Dog Limping
 

I have a 2yr old Golden Ret. He started limping on his front left side Thursday afternoon and Friday mornign and is still doing it tonight when I got back from hunting.I have checked his paw 2 or three times and can't find anything. There doesn't seem to be any swelling anywhere and he doesn't act like anything is hurting him when I run up and down his leg. He only limps when he is walking. He runs, jumps, chases, retrieveslike nothing is wrong. He even loaded in my boat on the trailer tonight and jumped out on the side where the sidewalk drops off in my yard which is probably 4ft.(may be oneof the problems)

Any suggestions on what it might be? Something I can check that maybe I missed? How would I be able to tell if it was arthritic w/o a $100 trip to the vet?
THANKS

RE: Dog Limping
 

Lay him on his side and check his flexibility in all joints one at a time. Compare with the other front leg. Stretch the leg completely out, and then bend completely back in. They won't always whine, but might show a little wince, so watch his face. If he gives you any resistance (trying to pull the leg back away from you, ect.) let him be for a little while.

Feel the shoulders extensively. When he's sitting, extend the leg by the paw foward and then tuck the leg back. Check inbetween his toes for anything that could have gotten lodged in there.

If he or his family has a history of arthritis, it might not be a bad idea to start him on glucosomine.

If he seems too painful, or winces it wouldn't hurt to just go for an x-ray. I've seen dogs that completely dislocated their shoulders and hips and run on them, but seldom walk.

RE: Dog Limping
 

Do what's best for the dog. If he is limping for more than a day or two and you can't find the problem TAKE HIM TO THE VET.

RE: Dog Limping
 

well said hikenhunter!

RE: Dog Limping
 

dogs get sprains..just like us..i would not go to vet,save your money..

take him for walk on leash and watch him..dont hunt him for a week..give him ababy aspirin if you think he is in pain,if not, it should go away with rest and walking..

vets are charging way to much anymore..i raised dogs 35 yers ago and we did not run to vet everytime dog had problem..but ,if you got money to waste and you think its something they can do, then go..

most likely they will not do thing to help other than charge you..dogs get hurt and from my experience raising dogs,most problems on 2 year old dog go away..

i had friend whose dog was 13 years old..he kept throwing up and was starting to fall..i told him that dog is ready to go to dog heaven..its part of life..he got mad at me and said, he is sick and i am taking him to vet..

well, 650 dollars vet charged him and then said, oh ,he has cancer..duh!!yes, when dog is ready to go they get cancer etc..its part of dieing..vet said, make him comfortable..vets know when you come in door,what is wrong with dogs..

oh well..on 2 year old dog, i would not be rushing him to vet..watch him, rest..take care..

RE: Dog Limping
 

Personally, I would take him to the vet. If your child starts limping would wait and see before you went to the ER?Wouldyou takea chance that something could be seriously wrong and risk a more serious injury? You have a responsibilty which you accepted when you purchased/rescued the dog. It could possibly be a deep ligament tear and unless your an expert in ligament tears I would seek help.

My $.02

RE: Dog Limping
 

Well I tried all the bending and strecthing with no reaction from him what so ever. Good thing is his limp is going away for the most part. I walked him a good bit yesterday and this afternoon and he seems to be getting better. I think he may have stoved it up or maybe sprained it. I'm with sproulman on running to the vet. If he was getting worst or not running around at wide open speeds I would be more concerned. Other than the limp he had while walking he was doing everything else as normal.Vet is $100 everytime I walk in the door. Ilike my vet alotbut gezz. I have an F250 with a 6" liftand35" tires,he is jumping in the back of it with no problem. When he hesitates doing that I'll know something is up.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll keep you posted if something happens.

PS..Yes if my kid has a problem I would take him to the doc...but my dog is a dog not a human!

RE: Dog Limping
 

Well I tried all the bending and strecthing with no reaction from him what so ever. Good thing is his limp is going away for the most part. I walked him a good bit yesterday and this afternoon and he seems to be getting better. I think he may have stoved it up or maybe sprained it. I'm with sproulman on running to the vet. If he was getting worst or not running around at wide open speeds I would be more concerned. Other than the limp he had while walking he was doing everything else as normal.Vet is $100 everytime I walk in the door. Ilike my vet alotbut gezz. I have an F250 with a 6" liftand35" tires,he is jumping in the back of it with no problem. When he hesitates doing that I'll know something is up.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll keep you posted if something changes.

PS..Yes if my kid has a problem I would take him to the doc..but my dog is a dog not a human!

RE: Dog Limping
 

Hey OBF250, does your dog jump out of the back of your pickup also. Seriously, this could be the problem. When they land after jumping off of something high, the front shoulders take a lot of pressure.

No problem jumping in, but I would privide a ramp or just lift him out.

RE: Dog Limping
 

No way in the world would I let a dog jump in/out of a vehicle that high.



.

RE: Dog Limping
 

The tail gate on my truck is only 5" higher than a stock z71 chvey with 285's on it which most of the bird hunters I know have and their dogsjump in and out every time. He's not jumping off a mountain. 19-20 times he gets out it in the dirt also. Some of the junk they jump over and run around/through in the field is alot worst on them than jumping in and out of my truck.

RE: Dog Limping
 

Well, believe what you want. One of my best friends trains labs for Field Trials. These dogs are pure athletes and they train hard, several times a week. He will NOT let his dogs jump out of the back of his pickup. Jumping in is not an issue. But jumping out, all their weight comes down on their front shoulders in an unnatural position. Completely different than in the field.

Do what you want, it's your dog. Just trying to help.

RE: Dog Limping
 

truck/vehicile is no.1 area a dog gets injured according to vet info i read..overweight dog jumping out of of truck also is another reason..

women like to get their dogs nice and fat,they OVERFEED them until they look like seal..that is a good reason for hip/joint problems..my sister overffeds her dogs until they almost blow-up..they get cancer,hip/joint problems from that..now she is trying to make my dog fat, i catch her throwing 3 hotdogs at my dog,then i yell and she gets mad..

WEIGHT is main reason for health/injury problems followed by genes..

i lift my dog to ground from my truck but my dog got injured falling thru a brush pile he walked on..he limped for 3 days BUT ran around fine..

hard running dogs get injured..

nice looking dog you have also..

RE: Dog Limping
 

Thanks!
I agree. Jumping in and out of the truck is a spot where a dog can get injured. But I've seen more injuries occur in the field than on the tail gate of a truck.Fat dogs do get injured more in the field and truck. My dog could get in a body building contest right now. He is lean and mean! No weight problems. My brother in law has his mom and dad and they both came from good genes. Especially in the joint department. Thats one thing we both looked at when he was picking them out.

RE: Dog Limping
 

I was going to suggest to you that he may have a pulled shoulder ,My brothers beagles show the same limp with no apparent reason.
He came to the conclusion it was their shoulder.

RE: Dog Limping
 

is your dog still limping? If so you should bring him for a check at the vet. Is that $100 really going to break the bank? It probably costs that much to fill that truck in gas

RE: Dog Limping
 

salty, most of time its waste of your money to go to vet for limp..i used to give my beagles a baby aspirin back in 60s..they would limp sometimes for 2 days ,then disappear and it would come back again..mostly this was with older dogs..

i have dog right now that his joints CLICK and snap..you should hear it..somedays it real bad,others nothing..vet said,NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT..

my sister had dog that was old,it would fall down and throw up every once in awhile..i said, SIS, DOG IS READY TO DIE..she got mad at me and said, what do you know..

well, she went to vet and bill was over 600 dollars..i said, whatttttttttttt..

then vet said, make him comfortable, he has cancer,duhhhhhh..

ANYHOW, i would be concerned if dog limped for a week, but just for a few days,no way..this is only my opinion,not saying you are wrong on going to vet..

RE: Dog Limping
 

that is what I am saying... I wouldn't bring him to the vet if he limped for 2 days but if it lasted for a week and got worse obviously I would want to know what is going on with him.