How to Treat a Dog’s Ankle Sprain?

An ankle sprain is an injury to the tendons, ligaments, and/or muscles around the ankle joint. A dog that runs around too much or has a minor accident can cause an ankle sprain. Detecting a dog’s ankle sprain quickly is crucial to effective treatment and preventing the injury from becoming worse.

Table of Contents

Know the signs of an ankle sprain

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Understand the bone structure of dogs. In fact, dogs stand and walk on their toes on their front and hind legs. When the dog is standing, you can see the ankle between the knee and the toe. Dog ankle position is similar to human ankle when we stand on our toes (instead of feet). ^{[1] X Research Source}

Dogs don’t have front ankles just like humans don’t have “ankles”. The forefoot is also likely to have a different type of sprain and is treated similarly to an ankle sprain.

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Find out what causes ankle sprains. Many dogs are very active. Excessive activity causes dogs to put a lot of pressure on their joints, making them more susceptible to injury. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Running, jumping, or spinning rapidly and making sharp turns puts a strain on the joint.
Not all dogs are hyperactive, but the pressure in the leg joints can be more than a dog can handle. Sprains can also be the result of slips, falls, pits, or simple accidents when jumping up or down a chair. Any of these causes can cause a dog sprain.

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Watch for signs of a limp. The first and often most recognizable sign of an ankle sprain is a limp in the injured hind leg. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Dogs with sprains often try to avoid putting weight on the injured leg.
Dogs may raise the injured leg high or low, depending on the severity. Dogs will avoid using their whole paws.
You should be on the lookout for other reasons why your dog may limp, such as hip, knee, or foot injuries. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Observe for obvious signs of injury. You may notice swelling or redness around the ankle if your dog has sprained it. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You may also notice dogs licking their sprained ankles frequently.

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Observe changes in behavior. Injured dogs can also change behavior. Behavioral changes that indicate a dog is traumatized are: ^{[6] X Research Source}

Become anorexic and eat less.
Changes in activity levels, such as sleeping more or acting reluctantly.
Sound-related changes such as barking, growling, or groaning when touching or moving the ankle.

Treatment of ankle sprains

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Let the dog rest. Resting your dog is the first step in treating a sprain. ^{[7] X Research Source} To make sure your dog gets enough rest, you should limit your dog’s activity. The dog can be confined indoors or in a narrow space where it cannot run or play. The less active the dog, the quicker the dog will recover.

When necessary, you can tie a leash around the dog’s neck and walk the dog outside. Take your dog for a short walk at a leisurely pace. ^{[8] X Research Source} After that, the dog should be returned to the kennel as soon as possible so that the dog can rest.
Limit your dog’s activity for 48 hours to give the dog enough time to recover from the injury.

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Apply an ice pack. To reduce swelling, reduce pain, and help the wound heal faster, you can place an ice pack on your dog’s ankle for 10-15 minutes. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Use an ice pack to avoid freezing the dog’s skin.
Repeat this method as needed, every 2 hours to prevent skin irritation, decrease circulation and hinder the recovery process.
You can use a bag of frozen vegetables like a bag of peas instead of an ice pack so that you can wrap it around your dog’s ankles easily. This effectively distributes the cold to the damaged tissue. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Apply heat. If you are an old dog, a dog with a chronic illness or trauma, you should not use ice. Instead, you should apply moist heat. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Heat can increase circulation, relax muscles, and ease pain.
Use a damp cloth heated in a dryer or microwave. Make sure the towel is not too hot to avoid burning the dog’s skin.
Apply a hot towel to the wound for 10-15 minutes. You can reapply after at least 1 hour. ^{[12] X Research Source}
Do not use heat immediately after the dog is active.

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Monitor whether signs are improving or gradually worsening. During the 48 hours of resting your dog, you should closely monitor whether the injury is improving or becoming more severe. Most ankle sprains resolve quickly once the dog is rested and treated.

If your dog’s paw doesn’t get better after 48 hours or gets worse, you should consult your veterinarian. ^{[13] X Research Source}
If there are no signs of improvement, your dog may need more rest and medication prescribed by your veterinarian.
Sometimes, dogs can also get trauma elsewhere and disrupt the recovery process. If your dog has a more serious injury such as a dislocation or a minor fracture, you should take your dog to a general practitioner or get an X-ray if necessary.

Advice

Treat your dog’s sprain as soon as possible. Early treatment helps dogs recover faster as well as prevents tissue damage that makes injuries worse.

Warning

Do not attempt to bandage the injured area without consulting your veterinarian. Incorrect dressing can cause other problems such as skin irritation. Wrapping the bandage too tightly can also restrict circulation, slow healing, and cause more damage to surrounding tissue.
Do not give your dog any medication without consulting your veterinarian. Prescription or over-the-counter medications for humans are extremely dangerous for dogs. There are several anti-inflammatory drugs for humans that can be used to treat dogs, but the dosage will vary.
If you don’t notice any signs of improvement within 48 hours, you should take your dog to the vet right away. You should also contact your veterinarian if the condition is getting worse. As with many serious injuries, dogs need to be treated as soon as possible if the sprain gets worse. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Steps

Know the signs of an ankle sprain

Treatment of ankle sprains

Advice

Warning

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