If you notice that your dog is limping which resulted from a possible injury, the best advice is to contact your veterinarian immediately. However, it is not always easy on the bank account to call the vet every time you think your dog is hurt.
Because they are so active and enjoy running outdoors, sometimes a limp can be the result of just a mild bruise and will not need medical attention. But how can you know for sure whether or not his leg is in serious condition? Your job is to investigate and find out which part of his body is having trouble and pinpoint the pain. You can do this by following the steps below:
1. Take a look at your dog closely when he is standing still. If his leg is injured then he will lean away from the leg that is hurt in order to put pressure on his stronger limb. For example, if he has pain in his left leg, then he will lean to the right and put his weight on his other three limbs.
2. Observe how your dog walks. The injured leg will actually step shorter than the rest. You may notice that his head will bob up and down which is a sign that he is using his body to take pressure off of the injured area.
3. If you are still unsure of where the injury is at, simply use your hands and give a light massage to your dog’s extremities so that you can pinpoint the pain. You’ll know you’ve found the right spot as soon as your dog winces or cries out loudly.
4. If you can get past his hairy coat, take a look around for any kind of discoloration of the skin or swelling.
Once you have found the spot in which your dog sustained an injury to, your next move is to determine whether or not to take him to the veterinarian. If it appears to just be a bruise or a slight strain, then you may not have to go as far as a hospital visit. However, we want to advise you that under most circumstances, if not all, contacting your veterinarian should be the number one priority.
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