By Dial A Vet Veterinary Team
"Lameness" is the word vets use for any abnormality in how a dog walks: limping, holding a leg up, stiffness after rest, a bobbing head, or reluctance to jump into the car. Some lameness is obvious from across the room. Some is so subtle only a careful exam or slow-motion video picks it up. Understanding the type, timing and severity of your dog's lameness gives your vet a head start in finding the cause.
Key takeaways
- Lameness is any abnormality in gait or weight bearing, including limping, stiffness and reluctance to move.
- Non-weight-bearing lameness, sudden severe pain, or lameness after trauma needs a vet the same day.
- Common causes vary by age: growth disorders in puppies, ligament injuries in active adults, arthritis and bone cancer in seniors.
- In Australia, sudden hind leg weakness can be a sign of tick paralysis or snakebite, which are emergencies.
- Never give human pain medicines such as ibuprofen or paracetamol to dogs.
Types of lameness
- Weight-bearing lameness: your dog uses the leg but shortens their stride, bobs their head or shifts weight.
- Non-weight-bearing lameness: the leg is held up or only toe-touches.
- Intermittent lameness: comes and goes, often worse after rest or exercise.
- Shifting lameness: moves from leg to leg, which can suggest joint inflammation affecting several joints.
- Stiffness: often worse when getting up after rest and easing after walking, typical of arthritis.
How vets grade lameness
Vets often use a simple scale, similar to this:
- Barely noticeable, seen only at a trot or on a hard surface
- Mild, visible at a walk
- Obvious at a walk, with a clear head bob or hip hike
- Severe, putting only a little weight on the leg
- Not putting the leg down at all
Tracking this score over time helps your vet judge whether treatment is working.
Common causes by age
Puppies and young dogs
- Panosteitis: a painful bone inflammation in growing large-breed dogs that can shift from leg to leg
- Elbow and hip dysplasia: abnormal joint development, common in Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and Rottweilers. See our article on hip dysplasia in dogs
- Osteochondrosis: cartilage problems in the shoulder, elbow, knee or hock
- Luxating patella: a kneecap that slips out of place, common in small breeds, causing skipping steps
- Growth plate injuries from trauma
Active adults
- Cruciate ligament rupture: one of the most common causes of hind limb lameness. Read our article on ruptured cruciate ligaments
- Soft tissue sprains and strains after exercise or play
- Paw problems: grass seeds, cut pads, torn nails, interdigital infections and burns from hot surfaces
- Fractures and dislocations after falls, car accidents or rough play
Senior dogs
- Osteoarthritis: stiffness after rest, reluctance to jump, slowing down on walks. See arthritis in dogs
- Bone cancer (osteosarcoma): most common in large and giant breeds, often causing persistent lameness with swelling near a joint
- Spinal disease: disc disease or degenerative conditions causing weakness or wobbliness
At any age
- Immune-mediated polyarthritis, often with fever and shifting lameness
- Infections of bones or joints
- Nerve injuries
Australian emergencies that can look like lameness
- Tick paralysis: weakness or wobbliness in the back legs, a change in bark, vomiting or breathing difficulty. Common along the east coast. Search your dog thoroughly and go to a vet immediately.
- Snakebite: sudden weakness, collapse, trembling, dilated pupils or blood in urine. Keep your dog still and go to the nearest vet.
- Disc disease: sudden back pain, a hunched posture, or dragging the back legs.
When to see a vet
Emergency:
- Not using a leg at all, or crying in pain
- An obvious fracture, wound, swelling or limb at an odd angle
- Lameness after being hit by a car or falling
- Sudden weakness in more than one leg, collapse or breathing difficulty
- Suspected tick paralysis or snakebite
Same day or next day:
- Lameness with fever, lethargy or loss of appetite
- Swollen, hot or painful joints
- Lameness that has not improved after 24 to 48 hours of rest
Routine appointment:
- Mild, intermittent stiffness, particularly in older dogs
What to do before your appointment
- Rest your dog. Restrict exercise to short toilet breaks on a lead. No running, jumping or stairs.
- Check the paw for grass seeds, cuts, swelling or broken nails, if your dog allows.
- Record a video of your dog walking and trotting on a lead, from the side and from behind. Lameness often disappears in the excitement of the vet clinic.
- Note when it started, whether it came on suddenly or gradually, and whether it is worse after rest or exercise.
- Do not give human pain medication. Ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin can cause serious stomach, kidney and liver damage in dogs.
How vets find the cause
Your vet will watch your dog walk and trot, then examine each leg, feeling the paws, joints, bones and muscles and moving each joint to find pain, swelling or instability. They may also check the spine and nerves. Depending on findings, they may recommend X-rays, joint fluid testing, blood tests, ultrasound, or referral for CT, MRI or arthroscopy.
How lameness is treated
Treatment depends on the cause and may include rest, prescribed dog-safe pain relief and anti-inflammatories, weight management, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, joint supplements, or surgery for cruciate ruptures, fractures and some developmental disorders. Our article on dog limping covers first steps in more detail.
FAQ
My dog is limping but not in pain. Should I wait?
Dogs often hide pain. If a mild limp has not improved after a day or two of rest, see your vet.
Why is my dog lame after resting but fine after walking?
Stiffness that eases with movement is typical of arthritis.
Can a grass seed cause lameness?
Yes. Grass seeds often lodge between the toes and cause sudden lameness and paw licking, especially in spring and summer.
Does weight affect lameness?
Extra weight puts more strain on joints and makes arthritis worse. Keeping your dog lean helps.
Talk with a vet
A Dial A Vet veterinarian can watch a video of your dog walking, talk through the history and help you decide how urgently your dog needs to be examined. Book a Dial A Vet consult. Non-weight-bearing lameness after trauma, or sudden weakness that could be tick paralysis or snakebite, needs an in-person vet immediately.
References
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version): Bone, joint and muscle disorders of dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Cranial cruciate ligament disease in dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Tick paralysis
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase: How can I protect my pet from ticks?
Disclaimer: Educational only. This page does not replace an examination or advice from your own veterinarian. If you are worried about your pet right now, contact your local vet or nearest emergency animal hospital.