My 6-month-old chihuahua is limping but shows no pain. What's wrong?

Some dogs are stoic and do not show obvious signs of pain even when they do hurt. If he is not putting weight on his foot it is probably because his leg hurts. There are a few exceptions: one being a luxating patella where the kneecap becomes displaced and rotates the leg so that it impossible to fully extend it. This is something your veterinarian probably would have found during an examination of the leg. I don't think the flea medication or spider would be related. If he is continuing to limp occasionally I'd recommend rechecking with your veterinarian: sometimes a tendon or ligament injury is more obvious on a sedated exam, and x-rays might be helpful as well.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Osito. There are many causes of lameness in a dog. Start by checking his paw to ensure there is not something stuck in his fur or a broken toe nail. He would likely be licking the paw in this case. If not, then he could be experiencing arthritis. This is common in the hip and knee joints. Other possibilities are a displaced kneecap, a torn ligament in the knee, a fractured leg, a bone tumor or an autoimmune disease attacking the joints. He will need to see his veterinarian to determine where he is painful. X-rays will likely be recommended. In the meantime, keep him quiet to allow his body to rest. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Poor Louie! Limping means he is in pain, so he's been in pain for a week now. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give him, as many human ones are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I'd have him seen by a vet for this today to get this limping diagnosed and treated. I hope this helps!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tictac. It sounds like that back leg is really bothering her. If she is otherwise acting normal, I would give her strict rest for 24-48 hours to see if that improves her lameness. This means no running, jumping or playing. Take her outside on a leash to go potty and bring her straight back inside. Allowing her body to rest will resolve most mild causes of lameness. If this does not help, then she will need to see her veterinarian. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Hello, sorry to hear about Diesel. It sounds like he could have a condition known as luxating patellas in where the knee caps dislocate from their normal groove. Certain breeds are predisposed to this such as Yorkies and Chihuahuas. I would recommend having Diesel evaluated in the near future for this condition. There are other potential causes, but typically are accompanied by more pain an discomfort. In the interim, if Diesel is otherwise doing well, restrict his activity and do not allow any jumping, running, or rough playing as this can exacerbate any underlying orthopedic conditions. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Nico! He is adorable!! If Nico has been limping with out improvement for the last 2-3 days I would have him examined by your Vet. Limping indicates pain even if you can't localize it. Hopefully it is just a sprain or a strain but it could be a chip fracture or a growth plate fracture since Niko is so young. You Vet may want to take 1-2 X-rays of the area they find pain in. Hopefully Nico will only require rest and anti-inflammatory medications. Do not give Nico any human OTC medications, He is very young and dogs do not metabolize human drugs like we do and they have a narrow margin of safety in dogs. It will also mask his pain for the vet and will interfere with medications they may want to prescribe. I hope this helps and I wish Nico a speedy recovery!