place or even a break in one of her bones. Without a physical it is hard to determine which one it would be. There are different treatment options depending on what she has going on. Not all of them are surgical. Until you can get her to a veterinarian I would recommend resting her and only taking her outside to go to the bathroom on a leash. I hope Zoe feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Xena is in a really bad state and desperately needs to see a veterinarian as soon as possible. Her inability to walk probably means that she has damage to her spinal cord or has severe arthritis. Cancer may be a possible cause, but I can't tell from the information given. Either way, she is really suffering and needs pain medication prescribed by a vet (do not give over the counter medication). The elbow wound appears to be a pressure sore from laying down too long. She will continue to develop these, unless she is turned every two hours. That wound will also need professional treatment in order to heal. Please understand that Xena has a very poor quality of life right now and she really needs professional help. Also, 9 years is rather old for a Mastiff, so you should understand that she may not be able to recover from this problem. A veterinarian will be able to give you a more definitive diagnosis and an idea of what the treatment options may be.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Storm. Just by the description an ACL injury (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) would be suspected but there are other causes also including hip or other joint problems (arthritis, degenerative joint disease), trauma, puncture wounds, fractures, soft tissue injuries to tendons/ligaments, muscle injuries, tick transmitted diseases, etc. ACL injuries usually occur when dogs are chasing squirrels, cats, birds, etc across the yard. They are fine and then they return lame, holding up the leg or bearing partial weight. That ligament when examined microscopically is undergoing a degenerative process in almost all of the cases. The strain on the ligament eventually tears or rips it completely. That same process can occur in the other knee and that's why this is so important to diagnose properly. Some dogs tear one ACL, get it fixed and then tear the other one. There are multiple ways to fix an ACL rupture or tear and I would discuss these with your veterinarian. Some of the newer techniques are specialized procedures only certain vets perform and they require that hardware (plates, screws) be put into the area to stabilize the knee joint. One older technique is called the lateral imbrication technique and I still think it works well if an experienced surgeon does it. It is much cheaper also compared to the newer procedures. There are some braces out now also for dogs that are unable to have a surgical repair done but I don't have any experience with those. So I would advise taking Storm to your vet if this condition persists, worsens, or other signs develop. They can evaluate her, gather a history, and then make a diagnostic plan, and eventual treatment plan. A physical exam may include sedation/anesthesia and x-rays to fully assess the knee. Good luck with Storm.

He could have a torn the ligament in his knee, have back pain, or an arthritis flare up causing these symptoms assuming you didn’t see him get injured. I’m glad you’re taking him in soon. They will feel his hips, back and legs and may recommend x-rays. They will most likely put him on pain medication since he's probably not getting up due to discomfort. Many orthopedic problems can be managed with medications so hopefully with treatment he’ll recover quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care Cooper.

If you’ve checked her paw and it’s normal she may be holding her foot up because she has injured her knee and doesn’t want weight on the leg. Knee injuries are common and when first injured dogs hold it up like you are describing. If it’s a knee injury it can heal with rest if the cruciate ligament isn’t fully torn, if it is torn then she may need surgery to repair it. I recommend leash walks only for potty breaks for a week. If she isn’t using the leg normally after that time then please bring her in for and exam and diagnosis. If she’s currently painful then certainly bring her in right away so they can find the problem and get her on pin medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pup.

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.