Our Bernese Mountain Dog, Hogan, had a very noticeable limp in his front right leg this past Saturday. We felt his paw and leg all over and he didn’t cry or even really flinch when we touched him. Sunday morning, it was totally gone.

Sara
Alexandria, VA

Limping is one of the most common problems I am asked to assess. There are many causes of limping in dogs.

Soft tissue trauma–strains, sprains, and pulled muscles–is the most common cause of limping in dogs and cats in my experience. Limping due to these sorts of mild injuries usually resolves with a few days of rest.

Young (less than two years old), large dogs are subject to a syndrome called panosteitis, or growing pains. Panosteitis causes intermittent limping that often shifts from one leg to another. Panosteitis generally resolves over time. Many dogs with growing pains require no treatment. Others need anti-inflammatory medications or other types of pain killers.

Bernese Mountain dogs are predisposed to certain hereditary conditions that can cause limping. Elbow dysplasia can lead to early arthritis and limping on the front legs. Wobbler syndrome, in which the spinal column develops improperly, can lead to limping especially in the rear legs.

Older dogs are at risk of degenerative joint disease, also known as arthritis. Arthritis can lead to chronic or intermittent limping on multiple legs.

If Hogan’s limping has resolved and not returned, you probably have nothing to worry about. However, chronic or recurrent limping is a solid reason to see the vet.

Read more about limping at my website:

http://drbarchas.com/limping

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A couple of days ago this blog covered limp tails in dogs. Among canine companions, swimming and over-wagging are common causes of strained tails.

Most cats aren’t big-time swimmers (although there are exceptions), so swimming isn’t very likely to cause tail problems in feline friends. Cats also don’t spend much time wagging their tails, so they also aren’t prone to straining their rear appendages by over-wagging.

Cats can, however, suffer from a number of syndromes that cause their ordinarly erect tails to become droopy. I was reminded of this when a cat with a limp tail came to my office a few days ago.

Feline tails are frequently injured after they are stepped on, shut in doors, or rolled over by rocking chairs. These sorts of injuries can lead to serious tail trauma (fractures or neurological damage) as well as mild bruising and pain.

Cats with access to the outdoors often get into fights with other cats. These fights can lead to skin infections known as abscesses. If an abscess begins to develop on or near the tail, the tail may go limp.

Problems with the anal glands may cause limp tails in cats. The anal glands, located (as the name implies) near the anus, may become infected or painful. This may cause the tail to become limp. An anal gland infection was the cause of the limp tail in the cat I saw the other day.

Syndromes that infrequently cause limp tails in cats include bladder infections, neurological disorders, and certain tumors.

If your cat’s tail has suddenly gone limp, your best bet is to see the vet immediately.

Photo: Karma Kitty’s tail looks healthy.

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