limping lab 10 months

[cansleepanywhere]

Yesterday morning we did our normal walk but she went crazy because of the rain. She did the 'bum tuck' run, she was in and out of ditches, in and out of the river and chasing anything that moved (at about 90mph). She then spent the majority of the rest of the rest of the day snoozing on the couch. Yesterday evening I noticed she was limping on one of her back legs. I checked her paws and her leg for injury, no sign. She was happy to let me mess with it and wasn't in any pain. I knocked our evening walk on the head and she made it up the stairs and onto our bed no problem.

This morning she was fine, we walked for around 20 mins just pavement. I had to pop to the office so she went out with the dog walker and her doggy pals at lunchtime. Dog walker said she was fine during the walk and ran around with the other dogs like she normally does. Now she's limping again. She did make it up the stairs and onto my bed again for a snooze.

I am kicking myself for not cancelling the dog walker as I was home for lunchtime anyway.

Both her parents have low hip scores, she not grumbling - just a bit stiff. I'm planning on knocking our evening walk on the head again if she's still stiff but should I be taking her to the vet? Could this be hip dysplasia? Am I paranoid and it's more likely that she's just overdone things and then not been able to rest properly because I forgot to cancel doggy playtime? I've been careful not to over exercise her and she's not overweight.

Sorry for the long winded message, I'm just worried I've broken my baby

It could be many things, I would also be worried about cruciate ligament. She does need rest for several days - IF then after exercise she is limping again then she does need to go to the vet.

If it were my dog I would give short lead walks for a week and then reintroduce off lead but in small bursts. If she is still limping after 10 days then take to the vet, or if at any time limp gets worse or she looks in pain then also take her to the vet. My old labs were forever spraining legs.

i wouldn't wait 10 days (but maybe I am pfb with all 8 of mine!)

I wouldn't wait more than 2 or 3 days - purely because I'd want a painkiller if they were still limping after a couple of days of resting.

I'd be at the vets now but I am a tad pathetic when it comes to my babies.

One of my TTs was diagnosed with HD whilst still a pup and both her parents had low scores.

She didn't limp on her bad leg at all. She went completely lame, tucking her back leg up under her body. The vet said it was a classic sign of HD.

I left her for a few days, thinking I'd accidentally caught her foot in her crate and felt bad that I didn't take her to the vet sooner once she was diagnosed.

Agree that you should control walks on a lead and keep them short.

Thank you she doesn't seem in pain and doesn't flinch when I stroke/bend it.

My previous dog (mad springer) snapped his cruciate ligament when he was 8. He wouldn't put any weight on it and just held it up. If it was a similar scenario i.e. she was in pain I would be at the vets now.

I'll see what she's like in the morning and limit her walks. Will help with the mud situation!

I would be worried about a possible cruciate injury as well, given all the mud and standing water around at the moment, which increases the amount they slip and slide and would be getting her checked by the vet just in case. I'm being really choosy where I let my boys off at the moment, because with the speed they go, they are both a cruciate injury waiting to happen on slippery surfaces, especially when chasing each other around full-pelt, as they are won't to do.

I had a similar thing with my older lurcher last year and as they are prone to cruciate injuries, was really worried. Fortunately he'd just pulled a muscle, but I was glad I got it checked out straight away anyway. (I took him when he was clearly sore after the second walk despite seeming better in between.)

There are degrees of cruciate injury damage. There can be an acute rupture or tear, which sounds like what happened to your previous dog or a gradual worsening of the ligament damage, which will present as limping that gets worse with exercise, but improves with rest.

Hmmmmm, I don't know what to do now. She stopped limping yesterday teatime and was sat by the front door waiting for her walk. I didn't take her but groomed her instead.

When I had my bath she was back to front paws and head in there with me and resting on her hind legs no problem. She's also fine this morning, had a mooch around the garden and sat at the top of the stairs waiting for the kids to come down.

If she were a person I wouldn't be taking her to the doctors. I'm going to see what she's like after lunch, haven't taken her out yet - she's snoozing so I'll take her for a 10min stroll at lunchtime and see what she's like.

She could just have sprained it. I'd rest her for a couple of days, give it time to heal if it is just a sprain.

At ten months, it could be anything.

Proper rest - ie on a lead for even a wee, is going to be the first thing most vets suggest, so before rushing off to spend £30 to be told exactly that, I would do three days of on lead only rest. She won't like it much, but tough.

If she is still limping after that, then straight to the vet and make it clear how much rest she has had since she first showed signs of lameness and see what they say.

Thank you, she seems fine today. We've just done a couple of short 15 min walks and she's walking fine. I think! Thing is i've been so busy staring at her back legs I'm not sure if I'm looking for something that isn't there iyswim?

Will be keeping up the short walks until next week and trying to keep her busy in the house.

Our lab at the same age did the same thing. She also waddled a little. It got so bad that I took her to the vets. Our vet is a labrador expert and he was convinced even with perfect hip scores that she had dysplasia.
X rays were done and it turned out that her hips were fine but she still had huge growth plates, which meant that she had a massive amount of growing to do and that it was a juvenile issue that would go away. It did, he was right!

I took her into the vets on Saturday morning. Her limp had gone but a quick play with a dog (she was on the lead) brought it back on again. She's on anti-inflammatories for the week and restricted exercise. If she's not right on Saturday then I guess it'll be x-ray time.

She does waddle too, only when she's walking slowly in the house - outside and on walks she walks like any other dog.

I have everything crossed it's nothing serious!