My dog stepped on something and is limping. What should I check for?

Inspect her paw for thorns or other foreign bodies, You can also bathe/soak the paw in some warm epsom salt bath, If the swelling does not go down within 48 hrs you need to take her to a vet for an exam. There may be infection and she might need prescription antibiotics.

Poor Potato! Yes, I would gently clean her paw with water water and antiseptic soap, then bandage it, and put an Ecollar on her. Do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. Change in the bandage daily, and if she is still limping after 48 hours, or the bump gets bigger, have her seen by a vet.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bruno! Possible causes of Bruno's limp are: strain or a sprain from being stepped on, if he is older it could have aggravated arthritis, a toe or a bone could be broken, or it could be something unrelated like Lyme disease. Since Bruno can hardly walk on the leg that indicates pain. I recommend having Bruno seen by your Vet for an exam. If there is concern for the paw then they may want to take X-rays, otherwise they may just prescribe anti-inflammatories and rest. I hope this helps and I wish Bruno a speedy recovery!

It could be an infection or a mass so he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. He may need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or the mass may need to be removed. Schedule an examination with your vet to have it evaluated. You could also soak his paw in a warm Epsom Salt solution and see if that help.

He may have stepped on something sharp or hard that pierced or bruised his pad that you can't see. If he is still limping in the morning, I recommend getting him seen by your vet to determine what happened and how best to treat it.

Pipi could have a soft tissue injury, a dislocated bone or even a broken bone. I recommend having your veterinarian do an exam and maybe an X-ray to diagnose her. She may need rest, dog anti inflammatory medication or even a splint. I would not splint it yourself as that could accidentally affect her growth plates and cause long term issues. Do not give any human medication as it can be toxic to dogs.

I am concerned that there may be a piece of glass embedded in your dog’s foot. I would recommend taking him in to your veterinarian to have the wound explored and thoroughly cleaned. He may also need antibiotics and pain medication as well. Your dog may need to be sedated to have the wound fully explored. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.