When to Get Emergency Care for a Limping Pet

Usually, veterinary treatment for your pet’s lameness can wait until the following business day. However, if you are limping, you should go right away to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.

Pets with lameness symptoms needing urgent care

Go to the hospital emergency room if your canine companion exhibits any of the following symptoms:

  • Dragging a limb
  • Not bearing weight on a limb
  • Extreme lethargy
  • Uncontrollable bleeding
  • Excessive swelling
  • Excessive vocalization
  • Abrupt worsening of a limp

If your pet has minor lameness, as well as worrying signs like vomiting or diarrhea, they may require emergency treatment for the primary cause, and not necessarily the limp.


Lameness causes in pets that require emergency care

Pets can become lame for a variety of reasons, some of which require prompt medical attention. Although a muscle strain or sprain should be taken seriously, you do not need to head straight to the nearest emergency room. However, some conditions do necessitate urgent care, such as:

  • A fractured limb
  • Paresis or paralysis of one or more limbs
  • A deep or large wound that will not stop bleeding
  • A venomous insect or snake bite
  • A car accident
  • A dog fight

Despite the fact that some of these circumstances may not seem to cause much harm, they could still lead to internal problems that need to be treated. For instance, you might believe that your pet, who was hit by a car, is fine if all they have is a little road rash on their legs and a slight limp, but a thorough examination might reveal damage to their liver, spleen, kidneys, or bladder, necessitating intensive hospitalization.

A pet that has been bitten by another animal is another scenario where emergency care is necessary. Small holes are all that are left after a puncture, but the wounds spread infection very quickly. In addition, a pet that grabs and shakes your animal can seriously harm the underlying tissues, which can quickly worsen.

Determining whether your four-legged friend who has become a three-legged pet needs emergency care can be difficult. So, give our team a call to discuss your pet’s condition, and we can advise you whether they need emergency treatment.