Shoulder Injuries in Dogs

 Dogs are incredible athletes! They can contort their bodies in a variety of ways. To no surprise, shoulder injuries may occur when their shoulders get bent or turned the wrong way. The shoulder joint of the dog is elusive. It lies against their front chest and can be hard to feed, especially if the dog has a lot of muscle or a thick coat. Believe it or not, a dog’s shoulder is not that mobile compared to the human shoulder. The main objective of the dog’s shoulder is to move the dog’s leg forward and backward. It only allows for little outward and inward movement or rotation.

There are many different shoulder injuries in dogs which include tears, sprains, muscle strains, injuries due to overuse, arthritis, or osteochondritis (OCD) which affects the joint and bone. If a dog slips, slides, or falls, they can cause microtraumas to the shoulder. Microtraumas are small injuries that usually go unnoticed since they don’t seriously impact the dog’s mobility or physical ability. However, microtraumas add up and can turn into more serious injuries.

You may be wondering how you can tell if a dog is experiencing a shoulder injury. The main sign of a shoulder injury is limping on one front leg. An injury from the shoulder often gets worse with exercise. For example, a dog might have a shorter stride length. There is only so much you can do to evaluate the injury yourself. A veterinarian will be the best way to confirm where the injury is and the level of severity. A veterinarian might order diagnostics such as x-ray, MRI, or a musculoskeletal ultrasound to gain further insight into the injury.

The bad news is that shoulder injuries usually take a little longer to heal. This is because it is difficult to immobilize the shoulder for healing because while the dog walks, the shoulder continues to move. Treatments for shoulder injuries depend on the type of injury and its severity. Unfortunately, most treatments will require a period of rest or crate confinement, along with anti-inflammatory medications. If your dog has any sort of injury, it will be easier for them to re-injure that same area. We recommend that you warm-up and cool-down before and after any activity. This will help reduce injuries.