Dr. Thomas and Dr. Riehl have worked extensively in veterinary emergency rooms. They have seen pets limping for the following reasons:
- Stepped on a bee
- Broken bone (usually after traumatic event)
- Ligament injury (usually affecting the knee)
- Sores on pads or foreign body between pads
- Arthritis/Dysplasia
- Rattlesnake bite
- Bone cancer
- Bite wound
There are many other reasons for limping but these tend to be the most common. A very thorough exam should be performed to differentiate between these causes in order to treat appropriately. In many cases, an x-ray may be recommended to evaluate the bones and look for joint effusion.