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My dog screamed, limped, then seemed fine. Is his leg pain serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | West Highland White Terrier | Male | unneutered | 1 month and 22 days old | 5.3 lbs

Hello. My dog Arlo cried at night once. We thought he had a dream and comforted him. It was all good until half and hour back when he started screaming in pain for no reason. We then observed he was keeping his left hind limb up and crying. He started limping and then after 10 15 minutes he seems to be normal. Although he is a little more alert than usual. Should I be concerned? Are cramps as such signs of some serious ailment?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on October 13th, 2017

What you observed is certainly not normal. If it happens again I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian. Other problems such as back pain, infections, etc could be playing a role. Good luck and I hope it doesn’t happen again. Thanks for using Pet Coach.

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    Answered By David Darvishian

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Arlo. I would be concerned if the problem persisted, worsened, or you start to notice other signs develop like swelling, fever, decreased appetite, worsening pain, crying/moaning/vocalizing. It is possible that this will resolve but I would watch him closely. It is possible he may have injured the leg and now has some either soft tissue injury (ligament, tendon, muscle) or some type of injury to a bone or joint. If this doesn't resolve, I would advise that you take Arlo to your vet for an examination and history of the problem. Your vet can then advise you on whether to do diagnostics (blood tests, x-rays) and/or pursue a treatment plan. Good luck with Arlo. I hope this resolves without incidence.

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