Bichon with hurt leg

Question
My new 6 mo. Boxer puppy jumped on my 2 yr. Bichon during play. My Bichon yelped, and has been limping or hopping for about 24 hours now.  I have kept him in his crate much of the time since, so my Boxer doesn't make things worse. My Bichon doesn't seem to be in pain. He will let me feel his leg. I think it is his foot. How long should I wait until I take him to the vet? I have no means to pay for a vet bill at this time, or I would have probably already taken him.

Answer
If his limp worsens or does not improve within 48 hours, then he is most likely going to need medical attention.  It could be anything from a soft tissue injury, to a broken bone, to a torn ligament.  If it's not getting better then I would call your vet and see if they can work out a payment arrangement with you as the treatment for each one is different.  Keeping him in his crate and as inactive as possible is definitely a good idea.  Dogs have a very high threshold for pain, so it's sometimes hard to tell when they're painful, even when you are messing with them, so be careful.

Amanda