When you are walking or playing with your dog, there may come a time when they suddenly pull up lame. They could stop moving completely or just have a paw or leg that they refuse to put weight on. It can be difficult to know what to do in these situations as they are so unexpected. Get to know some of the steps to take if your dog suddenly injures their legs or paws.

Don't Force Them to Walk

If your dog gets a sudden cramp and cannot move, do not try to force them to walk. They could have seriously injured themselves or be extremely sore and walking could make that a whole lot worse. 

If possible, gently pick up your dog and carry them to a safe place inside your home. If you are out on a walk, try to call for a ride back to your house. Be careful when you go to pick your dog up though. When injured, some dogs do get aggressive or defensive and may not want to be touched. Approach them slowly and pet them and comfort them first if they do not show signs of defensiveness. Then, you can pick them up safely. 

Check Their Paw for Signs of Injury

When your dog suddenly refuses to walk, one of the most likely culprits is their paw. They could have stepped on something sharp or that cut or scraped the pad of their paws. They could have even gotten something embedded in or in between the pads of the paw. 

Again, if your dog will let you, carefully inspect their paw. Look for signs of trauma like redness or bleeding. If you see something embedded in their paw, you may not want to try to get it out yourself, though; it can hurt your dog which could cause them to react negatively. The embedded object could also cause a lot of bleeding or have caused a more severe injury that it appears. As such, going to a veterinarian or veterinary hospital would be best. 

Allow Them to Rest

If there is no obvious trauma to the paw, the best thing you can do is just give your dog some time to rest. Encourage them to lay down in a comfortable spot. You can sit with them there if you would like and if this will calm your dog down. 

Give your dog a few hours to rest. Sometimes, this will be all it takes for a dog to bounce back to normal. The reason for pulling up lame could have been the cold, a muscle cramp, or simply a twinge that hurt. Should your dog still be lame after a couple of hours, a trip to an animal hospital such as Sylvan Corners Pet Hospital could help the situation.

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