My dog is limping and in pain after a fall. What should I do?

There is nothing OTC that can safely be given to your dog. Many OTC medications are toxic or can easily be overdosed. Additionally, our experts are legally prohibited from recommending medications in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). Restrict her activity for the rest of the night and tomorrow. A warm compress can be applied for 10-15 minutes. If the lameness persists or if she is extremely painful, have her physically examined by your veterinarian. Afterwards, an appropriate medication can be administered or dispensed. Never medicate a pet without the advice of your veterinarian.

Please make an appointment to have Tammh seen by a vet as soon as possible. She is likely in pain, and may have a muscular or nerve injury, a fractured bone, a mass, or a foreign body in the leg. Your vet can assess the leg during the physical exam and may recommend x-rays to help determine the cause of Tammh’s limp. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to Tammh without consulting with your vet.

Hi! Thanks for entrusting us with Kali's care today! Lameness can be a sign of a few things that range from a muscle sprain to even a fracture. This is certainly possibly due to a lesion to his paw. Usually this is not treated at home as an examination and further diagnostics such as radiographs are needed to know what would be best to treat this. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian so that this can be further assessed which will likely include radiographs. Treatment will be dependent on findings though at the very least pain control medications can be prescribed. The one thing you can do at home is to try to restrict her activity as much as possible as that alone can help with recovery of minor soft tissue pain. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Besides resting her there isn't much you can do at home as human over the counter pain relievers can be toxic to dogs. If her signs do not improve in a couple days with rest and/or she seems more painful then she needs to be examined by your vet. Your vet can prescribe the appropriate pain reliever to alleviate her discomfort.

It sounds like Trixie is in pain. Her fall may have caused her to fracture a bone, damage a joint or ligament, or caused some muscle damage. While joint/muscle damage may resolve on its own, a fracture may require stabilization. Without it, the bone may heal in a deformed way and even alter the growth of the leg in the future. A vet will be able to perform x-rays to see if there is a fracture and offer you treatment options - likely a splint, cast, or surgery to chose from. X-rays are usually not very expensive and will give an answer regarding the cause of the limping. They will also be able to prescribe the appropriate pain medication that is safe for dog. In the meantime, I recommend keeping Trixie as quiet and calm as possible to prevent further trauma.

Given her age, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian. X-rays may be indicated to rule out fractures. Restrict her activity to just leash walks for elimination. Avoid excessive running, jumping or rough play. Do not medicate her as many OTC drugs cannot be used in puppies or may be toxic to dogs.

Poor Lexi! I'm sorry to hear that she's limping. Unfortunately, there are no over-the-counter pain medications that are safe for use in dogs, so there isn't anything you can give her at home today. I would recommend keeping her as calm and quiet as possible to avoid aggravating her injury further, and taking her to the vet tomorrow for an exam to find out what's going on.