My dog is limping. What vet tests and costs should I prepare for?

Unfortunately he is very lame. This could be a knee injury or infection. Please take him in tomorrow to have this examined. They will feel it and do an X-ray if needed. They will give him pain medication also. In the meantime keep him confined and take him out on a leash to potty only. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Blu.

Hi and thank you for reaching out about Chase. We are an online service and do not provide xrays, we provide online consulting for your pets. Given the history for Chase, I absolutely agree that xrays will be important for an accurate diagnosis for his lameness. I would recommend to schedule an appointment with his regular veterinarian for these as well as get him on some medications to provide pain relief for his discomfort. Best of luck with Chase. He is a cute dog!

Please keep in mind that costs of procedures vary between areas and clinics within a specific area, so the prices I'm giving you are a very rough estimate. You would have to take Luna into the vet in order to get an exact cost. I imagine they would start with a physical exam, blood tests, and urinalysis. A physical exam can be between $45-55, blood tests could be around $100-$200, and a urinalysis around $50. A fecal exam may be done as well, and that could cost $40. The vet may want to further tests such as x-rays, which can start at $100 or more for one view. Depending on the results found, the vet may want to do further diagnostics. Personally, I would start with a physical exam, blood work, urinalysis, and fecal exam, and may add on additional tests from there depending on the results. I'd make an appointment for her with a vet. I hope this helps!

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.

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Limping can be due to many reasons that go from relatively uncomplicated such as soft tissue injuries and osteoarthritis to more complicated and serious injuries such as fractures and even bone tumors. I highly recommend that you have Roxy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to localize her pain and decide what the next diagnostic step which will likely be radiographs. At the very least, they can start her on pain control medications. Good luck and have a good day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is possible that he has a fractured bone that is causing him discomfort and lameness. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having x-rays taken of this leg to rule out any bone fractures as the cause. 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.