My Saint Bernard is limping and breathing heavily. What's wrong?

Sasha is so cute, but I'm sorry she's doing poorly! If she is limping, she is breathing heavily, trembling, and panting a lot, this can be a sign she is in pain. This would explain why she couldn't even go up the the stairs. If she's finally laying down and isn't showing any of this signs you described in your post, I would keep an eye on her for now and make an appointment for her with the vet in the morning. Now if these symptoms you are describing are continuing, then I think having her seen by a vet now would be best. In this case, please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

I see that Lexi is Lab, which is considered a large breed dog. Large breed puppies can be prone to a condition called hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which is an inflammation of the long bones. It will cause intermittent lameness, and this could be the cause of Lexi's current lameness. I would take her into the vet on Monday for an exam. The vet can do x-rays to confirm if she does have hypertrophic osteodystrophy or not. There is no cure for it, but most puppies recover on their own after a couple of episodes. In the meantime, take Lexi out on a leash only, no running or jumping, and keep her as quiet as possible.

Ruby could be have hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which is a disease of the front limbs of large and giant breed dogs. It causes sudden lameness, and yes I would take her into the vet today. The vet can do x-rays to confirm she has hypertrophic osteodystrophy. It typically resolves on it's own, but she would benefit from some anti-inflammatory medication for the pain, and likely needs cage rest.

I really feel that Lexi needs to have a full veterinary exam to determine what has happened. From the pictures, one possibility is that she is adjusting how she sits to extend the injured leg out - if she is not putting any weight on that leg then she may have broken it, or injured a ligament. There are also a couple of illnesses that can occur in a young growing dog, thses can be diagnosed with an exam and xrays. If she is limping she should have pain relief - Do not use any human medicines as these may be toxic to her.

Josie is precious and I'm sorry to hear that he's not feeling well! It's possible that he's in a considerable amount of pain, as this could be causing not only his limping, but also his lethargy, appetite loss and heavier breathing. It's possible that his runny nose and drooling are associated with heavier panting or nausea. However, it really concerns me that you're seeing this labored breathing. While pain is certainly a very possible cause, other issues, like congestive heart failure, pneumonia or other forms of heart disease could also be causing these breathing changes. At this point, you really do need to take Josie to an emergency vet for evaluation. After a physical exam, the vet will be able to recommend any necessary diagnostic tests, which may include x-rays of the affected leg and/or his chest. Based on all of those results, they'll be able to determine the best course of treatment. This is not a situation that can be managed with home remedies. I hope that he's feeling better soon!

Poor Chieco! He could have injured himself on that last step during his walk today, leading him to limp and breath heavily (this can be an addition sign of pain). The pain may have gotten worse over time, eventually causing the limp. I recommend resting him for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a lead only, and bring him right back in when he's done. If he still appears painful after this time, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. He may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I hope this helps and Chieco feels better soon!

Jst keep him as rested as possible, prevent him from running and jumping as it will probably get worse if he does. Human pain killers are not safe for dog so you will have to wait for the vet appointment in order to give him any meds.