On Sunday, Nov. 29, President-elect Joe Biden confirmed that he had hairline fractures in his foot due to slipping while playing with his dog, Major. 

Early Sunday, Biden’s office announced that the president-elect would receive an examination by an orthopedist at Delaware Orthopedics in Newark, Delaware as a precautionary measure. 

According to CNN, original x-rays did not show any clear fracture. However, after his clinical exam, Biden’s personal doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, said that Biden needed further examination. A follow-up CT scan showed that Biden had small, hairline fractures in his mid-foot and would likely need a walking boot for several weeks.

A hairline foot fracture consists of a small crack or bruise in the bone of the foot. Pain, the most common symptom of a hairline fracture, may gradually worsen with time if not addressed. Most hairline fractures result from repetitive activity that causes stress to the bone, but in this case, Biden received it from slipping.

The Biden family adopted Major, the German Shepherd involved in the fall, from the Delaware Humane Society in 2018. Major and the Bidens’ other German Shepherd, Champ, plan to join the family in the White House in Jan. 2021. Champ joined the Biden family during the presidential transition in Dec. 2008. Major is slated to become the very first rescue dog to live in the White House.