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My dog limps after exercise, no pain. Could it be weak muscles?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Border Collie | Female | spayed | 7 years old

After exercise, my dog seems to limp. No pain, cries or behaviour change. Is this something that needs strengthening? Vet said "weak muscles" last time.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on July 28th, 2016

It's possible that it could be a conditioning or strengthening issue, depending what kind of exercise your dog is doing and what the limp looks like - sport dogs, such as competitive agility or frisbee dogs, often have issues like this that can be improved with specific types of exercises - if you think this could be the problem with your dog, I would recommend making an appointment with a vet who specializes in sports medicine to evaluate your dog and develop a specific exercise regimen for her to help improve the issue. Other possible causes of chronic limping after exercise would include arthritis, or a chronic soft tissue injury such as a muscle tear or ligament injury that is aggravated by exercise. A good sports medicine vet or orthopedic surgeon could tell you more after examining your dog and watching her move.

14Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Limping is a sign of pain in dogs, so something is clearly hurting Rogue during exercise that's causing her to limp. I'm not sure which limb she is limping on, so I can't narrow things down more, but she could have problems with her hips, knees, or elbows, among other joint issues. She might need x-rays to rule in or rule out joint issues. I recommend taking her into your vet this week for a thorough physical and orthopedic exam.
10Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ana M, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 24th, 2019
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Doc. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He could have a soft tissue injury such as a muscle strain. However, lameness in such a young dog is worrisome. He will likely need x-rays to rule out any congenital joint problems or other bone disease. In the meantime, keep him quiet and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ana M, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on September 8th, 2018
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Taz. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He may be experiencing arthritis secondary to hip or knee problems. There is a also a muscle in the lower back that a dog can strain. This is very painful as well. He will likely need x-rays based on his exam findings. Then treatment can be designed for him. If he is not bearing weight evenly between his rear limbs, this indicates he is painful. In the meantime, avoid hard exercise and not give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My older dog limps after exercise. How to prevent joint pain?

I'm glad to hear that Rocco is still energetic as ever. In terms of things you can do to help with Rocco's discomfort, you might want to consider limiting the type of exercise that causes this kind of pain. As Rocco gets older, his joints may not be as well lubricated as they once were and he may even be experiencing some onset of arthritis. This can be verified with a physical exam and/or x-rays of the affected joints. Though you have indicated this only seems to happen after significant exercise, it might also be worth checking for tick borne diseases that can cause shifting leg lameness. Even though it doesn't seem likely in this case, if that were causing this it would be easily treatable. As for things you can do actively to treat the discomfort, I would consider starting Rocco on a joint supplement and/or fish oils. They will help lubricate the joints and reduce the affect of osteoarthritis long term. Pharmaceuticals available for the treatment of pain and inflammation in dog are extensive and variable. Some are generalized anti inflammatories, opioid pain killers, and some that address neuropathic pain. Other treatment modalities to address discomfort and inflammation include laser therapy, acupuncture, massage, and certain types of therapeutic exercises. The first thing you need to do though is have Rocco examined to rule out any sort of injury. Once that is determined, you can move onto treatment and prevention. Hope this helps.

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