What Are The Causes Of Limping And Stiff Joints In Canines?

The following may be the cause of temporary
limping or lameness in your dog. Strained
ligaments, sprains and pulled muscles cause
limping. Rough playing, excessive exercise,
jumping or falling incorrectly can also cause
ruptured ligaments. Car accidents and falls can
also cause bone fractures of the leg, hip or
elbow.

Rest is essential, but if limping persists after
a couple of days, an x-ray should be taken to see
the extent of the injury. The correct medication
should be prescribed by your veterinarian. In no
case ignore the evident dog limping, as even a
mild fracture might become much worse. Small
dogs are predominantly prone to kneecap
dislocation, though this can also occur in
medium-sized dogs.

The kneecap leaves its position, moves to the
side and locks the leg. Usually, hind leg
muscles should stretch and relax, enabling the
kneecap to return to the original position. By
limping, the dog is allowing the muscle to
stretch. If the kneecap does not return to its
original position, this can be very painful for
your dog and a visit to the vet should be made.

An obvious reason for limping would be a cut on
one of the paws. Washing with warm water and
then applying a little ointment will help. Wrap
the paw with a bandage to prevent the dog
licking it. After a day or two remove the
bandage and let the dry air heal it. However, if
it's a serious cut, take your dog to the
veterinarian.

Always check your dog's paws for stickers or
other foreign objects. Insect bites, matted fur,
dried mud, seeds and burrs may also cause your
dog to limp. Be gentle and check that no
infection has started. An inter-digital cyst may
appear if this is neglected. Swelling, lumps,
oozing may occur and need draining. Antibiotics
and medical attention will be needed.

Another issue for dog limping may be overgrown
toenails, or possibly one that has broken.
Normally, an active dog wears down its toenail
running on cement or other hard surfaces. If you
cut your dog's toenails be very careful not to
overdo it. It's best to have your vet do it and
it is not expensive.

Young dogs, 5 - 14 months sometimes have a bone
disease and it can last 2 - 5 months, even more
sometimes. The dog will limp either with the
back or front leg. It's quite common in Golden
Retrievers, German Shepherds, Dobermans and
Rottweilers. After X-rays, mild exercise as well
as glucosamine, painkillers, limping eventually
stops.

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