Knowing When A Dog's Leg Injury Needs Emergency Veterinary Care
Some dogs are particularly prone to leg injuries of various sorts, whether it's the leg itself or the hip. If you have a dog like this, you're probably accustomed to seeing a cycle with these injuries where your dog favors the leg for a few days and bounces back. However, it's important that you remember that leg injuries can potentially be very serious and necessitate emergency veterinary care. Here are some warning signs that you might need to take your dog to an emergency animal hospital right away.
Changes In Behavior
When you're used to your dog suffering a leg injury, you know how your pup usually acts when they suffer an injury like that. If you notice that your dog is acting differently than they usually do when hurt, that's often an indication that the injury could be more serious than you might think.
For example, dogs that are suddenly sleeping more or not showing interest in going out to use the bathroom, those are warning signs. In addition, if your dog stops eating or a typically loving dog becomes shy or aggressive, those are also indications that he or she is in significant pain and should see a veterinarian.
Warm Feeling In The Leg
If you touch the injured leg and feel a hot spot, that's a warning sign of inflammation in the leg muscles. That means your dog likely has a significant injury to that leg. You'll want to reach out to an emergency veterinarian right away for an x-ray and examination to determine if there is any serious damage to the leg.
Whimpering When Your Dog Walks
If you're used to minor injuries with your dog, you've probably noticed that your dog doesn't fuss or whimper when they walk, even when they favor a leg with a minor injury. When your dog has suffered a leg injury and has started not only heavily favoring the leg but also whimpering when walking, you should not waste time finding an emergency veterinarian to determine what's wrong.
The sooner you can get your dog evaluated by an emergency veterinarian, the better your chances will be of a quick and complete recovery from the injury. Left unaddressed, a serious injury could worsen or leave lasting damage. Reach out to an emergency veterinarian near you today for more help and to see what your dog needs to fully recover from the leg injury they have experienced.