Why is my dog limping again after his leg injury seemed to heal?

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

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like Mr. Jefferson may have injured himself the first time jumping off of the porch. Since he only limped for a short while, it is likely he only caused a mild soft tissue trauma, and did not have any bony changes (ie fracture or luxation/dislocation). If he is limping again on the same leg, he may have caused himself trauma again to that leg, which aggravated his previous injury. I recommend restricting his activity (ie do not let him run freely. Leash walk him outside to urinate/defecate and leash back inside; no roughhousing with other dogs, etc) for the next 5-7 days. If his limping does not resolve with this supportive care, I recommend having him seen by a veterinarian, as a more serious injury could be present. I hope this is helpful!

Limping can be caused by several different problems - if x-rays didn't show a fracture, then it is likely that Bentley has some type of soft-tissue injury causing him to limp. One of the most common injuries like this that we see in dogs is a torn cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) - this is the same ligament that human athletes sometimes injure, called the ACL in humans. This ligament is responsible for stabilizing the knee joint when the dog walks, so if it is torn it causes significant lameness that does not improve with rest and pain medication. Other possible causes of limping for over a month would be a torn muscle, or a torn tendon or ligament in another part of the leg. Unfortunately, these injuries will not show up on x-rays. If your veterinarian doesn't have any other suggestions for further testing (such as a sedated orthopedic exam to check joint stability), then I would recommend asking for a referral to an orthopedic specialist. Bentley may need an MRI or other advanced imaging to diagnose the problem.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Causes of limping include a soft tissue injury (i.e. strain/sprain), a fracture, or a dislocation. I would recommend restricting his exercise for the next few days - no running, jumping, or rough play. If it is a sprain, it should gradually improve with time. If it does not, I would recommend taking Mugz to the vet. They can evaluate for any pain or swelling, and can recommend x-rays if necessary. I hope this helps, and that Mugz is feeling better soon!

I'm sorry Lily has injured herself. If there were no bony lesions on the x-rays such as fractures or dislocations, then it seems like it may be a soft tissue injury which can take 6 to 8 weeks before any improvement is noted. If you're still concerned you can discuss with your veterinarian about referral to an orthopedic specialist or canine physical therapist. I hope she starts feeling better soon

Poor Dexter. I'm glad to hear he isn't painful when you manipulate and palpate his leg. He likely has a soft tissue injury like a sprain. These will usually heal on their own with rest. I would recommend to rest him for a couple of days and if he isn't improved by Monday or Tuesday then I would let your vet do an exam and potentially some X-rays to ensure there is nothing more serious going on. Also, they will be able to prescribe him some pain meds. I do not recommend to give him any human pain meds as these are usually toxic to dogs.

If the radiographs were not remarkable, the pain Hugo is experiencing is likely from soft tissue and / or nerve pain. True ligamentous or tendinous ruptures do not often occur in the forelimb in the dog, though it is possible. Advanced imaging or scoping would be needed to confirm a diagnosis. We tend to see these issues in the hind end most often particularly in larger breed dogs like GSDs. The best things you can do for Hugo right now are the following: -Most important thing: he needs to rest his leg; that means no going outside unless on a leash, and even with leash, only to do his business. Should limit use of the leg as much as possible over the next 5 to 7 days. This will be difficult with GSD puppy but it is needed. If your veterinarian did not discuss the possibility of using a small sedative over the course of the next week, you might bring it up should it become too difficult to keep Hugo down. -Give any prescribed medications from your veterinarian as directed. If you walked into my office, I would have prescribed an anti-inflammatory and some pain medication. Hopefully your vet did the same. If he did not and Hugo is still experiencing discomfort you should call and request meds. Hope this makes sense. Consult with me if you have further concerns.