Canine Leg Injury Causes, Treatments

Dog leg injuries are fairly common as most dogs are frisky active creatures and these injuries can be mild to extremely severe.



Mild injuries, if left untreated can cause a lot of damage later on and even prove fatal. The first indication of an injury is the gait of the dog. A dog front leg injury is symptomised by the dog throwing its head upwards whenever it is forced to put weight onto the affected leg.



A dog hind leg injury on the other hand is clearly indicated when the dog seems to instinctively lower its head when the injured leg must bear weight. However, if it drags its leg around, it need be due to an injured leg; rather it could be a sign of a neurological injury. If you notice a stiffness in the leg, it could as much be caused by arthritis as by a leg injury.



Hence it would be advisable to consult a veterinarian immediately if you notice these symptoms. Canine leg injuries involve a great deal of pain and you may want to keep a close track of your dog’s movements , especially when it gets up, jumps, climes stairs or refuses to indulge in play as it usually does.

If your dog trusts you well, you may attempt to gently palpate the leg and use your fingers to check for injury or breakage. Do remember though that if the pain is severe, the dog may bite you. Check for any swelling at the injury site or on the feet. If you cannot be sure, use a soft measuring tape to measure the girth of its legs. If there is any amount of bleeding, an injury should be easy to spot except in the case of long haired dogs, and especially those with brownish red coats. If you suspect an injury, use your fingers gently and push the hair in the opposite side of growth as you work your way up its leg. The injured area is likely to have matted and bloody fur and it would be advisable to consult your vet to clean and bandage the wound. A dog leg sprain occurs when trauma or damage occurs to the tissues which support a joint. These tissues or ligaments as they are called may incur mild to severe damage in the case of a sprain and an x-ray can be used to determine the extent of damage.