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My dog fell off the couch and is limping. When to see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | 35 lbs

Dog fell off a chair and cannot put full weight onto front right paw. What do we do?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 1st, 2018

This definitely indicates a painful injury, but I would have to examine her in order to know the severity of it. Generally, the less weight they put on the leg, the more severe the injury. However, dogs often have an exaggerated response to their injury right after it happens. I recommend taking Elisha to a vet right away if you notice swelling, or an obvious deformity in the leg. Compare the affected leg with the normal one. If you are not seeing any obvious difference in the leg, then you are safe to wait an hour or so and see if she improves. If she does not improve after two hours, then it's best to take her to the vet, so this can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Below are a couple of links to more helpful information. https://www.petcoach.co/article/pet-first-aid-guide-how-to-deal-with-emergencies-at-home/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/limping-causes-of-lameness-in-dogs/ I hope that helps and Elisha gets better soon.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Davis

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    If this just happened and the leg feels normal with no broken skin then it's fine to keep her quiet and see if this will improve in a day or two with rest. If the leg is in an abnormal position and very painful then I would take her in for an exam and x-ray. Most likely she is just bruised but she may have strained some ligaments also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Elisha.

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