My dog's elbow healed, but she still won't use her leg. What's wrong?

Neurologic issues can take time. It is great that she is up and bearing weight on her own, dogs are so amazing. Hopefully she had xrays to look for a spinal/pelvic fracture, collapsed disc space, etc. as these would be important to rule out as well. You will need to give her potentially even months to know what her new normal with be. Hopefully she will at some point be deficit free or only have a mild deficit but it is too soon to tell. Keep working with her. Hopefully your vet has recommended a physical therapy/rehab plan for her. If not, you could request referral to a rehab therapist. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It is hard to say without seeing this in person but this does have the appearance of an elbow callus. Some dogs develop these if they spend a good deal of time laying on hard surfaces. I would consider getting a cytology done on the area to be sure it doesn't have a secondary bacteria or yeast overgrowth, and beign sure that she has thick bedding to lay on, or consider getting some elbow pads, high quality ones are available at https://www.dogleggs.com/front-leg-products/ . You can also try a skin soothing product like this one https://naturaldogcompany.com/product/skin-soother-tin/

Hello, sorry to hear about Mollie. There are multiple causes of pain and lameness in the front legs. One of which includes inflammation of the biceps tendon, most often diagnosed with an ultrasound. Elbow dysplasia which can be composed by 3 different disease processes (elbow incongruity, fragmented medical coronoid process, and ununited anconeal process) which is diagnosed with a CT scan. And any injuries to the wrist or toes often seen with x-rays. Most of these can be treated first with medical management, strict rest, and occasionally a splint or bandage. However, of this is not working for Mollie, then she may need to see an orthopedic surgeon to determine if surgery is necessary. At that time, depending on what the findings of the orthopedic exam are, you may be faced with having to do additional diagnostics. Unfortunately, your insurance may or may not cover these. Speak with your veterinarian about adding more pain medications or considering a referral to an orthopedic surgeon if deemed appropriate. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hello, while I am glad you have been using a good joint supplement, it sounds like your girl needs some more serious pain medication for her osteoarthritis. There are many to choose from, and they can literally give an aging pet a new lease on life. I have literally seen crippled dogs that owners wanted to euthanize become happy, active pets. The first thing to do is see your veterinarian for a thorough exam, blood work & possible x-rays & hopefully start your pet on a medication to ease her pain. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Start doing warm water and Epsom salt compresses several times a day. Try to keep her laying in soft areas instead of tile, concrete etc (easier said than done). She will likely need antibiotics, And these can take a while to heal. There is a product called “Dog Leggs” that you might want to look up that protect the elbows. A few of my patients have done well with these. Best of luck and be patient. They take a while to heal and can be frustrating. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Considering she fell 5 days ago and she is still limping, I would recommend a veterinary check up as medications are likely to be the only way to decrease inflammation and relieve pain/discomfort and speed up recovery. Complete rest is essential as well and even though no fractures are visible, severe ligament or tendon injury can be serious enough to cause the presenting signs. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor Chile! It sounds like your vet did exactly the same treatment plan that I would have done. I would make sure that the vet tested his knee to ensure he hasn't torn his cruciate ligament. This is usually require a surgical repair but due to his age, I would probably recommend to just keep him confined and let the scar tissue develop around the knee to help stabilize it. I would continue strict confinement and the pain meds. If it isn't improving, I would have your vet recheck him. I would also consider getting him on some joint supplements like dasuquin or flexadin. I hope this helps!