Should I take my dog to the vet for a leg issue after surgery?

Poor Olive! If she is crying out, that generally indicates significant discomfort. If you can get her in today, that would be best. Also, significantly restrict her activity, no walks, running, jumping or getting on furniture. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor girl. : ( It sounds like she is tweaking it a bit when she tries to do extrenuous exercise, which is expected, especially since she still has hardware in place in the leg. Her muscles also can grow tired quicker and become inflamed, which can cause some limping after increased movement. This sounds pretty normal at this stage in the healing process. However, if you are noticing any excessive swelling around the area, drainage or signs of infection, then she should be seen by your vet. Otherwise, follow-up your vet as scheduled to check on things and hopefully the leg is healing well via the post surgery x-rays that they will take. I hope that Olly's leg heals well. Best wishes and take care.

The two may or may not be related. It is hard to say. However if they are related then he will likely have a fever. You can check his rectal temperature and it should be between 100-102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is high then I would suspect an infectious disease (tick borne disease), congenital bone disorder (femoral head necrosis) or septic arthritis could be causing Ollie's symptoms. Having some baseline bloodwork and a complete physical exam is a good place to start in trying to narrow down the possible causes of his ailment. If he is otherwise stable and eating, drinking normal, and able to go urinate and defecate normally, then he may be able to wait until morning to be seen by a vet. However, if he has pale gums, is lame to the point of being non-responsive, or starts vomiting excessively, then he needs to go to an ER vet right away. Best case scenario is that he has a muscle sprain and also had an upset stomach from something he ate. These would be easily treatable through the vet. You can try to offer him a bland diet of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese to help settle his stomach tonight. Also keep him rested and don't allow him to jump or run to prevent any further injury to his back leg. I hope things work out well for you both. Best wishes and take care.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Oreo having this problem. The best advice I can give you is to call the veterinarian who treated Oreo. Only they know exactly what was performed and what treatment was given. If his leg doesn't get better quickly, consult your vet and follow their emergency directions if they are closed. Not sure what is going on without knowing more and being able to examine Oreo. This problem could be associated with some trauma or something else that is affecting the leg such as pain or inflammation from an injection he received. I wish you the best and wish I could provide more info but the best course of action is outlined above. Good luck with Oreo. I hope he gets better soon.

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 Lucy! She may have re-injured her leg, and I would take her back into a vet immediately. Given that she has had surgery and now she is non-weight bearing, it's very important to have her seen by the vet who did the surgery. The vet can do a lameness exam, and may do x-rays to see the position of the plates.

Hi. Thank you for writing in with a question. This off and on limping could be caused by several things ranging from a soft tissue injury to infection or repeated injuries. I don't know if you were in valley fever heavy areas, but if you are that is a possibility for an off-and-on lameness as well. I would recommend continuing rest and anti-inflammatories prescribed by your veterinarian until you can see the orthopedic specialist. The orthopedic specialist is the best Next Step. Good luck and I hope he feels better soon