My Havanese suddenly won't walk on her front paw. What's wrong?

It sounds like Hannah may have injured her paw. This could be due to a foreign body like a grass seed or foxtail, she may have stepped on something sharp, or she could have a strained ligament. I would rest her for the next 48 hours. No running or jumping, take her out to toilet on a lead only and bring her right back in when she's done. Keep her as quiet as possible. If she is still in pain after 48 hours or the pain seems to get worse, then I would take her into a vet for an exam. Do not give her any human pain medications, many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. The vet can prescribe her pain medications if needed.

Hi! Thanks for entrusting us with Dolly’s care today! Lameness can be a sign of a few things that range from a muscle sprain to even a fracture. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian so that this can be further assessed which will likely include radiographs. Treatment will be dependent on findings though at the very least pain control medications can be prescribed. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

If you’ve checked her paw and it’s normal she may be holding her foot up because she has injured her knee and doesn’t want weight on the leg. Knee injuries are common and when first injured dogs hold it up like you are describing. If it’s a knee injury it can heal with rest if the cruciate ligament isn’t fully torn, if it is torn then she may need surgery to repair it. I recommend leash walks only for potty breaks for a week. If she isn’t using the leg normally after that time then please bring her in for and exam and diagnosis. If she’s currently painful then certainly bring her in right away so they can find the problem and get her on pin medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pup.

It sounds like Hazel hurt herself tonight outside. I would rest her tonight. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a leash, and bring her right back in when she's done. If she still appears painful in the morning, then I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. She may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

Hello. Mopsy is definitely in pain, otherwise she would be using the paw. She may have somehow sprained her foot/leg. or she may have torn a nail close to the quick. It may be best to have Mopsy examined by your vet so that the origin of her pain & discomfort can be found. Usually these things are pretty simple, but do require some investigating to find the source of the pain. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Layla! If she is still limping I would make an appointment to have her seen by your vet. She may have injured her nail(s) as you described, or she may even have some soft tissue swelling/ irritation or a fracture. If there is a stick/ splinter/ other foreign object in her paw the vet can help remove it and treat it to help prevent infection. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to Layla without consulting with your vet. I recommend keeping her in a crate or in a room where she can't run/ jump on anything and only taking her out for very short bathroom breaks until she is no longer limping. Make sure she's on a leash so she can't run and make things worse.

Poor Gemma! It sounds like she is uncomfortable on her front legs. She could be dealing with any number of issues-I would recommend a visit to your regular veterinarian for a checkup. They can do a thorough physical exam to look for any problems, and may recommend X-rays to check for things like fractures, panosteitis or HOD. Elbow dysplasia can also present in young larger breed dogs. Good luck-I hope Gemma feels better soon!