Although dogs can't speak, owners can get a general idea of their health status based on their daily behavior changes such as their mental state, appetite, and behavior. Because dogs often move around, their feet are easily injured. How can we quickly check whether the dog walks abnormally?

Bern MountainDog

Examine the dog The dog's lame foot and the dog's leg can intuitively see if there is any cause of pain. First of all, when you find that the dog is lame, check carefully to see if there are different degrees of trauma. It is most common to have something on the pads of the feet. Then there is the crack or redness between the toes, and then whether there is any trauma on the leg and so on. You can do a visual inspection first to see if the problem can be solved by yourself.

Press lightly with your hand on the dog's lame leg to check for swelling or a difference in the other leg. If there is no trauma, it may be a problem under the skin. Stroking and pinching the dog's little lame leg with a little force, and pinching it along the thigh to the foot, whether there is a hard place or a swollen lump. Pay attention to the situation that the dog is sensitive to pull out the leg if it is pinched in one place during the process.

If you're not sure if a certain part of your dog's leg is normal, you can refer to the dog's non-lame leg to see if the other leg has the same structure. Straighten your dog's leg and check for bone or ligament problems. The way to check the dog's joints or ligaments for any abnormality is to forcefully straighten the dog's lame leg. See if the dog resists, if it's not a particularly struggling resistance, it shouldn't be a big problem. If it hurts when you pull the dog, you will definitely struggle.

If no problem is found after all the above checks, let's observe it first. Sometimes it may be a bump on the leg or somewhere on the foot, and neither the ligament nor the skin is damaged. It is difficult to find the cause. After a few hours, it will gradually heal. If the dog is still lame after 4-5 hours, take the dog to the doctor. If you can't walk on both hind legs at the same time, you should take ?? to see a doctor immediately, because it may be a problem with the spine.