My large dog is limping, won't put weight on his swollen leg?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If you can see an an obvious swelling, I recommend taking Trigger to the vet. Many times with mild limping we don't see any swelling at all. So I worry that Trigger may have torn a muscle or have an abscess or other injury that may cause worse problems if left alone. Until he is seen, I recommend keeping him confined (as possible with a pup). If he is crate trained, then keep him crated and leash walks only until he is evaluated to prevent furhter injury. I hope he's back to normal quickly!

Hi! Thanks for entrusting us with Zeus's care today! Lameness can be a sign of a few things that range from a muscle sprain to even a fracture. I recommend that you have him 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. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Try and keep her exercise restricted today (no running/jumping). Also, check her toe nails on that paw to make sure she didn’t break or tear a nail. If she is still painful tomorrow or you notice a broken toe nail, take her to see a veterinarian for an exam and some pain meds/anti inflammatory drugs. If her toe nail is broken, she may need antibiotics as well. If you think she would benefit from pain meds today, go ahead and take her to see a veterinarian. No need to ice it.

It really depends on the cause of the swelling, but usually pain medication the route you would have to go. Generally for issues like this that are not treated surgically, we manage the pain and inflammation with long-term medication at the lowest effective dose. While there are some potential side effects, most dogs can be treated rather effectively this way. It will be worthwhile to have a blood screen done to make sure the liver and kidneys are functioning well prior to starting the medication and it may be necessary to take blood periodically to ensure they are not causing any damage. Your veterinarian should be able to help you out with all of this. I hope that helps and Oscar feels better soon.

You should let him rest and only take him out to eliminate preferably on a leash. He will need to be seen by your vet to assess the leg and why he is in pain. This could be due to arthritis, a sprain or trauma such as a cruciate ligament tear or rupture. Your vet will be able to prescribe NSAIDs suitable for dogs in order to curb inflammation and take the pain. Please take him to a vet, preferably today, before the vets close. Do not give your dog human NSAIDS such as Ibuprofen or tylenol, etc. as they are toxic to dogs.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. When dogs are 'non-ambulatory'- not walking on a leg, this is usually a sign of significant pain. Also, swelling is concerning for either a significant injury (fracture/dislocation), an infection or abscess (pocket of pus), or in older animals we worry about cancers. I would recommend having Swayde seen by a vet to see if anything serious is going on, and would recommend x-rays. Best of luck with Swayde.

No there is not really any medication we can recommend you give Didier without having examined him. Also, many over the counter medications are not safe to give and it is difficult to get the correct dosing for a small dog. I suggest you just rest him strictly for the next 7 days. Leash walk to go outside to use the toilet only then right back inside. No running, jumping or playing. No stairs if that can be helped. If no improvement within that week or if he gets worse then you should get him to your vet for an exam. If he does seem better after a week then you can go back to GRADUALLY increasing his exercise over the next couple of weeks. Hope this helps. Best wishes.