My dog has a sprained leg. Is ice or a warm compress better?

Cold or ice therapy is most effective in the first 3 days and only when applied over the exact site of injury (be careful not to damage the skin - ensure ice pack is wrapped prior to application. Pain relief, rest, physiotherpay and chiropractic care can all be very helpful in such cases

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Cold compresses every few hours and strict rest (short walks on a leash only) will be the best way to allow healing after this trauma. However, if in 2-3 days Athena is not back to normal, a visit at your local vets will be recommended. Intermittent lameness like this can be related to a pulled muscle or mild inflammation within knee or hip joint but it could be also due more serious problems, like a torn ligament in the knee, slipped patella and more. If there is no improvement to the cold compresses and rest, your vet will likely recommend x-rays of the leg to make the definite diagnosis and to recommend best treatment for Athena.

Good job, you are doing the right treatment. I like to leash walk them and only go out for potty breaks. Running and jumping can make it worse. I use ice two to four times daily for five to ten minutes. This should improve in a few days. If Ahyoka is not improving then I would bring her in for an exam and X-ray to make sure there is not a broken bone in her wrist. If it's still ill painful they can prescribe pain medication until it heals. I do not recommend giving any human pain medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Ahyoka.

Sorry to hear that Indiana has hurt his leg! It sounds like you're already doing everything you can, with restricting his exercise to rest the leg. If the limp has not resolved after 7-10 days, I would recommend taking him to the vet for an orthopedic exam and possible x-rays, since this would indicate that he may have a more serious problem than a simple sprain or pulled muscle.

Aww poor guy. He may have a muscle sprain. You can apply a cold compress onto the areas that appear sore for 5-10 minute intervals twice a day for next few days. Also limit his activity, don't encourage active play, and leash walk him only outside. If this is just a muscle sprain then he should improve over the next 48-72 hrs. However keep in mind that he should be able to at least move the limb somewhat, there shouldn't be a significant amount of noticeable swelling, and it shouldn't appear to be dangling (possible fracture). These are all signs that you shouldn't wait and should take him in right away. I do not recommend giving him any over the counter human pain medication, because these are not safe for pets due to high risk of acute liver and kidney damage. If he is still limping after that time frame, or getting any worse, then it is best to have your vet take a look at him to make sure he doesn't have more serious internal injuries (ligament injury, hairline bone fracture, dislocation).

Hello. At this point I would ensure that Spirit rests that leg as much as possible. You do not indicate if it is a front or hind leg, but the most common areas to be injured are the wrist & shoulder area of the front leg & the knee or hip area on the hind. I would start using a warming compress concentrating on the shoulder, knee or hip, depending on leg, applying the warmth for 10 minutes 2-3 times a day. I am sure she is uncomfortable, so make sure she is well padded while lying & assist her as best you can. See your vet as soon as possible if she is not improved. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor pup. I would recommend doing daily Epson salt and warm water baths for 5 to 10 minutes to help relieve inflammation and discomfort. However most muscle sprains tend to resolve on their own with light activity within 3 to 5 days. so leash walk Daisy only when she goes outside and don't encourage rough play jumping and running inside the house until she completely resolves. if there is no significant improvement within that timeframe then a more serious internal injury is likely the cause, so a visit to your vet at that time is recommended for further care. Hopefully this is just a muscle sprain and Daisy gets better soon!