Why is my dog limping and one leg looks longer or stretched?

He may have dislocated his hip or fractured one of the bones in his leg. Please take him to the nearest veterinary ER or to your veterinarian right away. An exam and x-rays may diagnose the underlying cause for the [lameness](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/lameness-1/). If it is a [fracture](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/fractures-in-cats-and/) it may need to be splinted or surgically repaired depending on the severity and location. If it is a dislocation it will need to be reduced. If this is done earlier, it is more likely that surgery will not be required.

Limping is a sign of pain and if there legs are uneven then one may be swollen if there was trauma or an injury or one may be small from atrophy from not getting used as much. At that age it may be a soft tissue injury from playing and jumping or it may be a genetic or growth problem such as panostitis or hip dysplasia. The best thing to do for today is rest him and do not let him run and play to make it worse. He does need a check by your vet to evaluate for these problems to see what medicines you can get to help him

If Angel's leg was dislocated, she wouldn't be able to put an weight on it at all and she would have an decreased range of motion. It could be that Angel may have torn her cranial cruciate ligament, torn the meniscus in her knee, or strained a ligament or muscle. I would recommend resting Angel for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a lead only, and bring her right back in when she's done. If she still appears painful after this time, then I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. She may also benefit from some pain medications. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Muneca is limping. Based off the radiograph, it looks like her fibula, the smaller bone in her lower leg, may be fractured. It is difficult to know for sure without an orthogonal view, but that may be the reason for her limping. I recommend restricting her activity to cage rest and leash walks only, do not let her run or play for at least 4 weeks to allow time for the bone to heal. I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian who can perform bloodwork and see if it is safe to prescribe her anti-inflammatory pain medications to help her feel more comfortable. NEVER give human pain medications to dogs as they can be markedly toxic. I hope this is helpful!

She may have torn her cruciate ligament, have a problem with her knee cap, have a fracture, etc. Since she seems to be in pain, you should take her to your vet today for an orthopedic examination. Your vet can take an x-ray, if needed, to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. An anti-inflammatory and pain medications can be prescribed to help relieve any pain. Hope she feels better soon!

Oh my. It sounds like your pet either has a fracture or a dislocated joint. You need to take your pet to the ER hospital right away to have this leg x-rayed (radiographed) and splinted/casted to stabilize the leg and avoid further injury or pain to your pet. The vet will also give you pet safe pet friendly pain medication. Here is a website link you can reference to look up ER vets in your area. http://www.vetlocator.com/hotline.php Try and keep your pet quiet and confined to a small room until you can get him/her seen by a veterinarian. I hope your pet gets proper care soon!

I really feel that Lexi needs to have a full veterinary exam to determine what has happened. From the pictures, one possibility is that she is adjusting how she sits to extend the injured leg out - if she is not putting any weight on that leg then she may have broken it, or injured a ligament. There are also a couple of illnesses that can occur in a young growing dog, thses can be diagnosed with an exam and xrays. If she is limping she should have pain relief - Do not use any human medicines as these may be toxic to her.