Just like humans, dogs can pull muscles too. Watching them limp around in pain can be hard to watch and you probably wonder how to soothe your dog’s pain. Here’s what to do if your dog pulled a muscle:

What is a Pulled Muscle?

When a dog pulls a muscle, it’s an injury that causes damage to the muscles and tendons. It’s a pretty common injury seen in dogs. Pulled muscles may be a direct result of an injury or might be an indirect result of another illness or injury.

What Causes Pulled Muscles in Dogs?

Most of the time, pulled muscles are due to strenuous activities, but there can be other other causes, too. These other causes include Inflammatory conditions, neuromuscular diseases, and trauma.

Strenuous Activities

One of the most common causes of a pulled muscle is a strain from overstretching. This often happens during exercise or playtime. The activities that can cause pulled muscles the most typically include running and jumping. If you notice your dog showing signs of stiffness or pain, your dog may be getting too much exercise, which could mean a risk of them pulling a muscle.

Inflammatory Conditions

Sometimes a pulled muscle can be caused by inflammatory conditions, like Polymyositis. This is an inflammatory condition that can affect all muscles of the muscular system. Polymyositis is sometimes associated with autoimmune disorders, like Cushing’s disease.

Another inflammatory condition known as Myositis can cause pulled muscles. Myositis occurs when benign bony deposits are embedded in the muscles and connective tissues, which causes inflammation. At this point, the cause of Myositis is unknown, but it may be related to von Willebrand’s disease, which is a clotting condition.

Neuromuscular Disease

Neuromuscular diseases like Myopathy can also be the cause of a pulled muscle in dogs. There are a few different kinds of myopathies that affect the muscles. Labrador Retriever Myopathy is found in both black and yellow Labs. It’s thought to be a hereditary disease, but the cause is still unknown.

External Myopathy (Rhabdomyolysis) is another type of myopathy that typically affects racing Greyhounds as well as other working dogs. This condition can occur after very strenuous exercise and may be triggered by the muscles not having enough oxygenated blood.

Trauma

Dogs can tear a ligament called the cranial cruciate ligament, much like an ACL tear in humans. While it is called a ligament injury, the inflammation caused by the tear can also cause pain in the surrounding muscles.

Signs and Symptoms of Pulled Muscles in Dogs

The symptoms of pulled muscles in dogs are typical of any soft tissue injury. These symptoms include pain when the injured area is touched, limping, and swelling of the muscle area. You may also see bruising if you can see the skin. These are symptoms you should never ignore in your dog so give your vet a call if any appear.

If your dog has a pulled muscle, you may notice them being more standoffish. There’s a good chance you will see a decrease in activity due to the pain of the pulled muscle. Your dog may have trouble doing specific things like using stairs or jumping on and off furniture. These are signs your dog is in pain and needs medical attention.

How Are Pulled Muscles in Dogs Diagnosed?

If you suspect your dog has pulled a muscle, make an appointment with your vet. Your vet will look for clinical signs of injury and then try to determine which muscles are affected. Oftentimes, specific muscles have a higher likelihood of being susceptible to muscle tears than others.

Your veterinarian may utilize imaging technology like X-rays, ultrasounds, or MRIs. While muscle injuries are not easily assessed on an X-ray, it’s helpful to rule out any bone fractures or ligament damage.

A torn ligament doesn’t show up on an X-ray, but the inflammation in the surrounding tissue may show up as radiographic changes. Ultrasounds and MRIs can help pinpoint the muscle tear after other injuries are ruled out.

Treatment of Pulled Muscles in Dogs

There isn’t one straightforward treatment plan to follow when it comes to pulled muscles. Your vet will need to assess your dog and develop a treatment plan tailored to their injury. Depending on the severity of the muscle tear, treatment and recovery can vary.

Rest

Resting the muscle is very important. Your dog doesn’t need to be completely immobile but be sure to limit exercise and playtime. Massaging your dog’s muscle can also help the muscle heal and it can help reduce swelling. Using gentle rubbing motions is one of the easiest ways to give your dog a massage.

Reduce Swelling

Your vet may prescribe your dog a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication and advise using a cold compress to minimize swelling. They may also apply a mild compression bandage depending on which muscle is pulled, which can also help decrease swelling.

Ease Back Into Activity

Once they are cleared by the veterinarian, your dog can begin to engage in light and closely monitored exercise. This type of exercise usually includes short leash walks, which is a great way to exercise with your dog when they need light activity. Jumping, running, and other strenuous activities are to be avoided until healing is fully complete.

Can Pulled Muscles In Dogs Heal on Their Own?

Many pulled muscles can heal on their own as the muscle develops scar tissue. Make sure your dog gets plenty of rest and limited exercise until the muscle has recovered. If you suspect your dog has a pulled muscle, have your vet assess the injury in any case. They’ll be able to determine the severity of the pull or if there is a tear in the muscle. Once they’ve made the assessment, your vet will determine the best course of treatment.

Prognosis for Dogs with Pulled Muscles

Thankfully, most dogs tend to heal fully from a pulled muscle when proper treatment is given along with exercise restriction. Making sure they rest the affected muscle and limiting exercise is extremely important.

Use a leash anytime you need to go outside for potty breaks or a change of scenery. Keeping your dog on a leash can prevent them from bolting away, which helps reduce the risk of further muscle damage. This is one of the reasons leash training a puppy can be beneficial to your dog and you!

How to Prevent Pulled Muscles on Dogs

There are a few things you can do to help keep your dog safe and minimize the risk of pulling a muscle:

1. Warm Up Before Exercise

Just like humans, dogs should do light warm-ups before exercise or play. This gets the blood moving to the muscles, helping them become more elastic and primed for activity. Muscles that are warmed up and more elastic are less prone to pulls or tears. If your dog goes on runs with you, make sure you start them off at a walk that then transitions into a run. A short walk is recommended for other exercise and play, too.

2. Supervise Your Dog During Exercise or Play

Supervising your dog during exercise is always recommended, but it is especially important during playtime with other dogs, like at a dog park. Keeping a close eye on your dog is a good dog park etiquette practice to always follow.

Dogs can get excited and overexert themselves, which may lead to a pulled muscle. A proper warmup is helpful, but making sure playtime doesn’t get too rough is also necessary in preventing pulled muscles in dogs.

This is just an overview of what to do if your dog pulled a muscle. With the right treatment, rest, and pain management, your furry friend should be back on their feet!