My dog has started limping

[BNM1980]

Yesterday I noticed that Blake had a sore paw. It is difficult to examine it closely, because he won't let me, but form what I've seen the paw itself (front right) looks fine.

 

This morning the limp has become much more noticeable.

 

What do you suggest?

[juliepoudrier]

If you are unable to examine the foot closely yourself to try and figure out what's wrong, then a visit to the vet is probably in order (and even if you could examine it, unless it's something obvious like a torn pad or broken toenail, then you'd still need to see the vet). If a vet visit isn't possible, for now you could restrict him to crate rest, going out only on leash to go potty, and see if it improves after several days of very limited use.

 

J.

[BNM1980]

It's odd because the injury seems to have happened while he was in his crate over night. We came back from a long hike and he was fine and went into his crate. Then, in the morning, he was limping. At first I just thought his leg had "gone to sleep" because it was the one he was lying on, but then the limp persisted and worsened.

 

I've since looked closely at the paw. Just from his reaction to palpation, it is definitely the paw, and not the rest of the leg, that is tender.

 

The nails are quite short, due to running on concrete, but not down to the quick. Everything else looks fine.

 

Blake sleeps in a rather odd way, sprawled out on his back with his legs extending, sometimes so that his legs poke through the bars. I though maybe he got his foot caught between the bars of his crate overnight and twisted his foot freeing himself.

 

A third explanation for a limping dog, something suggested online, is that he has achy joints due to a tick-contracted disease. About 2 or 3 months ago, he was in fact mobbed by ticks after a long romp in long grass.

 

I'll keep him crated for the next few days and see what happens.

[juliepoudrier]

If you think there's any chance he might have a tick-borne disease, then you should take him to the vet and at least get a Snap-3 or Snap-4 (if they have it) test. It's a heartworm test that also checks for certain TBDs, including Lyme and Ehrlichia (I think the Snap-4 may include RMSF). It does sound like an acute injury, and your supposition about how he might have done it makes sense. If the limping continues or seems to "shift" from one leg to another, then definitely have a TBD test done. Because I'm in a tick-infested area, I just automatically do "spot checks" on my dogs throughout tick season.

 

J.

[BNM1980]

Last night, while I was looking at his paw, he gave a horrible yelp. I started to wonder if something were broken.

 

But this morning the limp is barely noticeable, and he seems rearing to go, though I'm going to keep exercise to a minimum for a few days anyway. Like you said, it must be an acute injury.

 

Thanks for your help, Julie.

[BNM1980]

Oh no! The limp is back with with a vengeance. Is there any way to get a general idea of what's wrong without going to the vet.. to see if I actually need to go to the vet?

[bc4ever]

Go to the vet.

[WildFlower]

I have to second the going to the vet suggestion. At this point, I think it is worth a visit.

 

Good Luck and keep us posted!

[Maralynn]

Oh no! The limp is back with with a vengeance. Is there any way to get a general idea of what's wrong without going to the vet.. to see if I actually need to go to the vet?

 

Go to the vet. You have a young, active dog who is going to be using those feet for a long time yet!

 

My rule of thumb is to check them over really well at the first sign of a limp - looking for cuts, swelling and thorns. If I don't find anything I rest them for a day or two and if things don't improve or get worse, get to the vet.

[BNM1980]

Today Blake's limp seems to have disappeared. The leg is still tender, because he occasionally holds it up off the ground. But he is walking on it, and would run on it to if I'd let him. He is also much more tolerant of me touching it.

 

What do you think?

[Liz P]

If you own a dog you are responsible for taking it to a vet when it is hurt or sick. We can't tell you what is wrong with your dog over the internet.

[BNM1980]

If you own a dog you are responsible for taking it to a vet when it is hurt or sick. We can't tell you what is wrong with your dog over the internet.

 

How unbelievably sanctimonious of you.

 

But tell me, if this is the view you take, what is the purpose of a Health and Genetics forum? What is it for, if not for people to determine whether a visit to the vet is in fact necessary? That is all I am doing. By asking the question, I am simply putting some trust in the knowledge base of these forums, something you apparently are not prepared to do.

 

So please, don't tell me what my responsibilities are, as if I stood in need of moral correction. To anyone with a modicum of good judgement it should be obvious that if I were not living up to the responsibilities of dog ownership I would not have started this thread in the first place.

 

Save your schoolmarming for those who deserve it.

[Liz P]

You have asked multiple times if you should go. People have responded and said that yes, you should and days later you are still asking the same question. This forum is not for diagnosing health problems and should never take the place of a visit to a qualified veterinarian. It is good for sharing experiences, advice about choosing dog food, flea and tick meds, for discussing genetic disease and for advice on where to go for treatment but not for a diagnosis. My only intent is to help your dog.

[BNM1980]

You have asked multiple times if you should go. People have responded and said that yes, you should and days later you are still asking the same question.

 

It is not the same question at all, as you would know if you had read this thread more carefully.

 

Let me spell it out for you.

 

Going to the vet has been advised on the condition my dog is limping.

 

for now you could restrict him to crate rest, going out only on leash to go potty, and see if it improves after several days of very limited use.

J.

 

My rule of thumb is to check them over really well at the first sign of a limp - looking for cuts, swelling and thorns. If I don't find anything I rest them for a day or two and if things don't improve or get worse, get to the vet.

 

If my dog had starting limping, and then stopped, my question would have been answered: I have just been advised that if your dog stops limping after a few days of rest a visit to the vet is unnecessary. However, my dog's limp manifested one day, lessened the next, worsened on the third, and disappeared altogether on the fourth. Whether a visit to the vet is necessary in view of this anomaly has not yet been answered.

 

But your failure to comprehend this simple fact is really beside the point. If, having properly understood the situation, you still think I should go to the vet, then please, by all means tell me so. I want to hear your opinion. It's is why I asked!

 

What I don't want, thank you very much, is a schoolmarmish reminder of my responsibilities.

[Anda]

If he starts limping again, take him to the vet.

[Jimmyd65]

Take your dog to the Vet.

[juliepoudrier]

have just been advised that if your dog stops limping after a few days of rest a visit to the vet is unnecessary.

BNM,

I just want to point out that while I suggested crate rest, it's not necessarily a cure per se. It's a means of trying to determine the severity (for lack of a better word) of the problem. I have a lot of working dogs and they do sometimes injure themselves. I usually will give it a few days (based on my own experience over time with these sorts of things, and only if I can't determine an obvious cause or an obvious need to see the vet, then I'll try rest first). Soft tissue injuries and even things like dislocated toes can seem to be cured after a few days of crate rest only to return with a vengeance when the dog resumes normal activity. I had a dog with intermittent lameness that I eventually had treated by the vet, but at the same time I put her on *three weeks* of strict crate rest (and actually, because she was getting injections over the course of several months, she was also on strict crate rest for a week after each injection). The lameness disappeared, and I'll never know if it was the treatments or the crate rest, though I suspect the latter, because although I had rested her some before that, I was not terribly diligent about it. I had talked to a number of folks with working dogs who had had similar problems and all required extended periods of crate rest before they saw complete improvement. So just a heads up that lack of lameness after a few days of crate rest, followed by a reappearance of the lameness after normal activity is resumed, would indicate a visit to the vet or a much more extended period of strict crate rest (if for some reason you don't want to go to the vet). Honestly, I think if it keeps reappearing after a few days or rest, I'd go on and go to the vet for an exam.

 

J.