My dog sprained his leg in the car. What to do? How long to heal?

Try restricting Bruno's activity for 24 hours. Leash walk him for elimination and avoid any running, jumping or rough play. If the lameness persists, have him seen by your veterinarian for a complete physical and orthopedic exam. Bruno may have injured his hip or knee. Xrays will likely be indicated to diagnose or confirm joint disease or ligament damage.

Sorry to hear that Indiana has hurt his leg! It sounds like you're already doing everything you can, with restricting his exercise to rest the leg. If the limp has not resolved after 7-10 days, I would recommend taking him to the vet for an orthopedic exam and possible x-rays, since this would indicate that he may have a more serious problem than a simple sprain or pulled muscle.

Aww poor guy. He may have a muscle sprain. You can apply a cold compress onto the areas that appear sore for 5-10 minute intervals twice a day for next few days. Also limit his activity, don't encourage active play, and leash walk him only outside. If this is just a muscle sprain then he should improve over the next 48-72 hrs. However keep in mind that he should be able to at least move the limb somewhat, there shouldn't be a significant amount of noticeable swelling, and it shouldn't appear to be dangling (possible fracture). These are all signs that you shouldn't wait and should take him in right away. I do not recommend giving him any over the counter human pain medication, because these are not safe for pets due to high risk of acute liver and kidney damage. If he is still limping after that time frame, or getting any worse, then it is best to have your vet take a look at him to make sure he doesn't have more serious internal injuries (ligament injury, hairline bone fracture, dislocation).

You'll want to confine him to a small area to minimize any further damage. Be sure to offer him plenty of fresh drinking. To help alleviate any pressure to the area when loading him into the car, wrap a towel under the abdomen and carry the back end with a towel. Be sure to watch for and notate any swelling or changes in the spine, or legs. Be sure to get in to se your doctor as soon as possible.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can rest her as much as possible to try to prevent further injury. Aside from that, she should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible to check if there are any fractures and to see what would be the best therapeutic step for her. At the very least pain medications can be started right away. Good luck and have a great day!

It sounds like he is improving and a sprain can take 7-10 days or longer to heal. If he does not continue to improve than he should be examined by your vet to determine the cause and treat the problem.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bruno! Possible causes of Bruno's limp are: strain or a sprain from being stepped on, if he is older it could have aggravated arthritis, a toe or a bone could be broken, or it could be something unrelated like Lyme disease. Since Bruno can hardly walk on the leg that indicates pain. I recommend having Bruno seen by your Vet for an exam. If there is concern for the paw then they may want to take X-rays, otherwise they may just prescribe anti-inflammatories and rest. I hope this helps and I wish Bruno a speedy recovery!