My dog's limping 2 weeks, not using paw. Should I get an X-ray?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would recommend having Jax looked at sooner than the 3rd. That is quite a while to wait. There may be a bone fracture and at this age, I worry about fractures to the growth plates. I would have x-rays taken of his leg to help rule out a bone fracture. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If they are not concerned about a broken bone, it may be a good idea to give Ben some time to rest up to see if this is just a soft tissue injury of some sort. I would give him a few days to a week on the medications and complete rest limiting his activity to see if he improves on his own. If no improvement is seen by then or he worsens in the meantime, have him reevaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

Carson is adorable! Thanks for including a picture. The answer as to whether or not x-rays are recommended really depend on your veterinarian's examination. If they find something concerning on exam, then they may recommend taking x-rays. But I would definitely start with having them examine Carson to see what they can find on examination. As far as pain medications, there are a number of good pain medications, but they are all prescription. I am attaching a handout below with more information on pain medications for dogs. (It is discussing arthritis pain, but is a good source of information for pain medications in dogs). I would not recommend giving anything at home until your vet can examine Carson because it may interact with any pain medications that your veterinarian will want to give Carson. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951467 Good luck! I hope Carson feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Limping is a sign of pain. It sounds as though it is likely a strain or a sprain. The best thing to do it limit his activity because continued use will not allow a strain or sprain to heal. So no running, jumping, no stairs or jumping on/off the furniture and leash walks only for at least 7 days. If the limp doesn't improve with in those 7 days Shadow should be seen by a Vet or sooner if it worsens. It is not wrong to have Shadow seen sooner than later as well. Do not give any human pain medications, dogs do not metabolize drugs like people do and they may interfere with medications your Vet may want to prescribe. I hope this helps and I wish Shadow a speedy recovery!

I personally believe it is always necessary to do an x-ray. Unfortunately, they are expensive but they are the best way to determine what is causing the pain in his leg. X-rays can help to rule out fractures, dysplasia, or soft tissue injury. A cruciate ligament injury is also a possibility, so your veterinarian may want to perform an orthopedic test to see if there is any laxity in the knee. There is no guarantee the problem will heal with rest and prolonging an accurate diagnosis may just make the problem worse.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the pictures I don’t see anything abnormal. But if it has been 3 days and he is still limping then he is painful somewhere. In a younger dog it could be from growing but they could still have small fractures without swelling. I recommend taking Goliath to a vet where they can do a full physical exam and check for pain in the bones or joints. There could be an issue higher up in the limb or even in the neck causing the limp. The vet may need xrays to look at the bones and joints. If anything, they can prescribe Goliath some medications to alleviate his pain and get him comfortable again. I wouldn’t give anything over the counter as there isn’t anything safe for dogs. And until you can get him to the vet I wouldn’t encourage any running or jumping. Good luck and kisses to Goliath!

Oh no! I am sorry Duke is hurt! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. What you are describing could be due to a soft tissue or a bone problem in the paw. You should take him to a veterinarian for an examination. They may likely recommend doing x-rays of the area. If there is a serious injury, they may recommend placing a splint or cast on it. Less serious injuries may heal with just rest. They may also prescribe medications for pain and discomfort.