My dog fell, leg stiff, X-ray clear. Could it be a soft tissue injury?

Best case scenario, Tizer has a soft tissue injury/muscle sprain for which activity restriction for a week and a dog safe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as Rimadyl (carprofen) usually resolves the issue. As a side note, never give a dog Tylenol (acetominophin) or Advil (ibuprofen) because they are toxic to dogs. A far worse scenario, and these usually present as non-weight bearing lameness in a hind leg, Tizer tore or partially tore a crucial ligament (a sedated exam +/- x-rays are usually required to diagnose this. Other less likely possibilities include a bulging intervertebral disc or bone fracture. If he’s still eating, drinking normally, able to pee and poop normally, able to walk without limping and only seems painful when when he gets up, you can either wait until tomorrow or go today and get him pain meds sooner. Good luck!

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.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Hazel is painful in one of her back legs. Without examining her, it is difficult to know whether she potentially has a fracture or a soft tissue injury. If she seems very painful on the hind leg, I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian. He/she can perform a physical exam to best localize the pain. Your veterinarian may also recommend x-rays to look for evidence of a fracture, which may require surgical fixation. If no fracture is found, Hazel may have sustained a soft tissue injury, and will require strict rest and anti-inflammatories. In the mean time, please restrict her activity to cage-rest only and leash walks only to prevent worsening of any injuries. I hope this is helpful!

Hello and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. Without examining Bruno it is difficult to say what it could be. He could be dealing with a nerve injury or neurological condition, soft tissue injury (strain or sprain), ACL injury, bone trauma, infectious, etc. If x-rays have already been performed, I would suggest having an orthopedic specialist take a look at Bruno. Bruno may need a CT scan of the leg to help determine what this could be so that the most appropriate diagnostics and treatments can be recommended. It is also possible that this is a soft tissue injury and Bruno will start feeling much better and then run or jump leading to a re-injury of the leg. You may need to look at keeping Bruno crate confined or restricted to a small area so that he cannot run or jump for at least 4 weeks to see how he does with limited activity. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any additional concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to a soft tissue injury meaning that it is for example an injury to the muscle. However, this could also be a fracture which can be very painful. It seems like she is in pain so it would be best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to proceed with radiographs and most importantly prescribe medications for pain control. Good luck and have a good night!

Poor Dexter. I'm glad to hear he isn't painful when you manipulate and palpate his leg. He likely has a soft tissue injury like a sprain. These will usually heal on their own with rest. I would recommend to rest him for a couple of days and if he isn't improved by Monday or Tuesday then I would let your vet do an exam and potentially some X-rays to ensure there is nothing more serious going on. Also, they will be able to prescribe him some pain meds. I do not recommend to give him any human pain meds as these are usually toxic to dogs.

I am sorry Oka is not feeling well. You are correct dogs can get soft tissue injury from trauma just like people. However I would recommend taking her to the vet to make sure nothing is broken. Oka could have a hair line fracture/broken bone that is also causing pain. The vet can also give you pain medication that will keep Oka comfortable and safe. Hope that helps