Dog Suddenly Limping on Back Leg / Paw – Top 3 Reasons Why

Here are a few common reasons that may explain a dog that suddenly starts to limp on his back leg.

1. Torn paw pads in back leg

The dog could be limping on his back leg because he is trying to prevent his paw pads from touching the ground. The dog’s paw pad may have gotten torn after stepping on something sharp on the ground. Torn paw pads should be treated promptly as they can manifest into something worse, such as a bacterial infection, if left untreated.

2. Dog has hip issues

Some dogs may limp on their back leg due to the mobility issues introduced by a hip or joint condition. Hip dysplasia, for example, is a condition where the dog’s thigh bone of the back leg doesn’t fit correctly into the pelvic socket. Limping is seen as an early sign of hip dysplasia. The limping of the back leg may also be caused by other conditions like osteoarthritis in the dog’s hip joint.

3. Minor sprain in back leg

Limping can also be caused by a sprained leg. The dog may have sprained his back legs by running or jumping a bit too much. Sprains typically heal themselves as long as they are minor. In addition to the limping, other common signs of a sprained leg may include a reluctance to play and a sensitive reaction when someone tries to touch the dog’s back leg.