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Lameness in dogs is often the sign of a painful condition, such as a pulled muscle, broken bone or sprained ligament. Some limps require emergency veterinary attention as the injuries causing the limp may be the result of a serious accident or trauma.
In this way, what happens when a dog goes lame?
Lameness (or limping) in dogs can be caused by several underlying reasons. Lameness is typically in response to injury or abnormal anatomy and your pet may or may not be in pain. Lameness can affect just one leg or multiple legs, and can be constant or come and go.
- Rest and confinement.
- Seek medical advice.
- Change your dog's diet to accommodate their inactivity.
- Take your dog swimming.
- Don't apply dressings or bandages to the lame leg.
- Adapt your home to keep your dog comfortable.
- Keep an eye on the affected leg.
Also to know, can lameness in dogs be cured?
Very often there is no cure, so careful management of the condition under the care of a vet can help improve the quality of the dog's life. Most reputable breeders now do screening for the conditions to help reduce the chance of it being inherited. Lameness in older dogs is often due to arthritis setting in.
When to Call the Vet In general, it is usually better to play it safe and schedule an appointment with a veterinarian for a limp that lasts more than a few minutes, but as with people, dogs seem to have a knack for getting hurt outside of normal office hours.