My puppy squeals, bites her leg, and limps sometimes. What's wrong?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kringle, I am sorry he is feeling poorly. You did not mention if it is a front or back leg, but I will assume it is a back leg based on the description you gave. One concern would be that Kringle injured his knee, more specifically his cranial cruciate ligament (similar to an ACL injury in people). This can cause a hindlimb lameness that can be mild or severe (non-weight bearing). Another potential cause could be a luxating patella (knee cap), which can be common in small dogs and typically does not cause a problem unless severe. If Kringle continues to limp it would be best to have him evaluated by his veterinarian to determine the underlying cause. Based on physical exam findings, medical management (pain medications) or surgical options may be presented. A radiograph (x-ray) would be recommended to assess the limb, and routine bloodwork (complete blood count, serum chemistry) would be recommended prior to initiation of medications. I hope Kringle feels better soon!

I would recommend seeing a veterinarian. At 8 months of age this may be something like a luxating patella (where the knee cap pops in and out). They can limp or not put weight on the hind limb if the knee cap is out of place. Which could explain why one day she seemed hurt in one leg and now hurt in another. It could also be that she just hurt her leg like a soft tissue injury. This can be either a sprain or a ligament injury. If Hazel is dragging her leg (which is does not look like she is) it may be her back. Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination and see if the knee caps are in place and if Hazel has any discomfort or swelling in any joints or parts of her leg. They may recommend X-rays depending on the physical examination if your veterinarian thinks there is a bone injury. Dogs can also get tick diseases that cause shifting leg lameness (where they are lame on one leg and then the next day lame on another). Although these diseases are not common in your part of the country it is not something to completely rule out since we do see them sometimes. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Jewel! I do not see a torn nail. If a dog is limping from an injured nail it is usually hanging off and bleeding. In the pictures everything looks normal. It looks maybe a little red around the nail base of the dewclaw but that is not a weight bearing nail so they usually do not limp if that one is injured, they just lick it a lot. Limping and crying is a sign of pain. Since she is so young I recommend having her seen today by your Vet. It could be a strain or a sprain, growing pains, luxated joint or a fracture. I wish Jewel a speedy recovery!

Poor Bella! I'm so sorry that she is having this problem. We most commonly see Legg-Perthes disease only affecting one hip, but it certainly is possible that she has both hips affected. There isn't any way to diagnose Legg-Perthes disease except x-rays. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine her to determine if her pain is coming from her hip or another location. If it appears to be her hips, they can then take x-rays to determine what is going on. I am attaching a link to a handout on Legg-Perthes disease below for you. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2529 Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Bella feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Intermittent, painful lameness in dogs of her breed is often related to slipping patella, hip problems (for the hind leg) and sometimes elbow dysplasia (for the front leg lameness). A visit at your local vets is recommended. Full clinical examination should allow making the diagnosis and starting treatment, if required.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Sansa. I have to agree that a cruciate ligament injury at this age would be highly unlikely. You should take her to a veterinarian in your area to have her leg evaluated. There are many causes for lameness in puppies including injury to soft tissue or bone, nutritional bone disease, among other causes. Your vet can get a detailed history, perform a physical exam, perform an orthopedic exam of the leg and then advise a diagnostic and/or treatment plan based on their findings. They may advise some x-rays to evaluate the leg and get a better idea of what is going on. Good luck with Sansa

Poor Scobie! It is difficult to say exactly what can be wrong with her leg from the photo. Pain can be caused by fractures, nerve damage, or joint issues. I can see from the photo that Scobie’s belly is very big and she is pretty thin. She should be seen by a vet right away to determine what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment.