Why is My Old Dog Limping?

Like humans and every living thing, a dog will also show signs of deterioration as they get older. The cellular activity inside a dog’s body that helps them sustain life and stay replenished slows down as time progresses. Different dog breeds come with susceptibilities to different conditions and vulnerabilities. 

Humans selectively bred dogs across generations to serve certain purposes, mainly encompassing herding and protection. This means that dogs bred for service were stronger, faster, and lived healthier lives. The problem began when humans became less dependent on canines and started breeding them for mere cuteness and visual appeal. This transpired into a whole industry of selectively inbred dogs so that breeders could maintain the deformed features of the dogs that were in demand. Inbreeding gave rise to the purebred standard of dogs, which meant oddly shaped dogs with shorter front legs or back legs in almost all homes with dogs. Dogs that share the least distinction from the physical characteristics of their oldest ancestor, “wolf,” have a history of diseases and problems. In other words, the healthiest dog breeds are moderate in height, with a long muzzle and balanced body structure. Dog breeds that have an uneven body shape are vulnerable to degenerative joint disease, bone disease, and other problems in their skeletal framework that leads to limping in dogs. Moreover, other alarming breed-related problems include various heart conditions, such as high cholesterol and high glucose levels. Mastiff breeds or larger-sized dogs are most vulnerable to heart conditions, the reason being excessive fat accumulation.

This occurs when dog breeders allow genetically related dogs to breed with each other. The generational toll that it has is drastic. Offspring of inbred dogs are likely to develop a range of different problems.

Whether your dogs are purebred or mixed, they can still develop a limp as they get older. There is no cure for the aging process, and the impacts of earlier injuries and stress start to show as the dogs get older. Aging is one of the most common causes of limping in dogs. A dog’s age can be the determining factor of leading causes of limping, such as osteoarthritis and injury that causes joint pain. 

Regardless of what your dog may be suffering from, the biggest reason for a limp is pain. A limp is nothing but the mere response to pain that a dog may be experiencing in their back leg, shoulder joint, front leg, elbow joint, or any other part of their bone. 

When your dog begins to show signs of a limp or lameness, it can be difficult to figure out the cause. The best option is to take them to the vet. In terms of causes, either it can be something minor like a thorn stuck in the paw, or it can constitute something major such as a paw injury, ligament disease, or more. Below are some of the common causes of limping in old dogs and their treatments. 

To understand arthritis, you must know about the biological mechanics of a joint and how they allow dogs a full range of motion –a joint consists of the two ends of a bone that connect with the help of synovial fluid. Synovial fluid is the essential liquid inside the joints that keep the bones from rubbing against each other, ultimately preventing damage and reducing friction from the ligaments at the end of the bone. Dogs at an older age have a higher chance of suffering from osteoarthritis; this is the type of arthritis in which a dog’s cartilage begins to deteriorate and exposes the bones to rub against each other. In this type of arthritis, the dog will have discomfort in its joints and display difficulty in walking. It can also cause swelling, tenderness, and stiffness of the joint, and it is likely to worsen as the dog gets older. 

Arthritis does not have a permanent cure; however, there are some preventative measures that you can take today to avoid the onset of arthritis when your dog gets older. Veterinarians will advise you to keep your dog at an ideal weight. Maintaining the weight of your pet will reduce the added stress from their front leg and back leg and the joints, especially when you take them for a walk. Other treatments take the shape of medication that the veterinarian prescribes. This medication can be anti-inflammatory supplements, painkillers, and other holistic therapies such as CBD for the onset of joint pain. 

If your dog is limping, then keep in mind that limping in dogs can also be a result of an infection. Some causes of a dog’s limp come from a microbial invasion from the outside instead of internal problems. For example, Lyme disease is one cause of your dog’s limp at an older age. To prevent your dog from Lyme disease, keep them away from ticks since they are the major hosts that carry the bacteria responsible for the disease. Veterinarians cannot stress the dangers and symptoms of Lyme disease. The transmission of this disease inside a dog’s body means that it will multiply in number. Joints are the most common places that this bacteria attacks. For this reason, a dog with the onset of Lyme disease is likely to limp, which can also result in nasty and infectious arthritis. If you do not take them to the vet immediately, the infection will worsen. 

Hip dysplasia is one of the most common bone diseases that you find in canines. It also contributes to the development of osteoarthritis in the hip joint. A hip joint comprises a ball and socket joint, which is a type of joint that allows a full range of motion. In hip dysplasia, the hip joint begins to develop abnormal formations. Commonly, when a vet will conduct X-rays of a hip joint and notice a loose formation of the ball and socket, this will be indicative of hip dysplasia. Because this condition affects the joints of a dog, it can lead to osteoarthritis. Bigger dog breeds are more likely to develop hip dysplasia, which can cause limping in dogs. A dog may also display an awkward walking stance. 

In some cases, your dog may develop a lump. Besides, this leaves you wondering whether it is serious and should you be worried. Before you do anything, you must take your dog to the vet to confirm whether it is a tumor or just swelling. In this case, you want to make sure that you assess the lump in terms of size and the time it takes to grow. You also have to see whether that swelling is firm or soft.If your large dog breed begins to grow swelling in their elbow region, which continues to grow in size and firmness, then this may be a sign of elbow hygroma, which is a dangerous condition that can lead to severe consequences, such as pain and limping. 

Looking at your dog’s limp is a hard sight to bear. Hence, you must learn how to examine your dog’s limp so that you can make a better judgment on the cause of your dog’s behavior. The first thing that you must do if your senior dog is limping is to locate the affected region. Find the part of the leg that is troubling your dog. Once you spot the specific region, you can examine whether your dog is suffering from a minor injury or something worse. 

Assessing your dog is not easy if it is limping. Spotting the affected limb is the job of a professional veterinarian. This is because many dogs will compensate for the pain on their front paw by limping from their back legs. The best way to assess your dog’s limp is to slightly hold each limb of your dog one after another and try to observe their reaction. If your dog reacts by pulling away or squealing when you touch one of its legs, you have likely located the point of injury. If you rule out any signs of injury, you can try and stretch the limbs of your dog to see if they react. If they show any signs of restriction in mobility, then this may lead to an internal problem of the joint such as bone disease or arthritis. In this circumstance, you must take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. 

Make sure that you are getting the best treatment for the dog, especially in conjunction with all the home remedies. Home remedies may include some sort of supplementation and consistent and moderate exercise. 

Before you put your dog on any kind of therapy or treatment plan, you must talk to your vet about it. 

Apart from the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs, you can also make changes to your dog’s home routine, including their lifestyle and supplementary intake that can make their condition better and mitigate the pain, which is causing them to limp. 

Keeping your dog at an ideal weight is the simplest thing that you can do at home to prevent the onset of arthritis and other diseases that can cause a limp. To do that, make sure that you are not overfeeding the dog and provide them regular exercise. 

Supplements can be amazing for your dog’s health. Your dogs need adequate nutrients to be at their healthiest. Moreover, each dog breed has a different requirement.It is impossible to provide the perfect meals for your dog that cover their daily nutrient need. This is where supplementation helps, and you can use them in combination with their meals. 

CBD or Cannabidiol is a naturally existing compound that you can find in marijuana plants. Contrary to some beliefs, CBD is non-psychoactive and carries many health benefits for dogs and humans suffering from pain.CBD can be your best choice for the pain problems that your dog faces. This is because CBD oil has properties that alleviate pain. Anecdotal pieces of evidence suggest that it is one of the best holistic remedies for pets with arthritic pain.It not only treats pain but also can potentially improve your dog’s mood, resulting in better behavior. You can find CBD calming oil that specifically aims to relieve the stress and anxiety of older canines.

Observing your dog grow old and change its behavior pattern is, therefore, a tough pill to swallow. We still should provide them with the best necessary care to continue giving them comfort, nonetheless.

If you rule out any signs of injury, you can try to stretch the limbs of your dog to see if they react. If they show restriction in mobility, then you must take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. 

Provide them with comfortable surroundings to ease their anxiety. Make sure that to fulfill their nutritional and medicinal requirements. Also, most importantly, make sure to continue the specific treatment that the vet prescribes. 

A dog begins to enter old age when it hits the 11 years mark. At the brink of 7 years, the dog begins to depict some signs of slowing down. They will not possess the same energy levels as they used to do. However, this should not concern you, as it is part of a natural aging process.