Why is my 8-month-old puppy suddenly limping and sensitive to touch?

Poor Charlie. There are several reasons why they can limp and have a painful leg like a broken toenail, a sprain (soft tissue injury), a small or large fracture, and even a dislocated joint. Your vet will be able to localize the pain and take X-rays if needed. Your vet will be able to get him in an anti-inflammatory that you can give with the tramadol. Your vet will also likely recommend strict confinement to help him rest so it can heal. If there is a fracture, your vet may recommend a splint. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Charlie! Causes of limping can be just from a strain or a sprain, but other causes could be fracture or ligament tear. If resting doesn't resolve the limp I recommend having your Vet examine Charlie. I do not recommend giving him any human OTC pain medications. I hope this helps and I wish Charlie a speedy recovery!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Charlie. Limping means he is in pain. That paw pad does look a bit swollen. I recommend resting him for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a leash, 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. I hope this helps!

Hi! Thanks for entrusting us with Luna's care today! Poor girl! Lameness can be a sign of a few things that range from a muscle sprain to even a fracture. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian so that this can be further assessed which will likely include radiographs. Treatment will be dependent on findings though at the very least pain control medications can be prescribed. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Charlie. I am sorry to hear that he has been limping. He will need to see his veterinarian. He could have damaged a ligament in one of his knees, he may have developed arthritis or he could be experiencing a soft tissue injury such as a muscular strain. The examination will hopefully tell his veterinarian where he is painful and it can be decided of x-rays are needed. In the meantime, I would give him strict rest. No walks, avoid stairs as much as possible and do not allow him to run or play. This will allow his body some rest. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medication as these can be toxic to dogs or interfere with prescription pain medications. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Charlie sounds like he is having an issue that comes and goes. The most common causes of lameness in his back legs at his age are a ligament tear, knee cap luxation (moves out of its normal groove), followed by a foreign object stuck in his paw. It is also possible that he simply strained a hip muscle. No matter the case, he needs to be evaluated by a vet to determine exactly which. He may just need a little rest and anti-inflammatory therapy, but a sedated exam and radiographs may be needed to rule out significant disease that could need surgery to fix. Do not give anything over the counter for his discomfort as those medications can be quite harmful to Charlie. Keep him from running around and playing too hard until you can get him in to be evaluated by a veterinarian. While I'd recommend having him seen as soon as you can, his condition should be okay to wait for a day or two if you can't get into your vet right away. However, if his pain is unbearable, you may want to take him to an emergency vet tonight. Hope this helps, and I hope Charlie gets to feeling better soon!

Poor puppy. At this stage Reese needs images taken of his entire leg to pinpoint the problem area and get a good game plan together on how to help improve his mobility. He may have a ligament tear in his knee or even a congenital defect of the bone that wouldn't otherwise be known about if not for radiograph imaging. It's best to schedule an appt with your vet soon to get some solid answers about Reese's leg. I hope things improve soon.