Why is my dog limping after a walk with no visible paw injury?

Poor Leo! He could have injured his paw on the walk causing the limping. I recommend resting Leo for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a leash, and bring him right back in when he's done. If he still appears painful after this time, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. He may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bruno! Possible causes of Bruno's limp are: strain or a sprain from being stepped on, if he is older it could have aggravated arthritis, a toe or a bone could be broken, or it could be something unrelated like Lyme disease. Since Bruno can hardly walk on the leg that indicates pain. I recommend having Bruno seen by your Vet for an exam. If there is concern for the paw then they may want to take X-rays, otherwise they may just prescribe anti-inflammatories and rest. I hope this helps and I wish Bruno a speedy recovery!

Yes, it is very possible that there is something stuck in the foot even if you can't see anything, but it could still be arthritis, a foot injury or even a local inflammation of the paw. i would recommend taking her to your vet tomorrow morning in order to get it checked and treated.

If you can't find the stone or a visible wound, I would keep Naija on kennel rest with leashed potty walks only for a few days to see if it helps resolve the limp. However if she is acting as if she is in pain, licking at the paw, won't bear weight on it at all, the limp doesn't resolve, or there is a wound visible, it is best to seek out veterinary care ASAP. It is possible the object caused a cut deeper than you can see, has worked its way under the skin of the toes, or caused another injury that requires care.

If he is weight bearing and limping and not improving with rest, then I would get him seen to see if he has a foreign body or a soft tissue injury at your vet. If he is not wanting to use it at all then it needs to be seen immediately as there may be a fracture or torn ligament.

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.

Hello, sorry to hear about Lucky. He could be limping for multiple reasons and may be difficult to determine this without a physical examination. Lucky may have something stuck in between his toes or could have sprained a joint. Without any history of trauma (falling, being stepped on, being hit) its unlikely he could have a significant injury such a broken bone, but he could still have a soft tissue injury. If Lucky's lameness does not improve in the next 2-3 days, then you should have him evaluated by his veterinarian immediately. Hope this helps and best of luck.