My German Shepherd puppy limps with splayed toes after a fracture.

If the radiographs were not remarkable, the pain Hugo is experiencing is likely from soft tissue and / or nerve pain. True ligamentous or tendinous ruptures do not often occur in the forelimb in the dog, though it is possible. Advanced imaging or scoping would be needed to confirm a diagnosis. We tend to see these issues in the hind end most often particularly in larger breed dogs like GSDs. The best things you can do for Hugo right now are the following: -Most important thing: he needs to rest his leg; that means no going outside unless on a leash, and even with leash, only to do his business. Should limit use of the leg as much as possible over the next 5 to 7 days. This will be difficult with GSD puppy but it is needed. If your veterinarian did not discuss the possibility of using a small sedative over the course of the next week, you might bring it up should it become too difficult to keep Hugo down. -Give any prescribed medications from your veterinarian as directed. If you walked into my office, I would have prescribed an anti-inflammatory and some pain medication. Hopefully your vet did the same. If he did not and Hugo is still experiencing discomfort you should call and request meds. Hope this makes sense. Consult with me if you have further concerns.

There are many possible reasons but especially in German shepherds, hip dysplasia would be a serious concern, especially if she is reluctant to jump up or stretch. Most muscle injuries would be expected to be improving over 3-4days and xrays would be advisable if not settling

He may have a soft tissue injury (like a sprain/strain of a muscle) or an orthopedic issue (hairline fracture, or arthritis). The best recommendation is to restrict his activity for the next 48 hours - no running, no jumping, no stairs, and leash-walks only. If he still limps after that 48 hour trial, Dexter may need to be seen by a veterinarian for a lameness exam.

Large breed growing dogs can develop a common problem called panosteitis. This is caused by fast growing bones. However, German Shepherds are also known for elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia. I would encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian soon to make sure that there are no other concerns. Panosteitis can come and go for months. Canine anti inflammatory medications are usually used for comfort. Best of luck and I hope that Princess improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Most joint and cartilage injuries in puppies will heal with acceptable mobility as long as the bones are not displaced and they can be restricted to slow, steady leash walking. I recommend keeping him on a high quality puppy food until 18months of age and adding a joint supplement including glucosamine and omega fatty acids. It would be expected that arthritis may develop in the joint in later life and long term supplementation may be worthwhile

At that age it can affect the growth rate or length of the leg long term. In proper healing can lead to arthritis at an earlier age and limit mobility. There is no way to know if it is broke with out an xray. If taking it to a vet is not an option, all you can do is kennel rest her and limit all activity for 4-6 weeks. The good news is puppies heal faster than adults. The less she uses it and moves on it, means you have a better chance of healing.

Poor girl. : ( It sounds like she is tweaking it a bit when she tries to do extrenuous exercise, which is expected, especially since she still has hardware in place in the leg. Her muscles also can grow tired quicker and become inflamed, which can cause some limping after increased movement. This sounds pretty normal at this stage in the healing process. However, if you are noticing any excessive swelling around the area, drainage or signs of infection, then she should be seen by your vet. Otherwise, follow-up your vet as scheduled to check on things and hopefully the leg is healing well via the post surgery x-rays that they will take. I hope that Olly's leg heals well. Best wishes and take care.