My puppy's paw was slammed in a door and it's limping. What should I do?

There isn't much you can do to help her since there aren't any over the counter medications that are safe to give her. In humans, we would do RICE - rest ice compression and elevation. But those are hard to make a puppy do. So try to keep her from running or jumping, and use a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a thin towel for 10-15 minutes several times a day.

I would monitor Bella and if the area begins to swell, she starts limping again, or she seems painful, bring her to a vet right away. Broken toes may have minimal swelling or pain but still might need care from your veterinarian depending on the injury. Keeping any scrapes clean and dry to prevent infection is also a good idea.

Given her age, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian. X-rays may be indicated to rule out fractures. Restrict her activity to just leash walks for elimination. Avoid excessive running, jumping or rough play. Do not medicate her as many OTC drugs cannot be used in puppies or may be toxic to dogs.

Rest him completely for the next 48 hours (just go out on lead walks for his business). If the signs do not resolve and Bobby is not putting weight on the leg after 48hours a check is necessary to treat at least the pain/inflammation with appropriate meds. Ice packs on the affected leg (on the spot where you think Bobby might have been injured) may be helpful (10 minutes 2 times daily). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello. Without x-rays it is impossible to know what is actually going on in the paw. It is difficult to say if this will bother her more as she matures, but you really do not have too many options. Perhaps a surgery to fuse & stabilize the paw may be helpful, but will not eliminate all pain & discomfort & you certainly would not amputate the leg unless she began to self-mutilate the paw. So, unless you can have the paw x-rayed, I would take a wait & see how she does. If she over does it when you play with her, then make sure she rests the leg. Otherwise, I would try to avoid pain relieves in such a young dog. Perhaps, once her bones are finished growing & maturing, she may actually do quite well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

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!