Determining The Cause
If you think you know which leg is involved, try to identify the specific site.
- Start by examining the nails, between toes, and footpads for cuts, punctures, torn nails, or red and swollen areas.
- Carefully feel the leg from the toes up. Locate areas of tenderness, heat, and swelling by applying gentle pressure.
- Flex and extend all joints from the toes to the shoulder or hip for pain or resistance. Lack of easy movement or resistance is a sign of joint pain, which will be evident when the dog attempts to pull the leg free.
- If you aren’t sure if something you feel is normal, compare it to the dog’s other leg.
Determining If There Is Lameness
- History is important: When did it begin? Is it getting worse or better? Did the lameness appear suddenly or was there an event that caused injury?
- Which leg is involved? A dog often holds up the paw or places less weight on a painful leg, especially one that has recently been injured.
- The dog’s head bobs up on the painful side and down on the side with the good leg.
- A dog usually takes shorter steps on a painful or weak leg.
- With chronic lameness, the dog may take very short strides with no noticeable limp. This is also true if more than one leg hurts, such as with arthritis.
- With neurologic conditions, patients often take short, choppy steps or long, lopey strides that can appear as if their legs are drunk.
