My only qualification is that I've owned and trained working labs for 25 years...so take this for what it cost you....I have zero experience with small dogs, so...

Unless I see trauma of some sort(blood, trouble breathing, obvious pain), I always give it a couple of days. Dogs, like kids are extremely resilient.

Never hurts to take the dog in and at least let the doctor look at it. If he can't find anything obviously wrong it wouldn't be a bad choice to get some nsaids from the vet and let the dog rest over the weekend. If still limping in four or five days then go back and get some radiographs.

My 7 yr old airedale had a limp that wouldn't get better. Took him in thinking something minor and he had osteosarcoma. We just put him down a week ago less than 2 months after diagnosis.

Check for stickers

aggie appraiser said:

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Check for stickers

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Yup. And they can get buried deep.

I have a collie that does this all the time. She'll tweak a leg or foot running around and playing and then act pathetic and limp around a few hours or a day. Then it'll heal up or she'll forget about it and back to normal. I think she's learned it can get special attention and sometimes she even makes a big show of it hoping for more sympathy. My other dogs don't tend to be so dramatic. They'll all also limp if there's a burr or splinter or cut on their pad.

A total disuse of a leg might be something more serious.

Good grief man...I understand your grief and sorry for your loss, but that is an EXTREME example to weigh in on to diagnose a limp.

Point is take your dog in. We thought we had a minor issue and it turned bad.

slammerag said:

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Point is take your dog in. We thought we had a minor issue and it turned bad.

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Politely disagree unless you just have the money to burn. If I took my dogs in every time they limped, I'd have wasted a LOT of money. Only one time did I have a serious issue where it wasn't trauma as I listed above. That time it was an ACL that was in no danger of further injury by waiting a day or two.

Again, I'm no Vet. Just my opinion.

slammerag said:

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Point is take your dog in. We thought we had a minor issue and it turned bad.

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Do you go to the doctor for every headache?

I do. The guy asked if he should bring his dog in for what could be similar to a headache or a sore muscle in humans and you suggested it could be cancer so he should take the dog in.

I'm also a vet tech so I know that 90% of lifted paws that come in are sprain or strains and in the 5 years I've worked there we've had 1 dog with bone cancer and it was a German Shepherd that had all kinds of other issues.

Just don't give your dog any ibuprofen, OP. If money isn't an issue and you've already checked the paw thoroughly for thorns then bring it in and make them take x-rays immediately because they'll probably assume it's a sprain or strain first and if it continues to linger, then they'll take an x-ray.

And we're closed till Monday, although I'm heading up there in about an hour to take care of the boarders, so assuming others are as well, you'll probably be taking it in on emergency.

expresswrittenconsent said:

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slammerag said:

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Thisguy1 said:

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slammerag said:

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Point is take your dog in. We thought we had a minor issue and it turned bad.

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Do you go to the doctor for every headache?

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Let me clarify for you dip***** I didn't say drop what you are doing and take to the vet. I am implying that a lingering limp can be more serious than a sprain or strain. You understand bud?

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So then you actually agree with OP (and others you seem to be arguing with) to wait a few days and see if it goes away before going to the vet?

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That is correct. I made the assumption the dog had issue for a longer period of time.

I apologize for not reading your post completely. The cancer is rare in small dogs. I'm sure your dog will be fine. My outcome, while terrible, probably is not applicable in yours.

My dog limps randomly every couple years. Take him in and get a round of steroids and that with fix it.

Agree with 1990, have duck labs and this happens. Sometimes with yelping, goes away in a couple days. They are very active, like us. If it doesn't go away have it checked. My puppy likes to eat bees. My kids keep saying take her to the vet for a swollen tongue...nah, she'll be fine. I do think she has figured it out at this point.

Sounds like he has it ruff, maybe he got a little husky lol