How to know if my dog's old patella injury is causing him pain?

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Charlie sounds like he is having an issue that comes and goes. The most common causes of lameness in his back legs at his age are a ligament tear, knee cap luxation (moves out of its normal groove), followed by a foreign object stuck in his paw. It is also possible that he simply strained a hip muscle. No matter the case, he needs to be evaluated by a vet to determine exactly which. He may just need a little rest and anti-inflammatory therapy, but a sedated exam and radiographs may be needed to rule out significant disease that could need surgery to fix. Do not give anything over the counter for his discomfort as those medications can be quite harmful to Charlie. Keep him from running around and playing too hard until you can get him in to be evaluated by a veterinarian. While I'd recommend having him seen as soon as you can, his condition should be okay to wait for a day or two if you can't get into your vet right away. However, if his pain is unbearable, you may want to take him to an emergency vet tonight. Hope this helps, and I hope Charlie gets to feeling better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Oh my Charlie is truly adorable. Signs of pain in dogs include lethargy, weakness, yelping, decreased appetite, hesitance to walk or move, hiding and/or crying out loud. If you are noticing that Charlie has any of these signs, have Charlie evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great night!

It could be that Charlie is sore from getting hit by your other dog, and I would rest him for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a lead only, and bring him right back in when he's done. If he still appears painful after this time, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. He may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Jumping up and down on things (like the couch), or running could definitely aggravate the knee and cause pain. It's not easy to keep them from doing this though, so try the best you can. Sometimes, they will just step wrong and aggravate it, so it's really impossible to prevent every instance of pain. It seems like you are doing everything else right though. Keep with it. There is little chance he will injure the knee further if these precautions are put in place. I hope that helps.

No, this isn't normal, and Oliver could have strained a ligament or even torn a ligament in his leg causing him the pain when he plays really hard. I would have him seen by a vet for a physical exam, lameness exam, and x-rays. Using these tests, the vet can diagnose what is causing his pain and can discuss treatment options with you.

Its possible that the leg may still be bothering Michael a little or it may be unrelated. I would recommend strict rest for the next 3 days (no walks, running or jumping), if he is still lame go ahead an take him to the vet. If he is getting worse at any point, go ahead and take him to the vet. You may opt to go ahead and have him seen to get pain medications as well since this is the fastest way to relive any pain. At home, gentle massage and a warm (not hot) compress may help as well. I hope he feels better quickly! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Bob. You could be correct with your assumption. Small breeds often have patellar problems in one or both knees due to anatomical problems with their knees. The other concern I would have is a cruciate ligament injury. Another possibility would be other soft tissue injuries or injuries to the bones of the leg. This can be assessed by your vet when you take Bob for an exam. Your vet may want to sedate Bob to fully assess the knee and take x-rays. I think you can probably wait but if his pain level increases to the point of him not eating, then I would advise that you take him today or this weekend. Once a diagnosis is made, a sound treatment plan can be implemented.