Weird limping--- Poor Jack!
My poor guy is on the 15-day disabled list and I think he'll probably be driving me crazy in a day or two for lack of running
A week or two ago, he was sliding after a tennis ball in the hallway and came up holding a front paw in the air. He wouldn't put any weight on it at all, but that only lasted for about a minute. Then he favored it slightly for another minute or two, and then he was fine.
A couple days later, the exact same thing happened: slid for a ball, came up three-legged lame, but shook it off and he was fine.
Then today we were walking on the park and he went to turn funny to shake his head or something and I think he tripped on a stone (I saw a small rock that was freshly overturned right by his foot), and came up favoring the same leg. He sat down holding the paw up, wouldn't walk on it, then favored it slightly and within a minute was trotting along just fine.
Then this evening I threw a tennis ball for him in the grass, he went charging after it, and came up lame again. Once again he was fine after a very short time.
So I'm going to not have him chase anything for a few days to see if whatever it is might heal. I have a feeling he stubbed his toe or hurt a nail or something, because if it were soft-tissue he would not shake it off so fast, and I'd expect him to stiffen up after resting, which he does not.
I tried to feel his feet but he is foot-reactive so that was a worthless exercise. He pulls back if you just touch them, so I can't tell if I'm getting a pain response. I did not feel any heat in any of his legs/ pads/ toes, though, and no soft squishy areas that would indicate swelling.
Can a dog stub its toe?
Poor guy. I don't know how he'll go without playing for a few days, but I think it's for the best. I always worry about him, because he runs so hard.
A week or two ago, he was sliding after a tennis ball in the hallway and came up holding a front paw in the air. He wouldn't put any weight on it at all, but that only lasted for about a minute. Then he favored it slightly for another minute or two, and then he was fine.
A couple days later, the exact same thing happened: slid for a ball, came up three-legged lame, but shook it off and he was fine.
Then today we were walking on the park and he went to turn funny to shake his head or something and I think he tripped on a stone (I saw a small rock that was freshly overturned right by his foot), and came up favoring the same leg. He sat down holding the paw up, wouldn't walk on it, then favored it slightly and within a minute was trotting along just fine.
Then this evening I threw a tennis ball for him in the grass, he went charging after it, and came up lame again. Once again he was fine after a very short time.
So I'm going to not have him chase anything for a few days to see if whatever it is might heal. I have a feeling he stubbed his toe or hurt a nail or something, because if it were soft-tissue he would not shake it off so fast, and I'd expect him to stiffen up after resting, which he does not.
I tried to feel his feet but he is foot-reactive so that was a worthless exercise. He pulls back if you just touch them, so I can't tell if I'm getting a pain response. I did not feel any heat in any of his legs/ pads/ toes, though, and no soft squishy areas that would indicate swelling.
Can a dog stub its toe?
Poor guy. I don't know how he'll go without playing for a few days, but I think it's for the best. I always worry about him, because he runs so hard.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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He probably has a mild sprain that he keeps re injuring. My corgi, Buffy, did this once and she was so stoic that she hid the pain until she tried to exert too much pressure (such as a quick take off ). Unfortunately the only way to heal it is inactivity and for active corgis that is tough. I had ti keep Buffy leashed in the house as well as outside for a week. Good luck. Poor Jack...
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Oh poor Jack! It will be tough! Could he have cut a pad? My Livvy did this recently chasing a ball...I no longer throw where she has to run on gravel as this might be why she cut it. She was fine and came up limping shortly after that and that was the week we were going to Renaissance! But she healed fast and had to go in for shots so I had the vet check and she was good to go! He'll need lots of chewys and fun non chasing toys to occupy his time. Feel better soon Jack! Good Luck Beth!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Maddy & Keke on
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Speedy recovery :)
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Permalink Reply by Judi, Dawn, Soffie & Griffyn on
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A dog can definitely stub a toe. Have a look at poor little Edward, he's in a cast!!
Be careful Jack!! We're starting to get too many on the "disabled" list!!
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Thanks everyone.
I just remembered something. Jack has a wire crate, and even though he no longer sleeps in it, he still runs into it at night for his bedtime half-a-treat. He runs into the crate as he does everything: with great enthusiasm.
Well, a week or two ago, as he was running in he somehow caught his foot on the lip of the crate. He squealed and ran into my lap, something he only does when he's upset, so I know he hurt himself.
I really didn't put it together with the limping thing, as he was not limping right after hurting his paw going into the crate. I checked him over and found no injury at the time, and watched him the next day and he was fine. But he must have either wrenched one of the joints in his leg or hurt his nail bed when he did it, and now when he makes a hard stop (which unfortunately he does whenever he chases tennis balls) he must hurt it again.
I watch other people throw balls for their dogs. Their dogs gracefully run after the ball, pick it up, and bring it back. But Jack charges it full-tilt, slams to a stop and grabs it.
Not chasing balls will be tough for him; he spent half an hour tonight bringing us stuff and asking him to play. He's not much of a chewer and I can't really give him long-lasting treats every day, as he has a weight problem. So I'll try to play more gentle games with him. We got him a new squeaky toy, but that lasted 15 minutes. LOL
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Permalink Reply by Nicole, Stanley and STELLA! on
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Oh no, poor Jack! I hope he gets better soon! I think it's a good idea that you're making him take it easy even if it's small, because just one wrong move can make it that much worse, and if he's in more pain than he's letting on, he might end up hurting something on the side that he's putting more weight on to compensate. Keep us updated.
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Yes, that is my fear that a little nagging injury will turn into something worse. It seems to be happening more often instead of less (his pulling up holding his paw in the air) the past few days, hence the semi-restricted injury. I think he can still handle a walk ok, but no full-speed running and sliding.
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I'm beginning to think (at least around here) that the cooler weather has something to do with all these injuries. My dogs have been running full blast now that it's not so hot!
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Permalink Reply by Edward and Gemima on
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BETH, I HOPE JACK IS OK!!! I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT EDWARD WAS ACTING A LOT LIKE THIS!!! IT HAPPENED ON A WEDNESDAY AND I THOUGHT HE HAD BRUSHED IT OFF BY FRIDAY FOR SURE, BUT HE WAS CONTINUING TO LIMP AND FAVOR THE RIGHT PAW!! FRIDAY I THOUGH IT HAD GOTTEN BETTER, THEN HE GOT ROUGH HOUSING AROUND AND PULLED HIS FOOT UP AGAIN JUST LIKE THE OTHER TIMES!! IS JACK WIMPERING AT ALL WITH IT??? ED WOULD WIMPER SOME AND THEN GET OVER IT!! CRAZY!!! I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THEY HAD TO DO X-RAYS!!! THEN THEY BROUGHT HIM OUT IN HIS SOFT CAST AND I ABOUT FELL OVER!!! HE DID HAVE A LOT OF SOFT TISSUE SWELLING ON X-RAY THO!! LET ME KNOW HOW THINGS TURN OUT!!!!
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No whimpering so far, and the favoring has been short lived. Just took him for a walk and he's fine. If he keeps having issues after a week or two I'll take him to the vet, but hopefully it's just something minor. I think he may have injured a nail bed, actually, but I'm not sure.
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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on
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Try to accustom him to having his feet handled, so you can check the foot for anything like a pad injury, hidden thorn, etc. This should be a routine thing, so he needs to be used to it and wince only for pain.
I admit, I don't check paws often enough -- usually only if I see them licking their feet or limping. Al has had some spectacular pad "flappers" (I posted photos, from soccer on wet pavement I believe), but the lesions from soft sand or snow are quite subtle -- in the soft tissue between the tough pads, looking faintly red, not necessarily eliciting a wince with probing. I've learned that if I don't check paws before a hike or challenge, I might not be able to recognize a paw lesion as something new.
You might try a different kind of ball, like a soccer ball (my current favorite is a lighter water-polo ball). He might have a different style with a different ball, with less quick-stopping -- although I kinda doubt it; Al is a compleat Animal with the ball -- but they can get into just "herding" the ball, rolling it along with their snout.
But it sounds like gentle walking is the thing to do for now.
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