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Rear Leg Injuries in Dogs: Helping Your Dog Heal
Dogs are active, energetic, and love to play. Unfortunately, some of their favorite activities also increase their risk of injury, especially their legs. Repetitive motions like running and jumping can put a lot of strain on your dog's rear legs. Most of these motions are repetitive, which means that over time your dog is putting continuous stress on their hind legs, and the more your dog moves, the more likely they are to injure themselves. When a dog injures their back leg, it dramatically impacts how they walk and move. Canine hind leg injuries can occur in any part of a dog's leg, including the bone, muscles, tendons, or ligaments.
The hip, knee, and ankle go through a lot of wear and tear. The joints are the most commonly injured in a dog's back leg. Here are some of the most common canine back leg injuries and what you can do to help them heal.
Stifle and Knee Injuries
Knee injuries have become increasingly common among dogs. Due to high activity levels and the natural wear and tear on their knees, dogs are at increased risk of developing cruciate tears, patella luxation, and stifle injuries.
Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL)
Most canine CCL injuries are due to a partial or complete tear of a ligament inside the stifle or knee. Left untreated, this injury can be painful and eventually lead to arthritis. In many cases, Vets recommend stabilizing the dog's injured knee through a corrective TPLO surgery.
Surgery may not be an option for every case, and there are conservative management options for treating your pet's ACL and CCL injury as well. Canine knee injuries can be treated with a combination of physical therapy, rehab, crate rest, and medication. Your pet may also benefit from the rehabilitative support of a wheelchair.
Luxating Patella
Common in small breeds, a luxating patella occurs when a dog’s kneecap slips out of place and then pops back into place. Depending on the severity, a dog’s patella luxation will be graded one through four based on the grading system of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Patella luxation can occur in one or both back legs. Treatment for a luxating patella can range from physical therapy and medication, or in severe cases, may include knee surgery.
Tarsus and Ankle Injuries
Jumping, running, and playing over the years can mean a dog's ankle takes a beating. Here are a few of the most common canine tarsal and ankle injuries:
Achilles Tendon Injuries
Two main types of injuries affect a dog’s Achilles tendon, overstretching or traumatic injury. And degenerative damage caused by repetitive injuries. Signs of a canine Achilles injury include lameness, swelling, and a “dropped” foot in extreme cases. A physical examination is incredibly important for Achilles tendon injuries. Dog splints are often used to stabilize a dog's injured tendon, but in more traumatic tendon tears, the tendon may need to be stitched back together by a veterinary surgeon.
Hock Hyperextension
Hyperextensions typically occur in active dogs and are often caused by repetitive motions like jumping that cause the hock joint to collapse. Left untreated, hock hyperextensions can lead to osteoarthritis and permanent disability.
Ankle Strains and Sprains
Although both strains and sprains are very similar the effect very different parts of the leg:
- Strains: affect a dog’s tendons usually caused by overstretching
- Sprains: More severe, sprains are ligament injuries that can lead to joint damage
Ankle sprains and strains are caused by slipping, falling, jumping, or a bad landing and similar symptoms. A sprain is easily treated by wrapping the ankle and plenty of rest in most cases. But it's essential to visit your vet to rule out more severe injuries.
Other Common Conditions Affecting a Dog's Rear Legs
- Degenerative Joint Disease
- Polyarthritis
- Neurological Conditions
- Osteoarthritis
Solutions for Your Dog's Rear Leg Injury
Dogs with a back leg injury will likely need the injured area stabilized or braced as it heals. If your dog is limping or showing signs of leg pain, always speak with your Vet immediately for treatment. It would be best if you ruled out more serious injury before determining how to care for your dog's injury and the level of leg support required. Here are a few solutions to offer your dog leg support as they heal.
Neoprene Wrap to Support the Hock
Ankle strains and sprains will benefit from light support to protect the joint and help alleviate pain. The Walkin' Hock Hugger is sold exclusively to veterinarians and will support above and below the joint, allowing the tendons and joint to heal. A hock wrap is also great for nighttime use and when your dog's leg needs to breathe when not wearing a splint. For your pet's safety, the neoprene hock hugger needs to be purchased through your veterinarian.
Splint Solutions for the Lower Hind Leg
Your vet will help choose a splint for your pet that will support the injured joint and is comfortable for your dog. Lower leg injuries that require more rigid support and a rear splint is a perfect solution. Splints help to stabilize the joint and lower leg as your pet heals. An adjustable splint is an ideal option for pets with swollen joints legs. This splint style features an adjustable width that will even expand to accommodate a dog's bandaged leg.
