Why Do Dogs Act Lame Sometimes?

Dogs limp due to a number of reasons. If your dog has difficulty walking, consult your veterinarian immediately. As a dog owner, you should have a basic knowledge of why dogs limp.

Lameness in dogs is fairly common. The range of causes could include a wide swathe of causes, beginning from chronic conditions and ending in trauma. Limps can be classified into two kinds: sudden onset limp and gradual onset limp. The latter happens slowly over a course of time. The sudden onset limp happens swiftly, like after a trauma caused by injury. You should inform the veterinarian about whether your dog has started to limp all of a sudden or it was a gradual process. This knowledge will help the veterinarian reach the correct decision when it comes to treatment. The specialist can also figure out whether it is a kind of veterinary emergency.Do understand that immediate care is a must for dislocated joints or broken bones. Damage in the nerves could conceal a spinal injury or a serious neurological condition. You must get your canine to the veterinary emergency room in-case the dog betrays signs like unnatural angle break, swelling, dislocation or dangling limb or hot limb.Underlying chronic conditions result in gradual onset limps. These can be dysplasia or osteoarthritis. Do not delay the veterinarian's appointment since your dog suffers from a gradual limp. The causes of this pain could be hip dysplasia or bone cancer. It is better to treat these diseases sooner than later.

Injuries to the paw are the most common cause of lameness. This may happen if any sharp object gets lodged in the foot. The list of detrimental objects includes foreign bodies like plant matter, glass, nails, and thorns. These not only make your dog's walking an uncomfortable exercise, but also cause infection. Animal bites or insect stings could result in limping and tenderness. If your dog is hurt by a foreign object, then it will constantly lick the affected area. Trauma could cause lameness in canines. This may stem from causes like ligament tears, sprains, and dislocations. Things could be so bad the dog will be unable to put any weight on the affected limb.A few causes like joint disease result in the gradual tear on the musculoskeletal and joints system. Limping is the result. The list of limping related causes includes elbow dysplasia, osteoarthritis, and hip dysplasia. Other underlying diseases include osteochondritis dissecans, patellar luxation, invertebral disk disease and ligament disease. Joint pain could also be caused by Lyme disease. The causal list may include bone diseases too. Younger animals, especially the bigger ones like large breed puppies could develop conditions like panosteitis, which make walking a torture for your pet.