Lameness in dogs

It’s always a concern when you spot your dog limping or hopping on one foot but it’s very common for dogs to be lame at some point in their lives. They may have a strain or sprain or possibly something stuck in their foot. Most times the lameness will just get better very quickly, but sometimes it can be more serious or last longer and your dog will need to see a veterinarian.

Hydrotherapy is commonly used for managing musculoskeletal injuries
©Gillian Calvo

The most common causes of lameness in dogs are the result of injuries such as strains or sprains, a cut or something stuck in a footpad, and injuries to joints, bone fractures or dislocations. Other problems with bones and joints may be caused by an illness or chronic changes to the joints such as arthritis. Some conditions occur more often in certain breeds, in active dogs or in growing puppies.

You might notice your dog suddenly starts limping at exercise, following an accident, or if they have jumped down from furniture. The limping may be due to an injury.

Many dogs become lame over time, and you may not notice it at first; sometimes the lameness will come and go for weeks or months – this most often happens due to an underlying disorder causing pain in muscles, bones or joints.

If you can tell which leg your dog is limping on, first check your dog’s foot. If you can see a small cut or torn claw, your dog may just need a few days’ rest to allow it to heal. If you spot a thorn or other foreign body in their foot, you may be able to remove this carefully with tweezers. A small cut can be cleaned with lukewarm water and gentle soap. If your dog has a sore area, they may want to constantly lick at it – this is not helpful so try to distract them from doing this or cover the area with a loose sock – or put a Buster collar on your dog so they can’t reach their foot. Don’t put bandaging around your dog’s foot as this can cause serious problems if not done correctly. Be very careful handling your dog as they may be sore and there is a risk of getting bitten. If you are unsure, seek advice from your veterinarian.

Although it sounds odd to say, it is often very difficult for an owner to work out which leg their dog is lame on. It may be obvious if your dog cannot put a leg to the ground, but milder lameness is harder to spot. If a front leg is affected, your dog may nod its head when walking. When the affected leg hits their ground, they raise their head up to reduce the amount of weight on the sore leg. Another subtle indication to look for is that the toes/webbing on a sore foot may not spread as much as that on the normal leg when the dog is standing as there is less weight through that leg.

It is not uncommon for a dog to be lame on more than one leg, and sometimes lameness shifts from leg to leg over time.

If you spot that your dog is lame, take several videos of your dog moving at home so that you can show these to your veterinarian when you visit. This is especially important if the lameness comes and goes. Your veterinarian can then see how bad the lameness gets and whether it settles down without treatment.

If your dog will not use the leg at all, or a mild lameness continues for more than a couple of days, make an appointment with your veterinarian. You should also take your dog to the surgery if they are in extreme pain or have other signs of illness such as vomiting and/or fever. Dragging one or more of their limbs can be a sign of a spinal problem and will require immediate treatment.

Your veterinarian will carry out a full lameness assessment to establish what is causing the lameness. This will include:

• History taking – this can give valuable clues to the likely cause of the lameness (if acute or gradual onset, after a fall, exercise, etc).
• Gait evaluation – looking at how your dog moves at walk and run.
• General clinical examination – your dog may be suffering from another condition which may or may not be related to the lameness.
• Detailed examination of the muscle and bones in all the legs.
• A more detailed examination if your veterinarian identifies any areas of concern.

X-rays may be taken, and your veterinarian may need further tests to find out the cause of the problem or the best way to treat it.

When dogs are lame, they move in an unusual way, so your veterinarian will want to observe the way your dog walks, sits, lies down, and moves around. They’ll note if your dog doesn’t put all their weight on one leg, if they hold the leg at an abnormal angle or unusual position or favor one leg over another. Your veterinarian may ask you to encourage your dog to walk slowly, at normal speed and fast walking. You may also be asked to lead your dog in trotting and running.

Veterinarians often use a lameness scale to grade how severe the lameness is. On a scale of 0-5, dogs with a scale of 4 or 5 (holding their leg up for most or all of the time) will need immediate attention. There are also scales that grade dogs on a scale of 1-10 where 1/10 is barely lame and 10/10 indicates non-weight bearing lameness. These scales can be useful to assess the lameness when it starts so that your veterinarian can see if the lameness gets better or worse with time and whether any treatments are helpful.

Treatment for lameness will depend on the cause and can range from rest to medication, physiotherapy and surgery. Early treatment can mean that your dog will recover more quickly, so if you are worried about your dog contact your veterinarian for advice.