Dogs lead a rough-and-tumble life, and these antics can lead to an injured limb. Injuries and other ailments can cause your dog to favor a limb. Read our guide to learn about four common limping conditions our Stanton Pet Hospital team treats. 

#1: Arthritis may cause your dog to limp

Arthritis is a painful degenerative disease that causes joints’ protective cartilage to deteriorate, leading these bone structures to experience friction and inflammation. Senior dogs, as well as those who have developmental conditions, have an increased arthritis risk. While your dog may favor a limb, other potential arthritis signs include stiffness, especially after resting, difficulty or awkwardness when navigating stairs, hesitancy to jump on or off elevated surfaces, decreased interest in interaction and activity, weight gain, and increased resting time. No arthritis cure exists, but the treatment and care we provide at our facility and you provide at home can help manage your dog’s condition. Arthritis care includes:

  • Weight management — Excess weight places extra strain on sore, inflamed joints, and keeping your dog at a trim body condition is necessary to help alleviate their pain. 
  • Pain medications — Pain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can help alleviate and control arthritis pain.
  • Monoclonal antibody treatment — A monthly injection is available to help manage dogs’ arthritis pain.
  • Supplements — Our team may prescribe joint supplements, such as omega 3-fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin, to help promote your dog’s joint health.
  • Home management — You can make changes to your home to help improve your arthritic dog’s quality of life. Consider accommodating your arthritic dog’s mobility by doing the following:
    • Providing orthopedic bedding to support their painful joints.
    • Placing ramps or stairs near your dog’s favored elevated resting spots, so they don’t have to jump.
    • Placing rugs or mats on slippery surfaces to provide traction.
    • Elevating food and water bowls, so your dog doesn’t have to crouch in a painful position to eat or drink.

#2: A torn nail may cause your dog to limp

Dogs often have torn nails, and such an injury can be extremely painful if the tear extends into the sensitive quick. In many cases, the nail also bleeds excessively. If not treated appropriately, a torn nail can get infected, and because the quick is attached to the bone, infection can lead to serious complications. Torn nail first aid includes:

  • Restrain your dog — Even the best-behaved dog may bite when they are in pain, especially if you are manipulating the affected area. Have someone hold your dog while you evaluate their nail, and consider using a muzzle to help prevent your dog from injuring you or your helper.
  • Stop the bleeding — Wrap your dog’s paw in a towel or gauze, and apply pressure for five minutes. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, you can use cauterizing powder or a styptic pencil to help control the bleeding. Baking powder or flour can also staunch bleeding.
  • Remove the damaged nail — Use clippers to gently remove the damaged part of the nail. If you are unsure which part of the nail is damaged, or if your dog is too painful to cooperate, contact our Stanton Pet Hospital team, and we can evaluate your canine friend’s foot.
  • Protect the area from bacteria — Clean the injured toenail area well, apply antibiotic ointment to the exposed nail bed, and wrap your dog’s foot to prevent infection. Change the bandage daily until the area is no longer sensitive.

In many cases, a dog who has a torn nail can benefit from a veterinary visit to ensure the area doesn’t get infected. By examining your dog’s toenail injury, our team can determine whether your furry pal needs pain medication and an antibiotic to treat infection.

#3: Cranial cruciate ligament injury may cause your dog to limp

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injury is one of dogs’ most common reasons for hind limb lameness. The CCL is an important canine knee joint stabilizer, and trauma can injure the structure. However, more commonly, the CCL becomes damaged because of gradual degeneration over months or years. CCL injury can affect dogs of all sizes, ages, and breeds, but some breeds, including rottweilers, Newfoundlands, Staffordshire terriers, and Labrador retrievers, are at an increased risk. In addition to a limp, other CCL injury signs include difficulty rising from a sitting position, muscle atrophy over the affected side, swelling on the inside of the shin bone, and a clicking or popping noise when the knee moves. Surgery is typically the most effective CCL injury treatment because it is the only way to stabilize the joint and help prevent arthritis. The most popular surgical technique is tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), which involves cutting and rotating the bone to make the knee more stable. The bone’s new position is held in place using a bone plate and screws. Most dogs recover well from CCL surgery and return to their previous fitness level.

#4: Lyme disease can cause your dog to limp

Lyme disease is a debilitating tick-borne illness transmitted by the western black-legged tick. The parasite must remain attached to your dog for at least 24 hours to transmit the disease. Lyme disease signs include lethargy, mild fever, joint swelling, enlarged lymph nodes, and shifting limb lameness. Signs typically don’t manifest until two to five months after a dog has been infected. Blood tests can determine if your dog has been exposed to Lyme disease. Treatment involves antibiotic therapy for at least four weeks. In some cases, signs return once antibiotics are stopped, and treatment must continue for several months. To reduce your dog’s Lyme disease risk, follow these tips:

  • Checking your dog — Check your dog for ticks daily, especially after they have been outside. Ticks can attach anywhere on your canine friend’s body, but common hiding spots include in the ears, the groin, and the armpits, under the tail and the collar, and between the toes. 
  • Removing ticks — If you find a tick on your dog, remove the parasite as soon as possible. Using fine tweezers or a tick key, grasp the tick as close as possible to your dog’s skin. Apply firm, steady upward pressure until the tick releases. Clean the area well, and ensure you have removed all tick parts.
  • Providing tick prevention — Provide year-round tick prevention to protect your dog from ticks and the diseases they carry.
  • Lyme vaccine — Ask our team if your dog is a good candidate for the Lyme disease vaccine.

Contact our Stanton Pet Hospital team if your dog is limping, so we can determine the cause and get them back on all four limbs as quickly as possible.