My puppy is lifting his paw and limping. What should I do at home?

Ouch, poor Oakley! Gently wash his paw with warm water and antiseptic soap. Bandage it and put a sock over his foot to keep the bandage clean and dry. Change the bandage daily and keep an eye out for signs of infection. They include redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, and pus. If you see any of those signs, take him into the vet for antibiotics. He's limping because he is in pain, so rest him for now. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on leash only, and bring him right back in when he's done. Please do not give him any human pain medication. Many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Pipi could have a soft tissue injury, a dislocated bone or even a broken bone. I recommend having your veterinarian do an exam and maybe an X-ray to diagnose her. She may need rest, dog anti inflammatory medication or even a splint. I would not splint it yourself as that could accidentally affect her growth plates and cause long term issues. Do not give any human medication as it can be toxic to dogs.

Since Sami can't talk, only a physical exam will be able to determine the source of the lameness. Just like people, the pain/limping can be related to many causes including a ligament tears, soft tissue injury, a developmental abnormality or even a spinal issue. You may try strict rest for a few days (no walks, running, jumping or stairs). If Sami does not improve or if he gets worse, have him examined by the veterinarian. Pets who exhibit toe touching lameness on the hing legs are a concern for a tear of the cranial cruciate ligament which is serious. He may need radiographs and the doctor will determine this based on the exam. I hope he starts feeling better quickly.

If you can't find the stone or a visible wound, I would keep Naija on kennel rest with leashed potty walks only for a few days to see if it helps resolve the limp. However if she is acting as if she is in pain, licking at the paw, won't bear weight on it at all, the limp doesn't resolve, or there is a wound visible, it is best to seek out veterinary care ASAP. It is possible the object caused a cut deeper than you can see, has worked its way under the skin of the toes, or caused another injury that requires care.

Inspect her paw for thorns or other foreign bodies, You can also bathe/soak the paw in some warm epsom salt bath, If the swelling does not go down within 48 hrs you need to take her to a vet for an exam. There may be infection and she might need prescription antibiotics.

That swelling may indicate something stuck under the skin and causing severe inflammation (like a piece of glass or a grass seed) or something like a broken toe. Less common would be something like a sprain. At home you need to restrict Olivia's activity so no walks, running or jumping. You also need to prevent any licking by having her wear an elizabethan collar. Unfortunately, there may not be much else you can do at home. You can apply a cool (not cold, just cool) compress 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. If there is an infection or a break, this requires medical care. I recommend to play it safe and have Olivia examined by the veterinarian. Certainly, if she is continuing to limp after 2 days of rest or if she is getting worse, it's time to have her examined. This is the best course of action to accurately diagnose, treat and to make her feel better. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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!