Dog Limping: Causes, When to Worry and What to Do

What it usually means

Lameness is a symptom of a problem in the muscles, bones, joints or the nerves, tendons and ligaments that serve them. It is not a diagnosis, and a vet needs to examine your dog to find the source.

How the limp started is a useful clue. A sudden limp usually follows an injury, and trauma is the most common cause. A gradual limp more often reflects a long-term or degenerative problem such as arthritis or hip dysplasia. Even a slow-building limp deserves an appointment, since some causes, including bone cancer and hip dysplasia, respond better to early treatment.

The pattern of the limp helps too. With a front leg, a dog tends to lift its head as weight goes onto the sore leg and take a shorter stride on that side. With a back leg, the head drops. Note which leg is affected, whether the limp is constant or comes and goes, and whether it is worse in the morning or after exercise. Many dogs hide a limp at the clinic, so a short video from home is useful.

Common causes

What you can do at home

If the limp is new and mild and none of the emergency signs apply, rest your dog. That means strict calm: leashed bathroom breaks only, with no running, jumping or rough play. Do not give any pain medicine on your own.

If your dog is calm, look at the paw. Check between the toes and the pads for thorns, splinters or cuts, and look at the nails. Work gently up the leg, feeling for heat, swelling and tender spots. Ask a second person to steady your dog, because dogs in pain can bite, and stop at once if the exam hurts. If something is stuck and easy to reach, remove it, then call your vet if the area looks sore.

If you suspect a break or dislocation, do not move the joint, and get to a vet quickly. Carry small dogs with their head and hips supported and the sore leg up, and use a blanket as a sling for dogs who cannot walk.

Never give your dog human pain medicines such as ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin or acetaminophen on your own. In dogs they can cause stomach ulcers and bleeding, kidney damage or liver damage. Book a vet visit for any limp that lasts more than about 24 hours, or sooner if it gets worse.

What happens at the vet

Your vet will ask when the limp began, whether there was an injury, whether it comes and goes, and what you have tried at home. Then comes a gait exam. They watch your dog stand and walk, feel the bones, joints and soft tissue, and move each joint through its range, which can hurt, so sedation is sometimes needed.

X-rays are a common first test. Depending on the findings, your vet may add blood tests for infections such as Lyme disease, joint fluid analysis, ultrasound, or advanced scans such as CT or MRI.

Treatment depends on the cause. Some limps need only rest and prescribed pain relief. Others call for bandages, splints or braces, surgery for fractures or torn ligaments, physical therapy, or long-term care for arthritis. Pain control is a key part of recovery, and your vet will choose medicines and amounts that are safe for your dog. Follow your vet's activity instructions closely, and increase exercise only as directed. Weight management helps many orthopedic problems.

Prevention

Not every limp is preventable, but a few steps help. Use an effective tick preventive to reduce the risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, and ask your vet which product is right for your dog.

Keep your dog at a healthy weight, since extra pounds strain joints. Our guide to telling if your dog is overweight is a useful check. Keep nails trimmed, and keep dogs on a leash outside a fenced yard.

Build up activity gradually rather than jumping straight to long hikes or hard play. If a sporting dog starts limping, rest them until a vet finds the cause. Regular wellness exams catch early joint changes.