Why is my dog struggling to walk and yelping after hurting his leg?

There is a possibility that your dog tore a cruciate ligament in his knee. I would make him rest, ie only leash walk him to do his business outside, and otherwise not let him run or jump around. If the lameness is not gone tomorrow or significantly better, then I suggest you make an appointment with your vet for an exam. Your dog will need anti-inflammatory medication to reduce inflammation and pain.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ben. He sounds painful with his struggling to move and crying. He could have arthritis, back pain or a muscle strain. If he was particularly playful yesterday or this morning, he may have over done it and be sore now. Back pain is more common in small breed dogs. It is demonstrated by a reluctance to do stairs, jump on furniture or even the inability to properly use a limb. Arthritis tends to be more common in larger dogs. It is usually a gradual slowing down or stiffness, but can be exeracerbated by hard play. Ben will need to see his veterinarian to determine the source of his pain. In the meantime, keep him quiet and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications. I hope this information helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is possible that he has a fractured bone that is causing him discomfort and lameness. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having x-rays taken of this leg to rule out any bone fractures as the cause. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It is difficult to assess without a full history of the type and severity of the injury. The most common type of injury is to the cruciate ligament inside the knee - although this can stabilise quite well with rest, weight management and joint supplements (especially in smaller dogs under 10-15kg), surgery is the recommended route in order to minimise the severity of arthritis which will develop due to the joints being unstable. Some arthritis is inevitable but it should be less severe and develop later in life if the joint is quickly stabilised with surgery

Sorry to here that Kemo is having some troubles. There are many things that can cause pain in dogs. Some of them include trauma, degenerative diseases, inflammatory conditions, spinal issues, cancers, clotting disorders, and some others that are less common. In a small breed dog of about six years, my top two differentials would be some sort of traumatic event (that could have happened when you were not around) or an issue with the back. Many times when dogs are lifted and they yelp, it is a spinal problem causing some pretty severe discomfort. If you have ever had back pain yourself, you know just how uncomfortable this can be. Based on the severity and progression of the problems, I would say that Kemo definitely needs a visit to the vet sometime soon. They will be able to perform a thorough physical, and based on the findings, determine if x-rays are warranted. They will be able to target what part of the body requires x-rays. There are many medications available to treat inflammatory conditions and trauma, as well as pain associated with the back and spine. I hope you are able to work through things with your vet to resolve Kemo's pain.

Poor Alfie! I see he's a toy breed dog, and they can be prone to a condition called a luxating patella. This is when the kneecap moves out of it's correct anatomical position, causing sudden lameness. It could also be that he strained a ligament or muscle. I recommend resting 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. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

A typical scenario is that the dog runs around happily and then yelps and does not put weight on one of the hind legs. This is very typical for a cruciate ligament rupture or partial rupture. He could also have a sprain or pulled a muscle. Your vet should be able to diagnose this easily and then discuss the options of cruciate ligament repair with you if indicated. Her is some information on CCL rupture: https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/cranial-cruciate-ligament-disease Keep him quiet until tomorrow, he needs to rest. Leash walk him only for elimination or carry him out. Tomorrow, when you go to the vet, carry him to the car and also carry him from the car to the vet. That should help.