My dog is limping after a walk. What should I do before vacation?

Poor girl. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do for a musculoskeletal injury. Over the counter pain meds shouldn't be given to pets b/c of a high risk of liver and/or kidney damage. You can try doing alternating cold and warm compresses on the sore area for 5-10 minutes a day. Also a warm water Epsom salt bath can help with some of the soreness. If she just has a minor injur like a muscle sprain, then letting her rest the leg and the cold and warm compresses should help improve her limping over the next 4-5 days. Also leash walking her only outside and not encouraging jumping and rough play can help the area heal. Here is a website link that also has some financial resources that may be of assistance for getting Princess seen by your vet. It sounds like she may need a radiograph of the leg and appropriate treatment depending on the underlying injury if things don't get better soon. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html Best wishes 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 Layla! If she is still limping I would make an appointment to have her seen by your vet. She may have injured her nail(s) as you described, or she may even have some soft tissue swelling/ irritation or a fracture. If there is a stick/ splinter/ other foreign object in her paw the vet can help remove it and treat it to help prevent infection. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to Layla without consulting with your vet. I recommend keeping her in a crate or in a room where she can't run/ jump on anything and only taking her out for very short bathroom breaks until she is no longer limping. Make sure she's on a leash so she can't run and make things worse.

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.

Poor Lily! There are many different possibilities in this case. It may be that she has simply bruised herself or damaged a muscle or ligament. However she may have a more serious injury such as a fracture or ligament rupture. If she seems to be comfortable and nothing looks out of place you could let her rest 24 hours then if she is no better or getting worse head to the vet.

I’m sorry to hear about Fluffy! Unfortunately, there are many reasons a dog might be limping including: sprain/strain, fracture, ligament tear (the ACL specifically), cancer, fungal disease, something stuck in the paw, or others. In general, if it’s been a week, it’s time to see the vet. He or she may offer X-rays if necessary and will prescribe appropriate pain medication for Fluffy. In the mean time for pain: Ice the leg/painful area for 5 minutes twice daily. If it seems to be the paw or the pawnis swollen, try mixing 1 tbsp Epsom salts in 1 cup warm water and stirring until dissolved. Put Fluffy’s hurt leg in that solution for 5-10 minutes twice daily. Try to put an hour between the icing and the warm epsom salt soaks. I do NOT recommend any over the counter pain medications for a dog this age. (Your vet can prescribe a safe one.) Best of luck to you and Fluffy!

Poor Lola! You're doing exactly the right thing by restricting her activity - no stairs or jumping on or off of the furniture, if possible. You can take her for short walks to potty, but no more than 5-10 minutes and definitely keep her on leash. If the injury is minor, like a mild sprain or pulled muscle, she should be much improved within the next 24 hours or so. If there is no improvement in the next 2-3 days, I would recommend taking her to the vet for x-rays to find out what's wrong.