What Causes Dog Limping?

Just as with people, there can be a multitude of
reasons why your dog is limping at any
particular time. Chances are, he simply pulled
or strained a muscle or tendon in much the same
way as humans might do during exercise. If you
see your dog limping for the first time, it's
usually nothing to be alarmed about and almost
always will go away in a day or two. However,
you should be concerned if you see this process
happening over and over. This is especially true
if it seems the dog is limping regularly on the
same leg.

It's not very common in younger canines, but in
older dogs the onset of dog arthritis can begin
happening around 10 years of age. Osteoarthritis
is a degenerative joint disease that affects both
dogs and humans in the same way. The problem
causes the cartilage tissue inside the joints to
become thin and as it wears away the bones are
allowed touch. When this happens, the nerve
endings within the living bone tissue cause
severe pain as they rub together.

Unfortunately, there is virtually no cure for
arthritis in dogs. If you see your older dog
limping on a regular basis, there is very good
chance he or she is suffering for this joint
disease. The only way you can be sure this is
the problem is to take your dog to the
veterinarian for a complete diagnosis. The vet
will know what to check and be able to tell if
in fact there is a problem with arthritis in the
joints. If this is the case, he or she will
suggest possible treatment alternatives for
helping your dog cope with this progressive
disease. There is no stopping it turning it back
once it begins. But there are things pet owners
can do to make the dog more comfortable and
decrease the effects of this horrible disease.

The number one thing you can do to help your dog
who is suffering from dog joint arthritis is to
provide it with enough exercise. It may seem
counterproductive to have your dog exercising on
arthritic joints, but this exercise builds muscle
tissue which in turn stabilizes the joints. This
stability brings about less stress to the joint
as it is properly held in place during movement.
We muscles tend to allow the joints to move about
in ways that cause additional pain. However, make
sure you do not give your dog too much exercise.
If after exercising your animal is limping on a
regular basis, then you know you have overdone
it and need to ease up on the effort somewhat.

Once you find the right amount of exercise to
provide your dog, it's quite possible you will
see the limping problem greatly decreased in a
few months. Just as with humans, it will take
time to build up muscle strength before you will
see results. Therefore, if your dog is limping
and you want to use exercise as a treatment
option, be aware it can take several months of
regular workouts before the benefits are seen.

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