My dog started limping suddenly on one leg with no visible injury. There is no cut or swelling that I can see.
Sudden limping without visible injury in dogs is commonly caused by a soft tissue strain or sprain, a thorn or foreign object in the paw pad, a torn nail, a joint injury like a torn ACL, or arthritis flare-up in older dogs. Start by carefully examining the affected paw: spread the toes and check between the pads for thorns, glass, burrs, or cuts. Check each toenail for cracks or breaks. Feel along the leg for swelling, heat, or sensitivity — gently squeeze from the paw up to the shoulder and watch for a pain response. If you find a thorn or debris, remove it with tweezers and clean with dilute chlorhexidine. For a minor strain, restrict activity for 24 to 48 hours (leash walks only for bathroom, no running or jumping) and see if the limp improves. If the dog is not bearing any weight at all on the leg, cries out when the leg is touched, the limping gets worse over 24 hours, or there is visible swelling or deformity, see a vet within 24 hours. A suddenly non-weight-bearing limp in active or large breed dogs can indicate a torn cruciate ligament which requires surgical repair.
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