My 2-year-old German Shepherd limps on and off. What's wrong?

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.

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

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Gem isn't feeling well! From what I am understanding is that Gem has been on and off limping on different legs at different times. There are few things that could be going on: Panosteitis or Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, both occur in young, rapidly growing dogs. I see Panosteitis a lot in German Shepherds. Both are diagnosed on X-rays and physical exam. Another possibility is lyme disease. I recommend taking Gem in to your Vet when she is actively limping. Have her tested for lyme and some X-rays done. Since we can not examine Gem, we are not allowed to prescribe medications or provide doses of human medications. Human medications are not recommended for dogs. Dogs metabolize drugs differently then people and the medication may interfere with what your Vet prescribes based on their diagnosis. I hope this helps and you get to the bottom of Gem's limping!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tyson. If he is otherwise acting normal, give him strict rest for 24 hours. This means no running, jumping or playing. Take him on a leash to potty and bring him straight back inside. Do not take him for walks. Many mild cases of lameness will resolve with rest. If this does not help or his symptoms worsen, then he will need to see his veterinarian. There is a common condition in young German Shepherds known as panosteitis. This can be diagnosed with x-rays. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

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.

Well without seeing Mailo, or the bloodwork, or other tests that have been done, it's really hard to know what is going on. A consult with one of our experts would be great because you could upload blood work, radiographs, or other diagnostics that have been done to give us a better picture of what is making Mailo lame. I will suggest that perhaps he needs X-rays of his lame leg if this hasn't been done, because young GSDs get some developmental bone disorders that present as intermittent lameness that responds to anti-inflammatories. These diseases are very treatable and easy to diagnose with X-rays, so that'd be a place to start.

Poor Chloe! If it's been more than 24 hours since this happened and she's still limping, then yes - I would definitely take her to the vet for an exam. She may have torn a ligament in her leg or fractured a bone from jumping off the truck. Your veterinarian can do a complete orthopedic exam and may also recommend x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.