My dog yelped and is limping. Is an ER vet visit necessary for paw pain?

Question

On a walk Colbie out of the blue yelped and began limping. Her back left paw pad area seems to be the source of pain but we cannot tell for sure. We can't see anything stuck and can't determine if it's swollen but it is obviously very painful to touch. I want to open her toes to check deeper but I'm nervous I'll make it worse. We live on a second floor so we are also concerned with forcing her to walk up and down the steps to go outside. Our vet reopens on Monday. Should we wait or go to ER vet? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | spayed | 75 lbs

Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS · Accepted Answer

I cant see anything obviously wrong with the pads like a wound or penetrating injury. Have a really good look and press the paw all over. Don't worry about opening her toes, she will yelp a bit but you need to have a good luck. If she is incredibly sore or tries to bite you stop. It could be that she has simply bruised the paw or sprained a ligament when she was out. If you can't find any wounds or damage on the paw I would let her rest it overnight. You can see if it's any better in the morning. If it's no better or worse, or if you find a sizeable wound or infection, take her to the emergency vet. Otherwise see how she gets on and reduce exercise for a while.

My dog yelped and is limping. Is an ER vet visit necessary for paw pain?

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