Ever noticed your dog limping after laying down ? There may be a number of reasons for what’s bothering your precious pooch. Luckily, not all of them are serious, but being aware of the signs and symptoms of a more serious afflictions is important to guarantee the long-term health of our furry friends.

If your dog is limping after laying down, there are a few initial questions you need to consider. How long has he been doing this? Is he in perfect health otherwise? Sadly, our pets can’t speak to tell us what’s wrong, so it’s up to us to observe them in order to discover how they’re hurting and figure out if it’s time to call the vet, or whether the issue can be easily treated with dog supplements for joints, or other simple remedies.

Is my dog just stretching?

Your pooch stretches after sleeping, when he lazily drags one or both feet back behind him is common, and shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Most dogs will do this at one time or another, to the amusement of their owners.

Dogs’ legs can also fall asleep in the same way that our legs can and If you’ve ever had a dead leg, you’ll know that it happens every now and then, but goes away very quickly with a little stretching and movement once your blood starts pumping again. This is completely normal and can happen to dogs of any age. In this scenario, you’ll notice your dog may bite, yap, or lick their leg to wake it up again, especially if he’s a little sensitive. If this is the first time it has happened and it goes away quickly, a dead leg could be the reason for his limp. But this shouldn’t happen every day; if it’s happening frequently and the limp is occurring for longer periods of time, it could be something more serious than a dead leg.

Is it more serious?

Call the vet immediately if your pup is suffering from the following:

  • A dangling limb
  • Excessive swelling in the limbs
  • An obvious break (limbs may look like they’re sitting at an unnatural angle)
  • Ongoing vomiting, seizures or any other serious symptoms
  • Your dog goes completely lame out of the blue

You should restrict your dogs’ movements completely if he is lame or if you seriously suspect broken limbs.

Why is my dog limping after laying down ?

Your dog could be limping after laying down for a number of reasons. Some are easily remedied, while for others, there may not be a simple solution.


Some of the most common reasons for your dog limping after laying down are:

Ligament or joint injury

If your dog is limping after laying down, he may have a ligament or joint injury, particularly if your dog is young and quite active, and likes running around.

Symptoms:

To diagnose this, check your dog all over, paying attention to legs and joints, gently pressing on their legs, knees, hips and thighs. If any part of their legs are sensitive or causes them to yelp, they may have a ligament or joint injury.

Treatment:

If your pooch has a fracture and tends to be very active, it’s important to check out an injury such as this. If you have an active dog, you’ll know that it takes a lot for them to slow down, but walking or running around can make the injury much worse. Take your dog to the vet for treatment, and try to limit their physical activity (if you can!). If your fur baby is not walking and is reluctant to move at all, or has other symptoms, act quickly. It could be something more serious.

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common reasons for your dog limping after laying down, especially for senior dogs, however, younger dogs can also be affected. In fact, 3 out of 5 dogs experience early joint issues. And remember, dogs are classified as “senior” when they reach 7 years of age.

Symptoms:

If your dog has arthritis, you’ll notice a gradual-onset limp which starts as just a little stiffness and progresses to a limp that lasts longer and longer, or happens more frequently after your pooch gets up. You may also notice a change in his pace or gait, and swelling at the joints. He may be less active, and may be reluctant to get up and move around as much.

They may get up slowly, with difficulty, and move with small, restricted movements. Sadly, this is because it is painful for them to move, however the longer they walk, the better they will feel, as their joints will become lubricated with fluids, making it easier to move.

Treatment:

Arthritis can be heartbreaking to watch in our most beloved furry friends and sadly, there is no cure. But it’s easy to treat and make symptoms much more manageable with dog supplements for joints. Countless customers have found that supplements like our Hip & Joint Soft Chews which contain glucosamine, which is vital for the formation and repair of healthy cartilage, can help drastically to lessen their dog’s pain from arthritis. Our chews also contain MSM which helps block pain, Vitamin E, which encourages cell growth, and liver powder blend which ensures the supplements taste so good your pooch will gobble them up.

It’s also still important for your pooch to get regular exercise as they get older. They may not be able to walk quickly, or walk for as long as they used to, but this can help lubricate their joints and allow them to walk more easily.

Massage and dog acupuncture may also help ease arthritis pain, although it is best to take your pet to a professional; you don’t want to hurt him!

Paw injury

Your pooch may also have a paw injury, particularly if you’re quite active. No matter where you live, it’s easy to get things stuck in the paws; leaves, seeds, branches, thorns or even glass can easily become wedged in the spaces between your dog’s paw pads. The paw pads themselves can become damaged after walking on hot or rough surfaces. It’s important to get these injuries treated quickly, as they can lead to infection (and must be super uncomfortable for your furry friend!).

Symptoms:

Your dog may be holding up his paw more than usual, licking his paw and limping. You may be able to see what is in his paw just by examining it. Check in between the paw pads, as well as on the pads themselves. If your pup has something in his paws, he may not like you touching them. Even when examined, small thorns and glass may be hard to spot in his paws. Your dog may also have been stung or bitten by an insect. Again, this may be hard to spot, but may be recognizable by spotting swelling in the paws or feet.

Treatment:

Take your dog to the vet where he can get the injury treated, and he may be given antibiotics if necessary.

Other causes of your dog limping after laying down

There may be other causes of your dog limping, such as muscle pains, or even Lyme disease, other auto-immune illnesses, sprains, or spinal injuries. If your dog is suddenly completely lame, take him to the vet immediately. When you’ve noticed some strange lumps or bumps on your dog while inspecting him, these could be cysts or tumors which are causing pinched nerves, and should also be inspected by a vet.

If you suspect your dog has arthritis, our dog supplements for joints can help. Our Hip & Joint Soft Chews help strengthen joint tissue and encourage collagen production, allowing them to live a happier life, free from pain. Best of all, they only need one per day. Our supplements are 100% natural and are made from local ingredients.

Read more here about how our dog supplements for joints can help your fur baby live a happy, healthy life!

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