# Sprained leg? What to do?



## Rachell2313 (Feb 6, 2013)

My 5 month old was playing with the neighbors dog like she does every day when I noticed she wasn't being herself and not running or jumping and just laying down. I brought her home and at first she wouldn't put any pressure on her back leg and was hopping then an hour later she started walking with a slight limp. But every time she gets up fast and jumps off the couch or something it goes back to a heavy limp for just a few minutes. Now she's laying down and looks sad and isn't really getting up much. I tried lightly feeling along her leg to see if she'd yelp at a certain spot but she didn't. I didn't wanna press too hard because I have no idea what I'm doing. Im a first time mom  help! 


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## Rachell2313 (Feb 6, 2013)

And going to the vet is not an option for tonight so what else can I do to help? I'm definitely not going to the emergency vet and spending thousands if she seems pretty content and will wait for my regular vet 


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

She will cry only if you stretch her leg, but you don't have to go to the vet. Nothing really you can do, time only will heal it, all depends how serious, could be a month, could be two. Don't walk, only short potty walks, out and in again. Don't try to bandage it, it will affect blood circulation. Don't massage, or apply any painkilling creams, let it rest.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

As David, said, let her rest. Restrict activity, do you have a crate or exercise pen to keep her in until you can see the regular vet? You can also compare the injured leg to the other non-injured leg and see if there's swelling or anything different.


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## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

When I am looking for a serious injury these are the steps I take to determine my course of action:

1. Swelling - not just the leg the toes the elbows the shoulder
2. Heat - same thing toes to elbows to shoulder and in between
3. I lightly squeeze from toes to shoulder moving up just slightly from previous spot to see if they try to pull away, wince, or yelp. 
4. Test movement, like if she were walking or stretching or extending leg / shoulder / elbows etc. If I feel clicking its time to head to vet (except in my arthritic dogs but I know what arthritis click is versus something being broken)

Puppys are pretty hardy and they bounce back quickly, sometimes over night you may notice tomorrow morning she is just fine... Watch her, restrict activity and see what she does and go with your gut


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