My dog is limping on her back leg. How can I help her at home?

Hello. I would definitely start Lonnie on a good glucosamine supplement like Dasuquin made by Nutramax. Adding a fish oil to her diet can reduce inflammation ( I like Nordic Naturals ), too. Do talk to your vet about adding an anti-inflammatory medication to make her comfortable, & possibly even Adequan injections to help maintain healthy, lubricated joints. There is much you can do to ease her pain & discomfort. I hope she is doing better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Poncho is lame in one of his legs, he could have an injury ranging from a problem with his toes to something in his shoulder (front leg) or his hips (hind leg). If this is a chronic issue, it is possible Poncho has some arthritis in his joints, which may benefit from a joint supplement. However, if Poncho has a soft tissue injury or something like a fracture or dislocation of any of his bones or joints, a supplement will not help. I recommend restricting Poncho's activity for 3-5 days and see if this helps his lameness. If he is no longer limping on the leg after this rest, this may have just been a soft tissue injury that needed time to heal. If his lameness does not improve or worsens over this time, I recommend having Poncho seen by a veterinarian. He/she can perform a full physical exam and orthopedic exam to localize his pain and determine the best course of treatment. As a reminder, NEVER give dogs pain medication that is intended for humans, as these can be fatally toxic to dogs. I hope this is helpful!

It is very likely she has a condition called patellar luxation. This is where the ligament in the knee goes in an out of the socket. She can have this surgically repaired if it becomes a chronic issue and impedes on her quality of life. Otherwise joint supplements (i.e. Dasuquin) may be able to help reduce some inflammation and pain in the joint itself. Have your vet do a simple physical exam and check the knees. Patellar luxation is detectable by a physical exam and doesn't require radiographs to diagnose. I wish you well at the vet. Best wishes with Mindy 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.

Hello. At this point I would ensure that Spirit rests that leg as much as possible. You do not indicate if it is a front or hind leg, but the most common areas to be injured are the wrist & shoulder area of the front leg & the knee or hip area on the hind. I would start using a warming compress concentrating on the shoulder, knee or hip, depending on leg, applying the warmth for 10 minutes 2-3 times a day. I am sure she is uncomfortable, so make sure she is well padded while lying & assist her as best you can. See your vet as soon as possible if she is not improved. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Gojo! If you have pain and anti-inflammatory medications that are safe for dogs then using those medications and strictly resting him is all you can do. No running, jumping, stairs, on/off furniture and short leash walks only. If the limp isn't improved in 7 days he needs an exam and likely an X-ray to check for a broken bone. I wish Gojo a speedy recovery!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Charlie! Causes of limping can be just from a strain or a sprain, but other causes could be fracture or ligament tear. If resting doesn't resolve the limp I recommend having your Vet examine Charlie. I do not recommend giving him any human OTC pain medications. I hope this helps and I wish Charlie a speedy recovery!