My dog fell playing ball, yelped, and is now limping. Is it serious?

Question

Hi there, my 6 year old dog and I were playing ball. And he went to catch it and fell, he yelped and is sore. He is usually energetic but for the last day he has been sluggish and whiney. He's in pain obviously and I don't know if it is something to be concerned about or maybe he just pulled a muscle?

Christie Long, DVM · Accepted Answer

It's certainly possible that he strained a muscle, however other possibilities include a full or partial tear of the cranial cruciate ligament in the knee, which is just like an ACL tear that we hear about in people. If he's completely lame, i.e. limping heavily or not putting any weight on the leg at all, this could be the case. You can confine him for 24 hours to limit his activity, and see if the rest improves the situation. However if he's still lame despite rest, take him in to see your vet. Also, please don't give him any human pain relievers, such as Advil, as dogs are very sensitive to these medications, and he can become quite ill with even a small amount.

My dog fell playing ball, yelped, and is now limping. Is it serious?

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