How long do I wait before taking dd to the vets? [Edited by MNHQ to correct typo]

[MarthaMe]

DD started limping last night, we have just gone from carpets to wooden flooring so my initial thought was that she might have slipped and sprained her back leg.
This morning on her walk she looked fine and happily trotting along, I could barely see any limp at all. Tonight however she's limping quite bad again.

What do I do? Leave it a while in the hope it gets better by itself or take her to the vets ASAP?

She's a 12 year old lab btw

Ddog I meant!!

You might need to get HQ to edit again.

I've properly messed up this question!!!

Take your dog to the vet. Why wouldn’t you?

Personally I'd rest the dog, not have it running around or going on walks for a few days and see if it eases, unless it's acute lameness (not wanting to weight bear).

I would take your dog to the vet. It could be that your dog has pulled a muscle, is masking it but as your dog tires is unable to do so, so limp reappears. However an intermittent limp could also be a sign of the beginnings of arthritis or a slipping kneecap etc...in which case early treatment will impede further damage. This is particularly the case with arthritis.

I would take mine to the vets.

I am worried it's the start of arthritis. Fingers crossed it isn't :(

I also have a 12 yr old lab that does not get along with our wooden floors and have to put rugs and bits of spare carpet down everywhere .She was fine with them until she got older and arthritic. I would suggest your lab probably did have a little slip and pulled something.

I would take to the vet sooner rather than later. Ddog got an infection when a grass seed got imbedded in her toe. She is on her second round of antibiotics and the vet has talked about amputating her toe if she doesn’t respond to treatment.

Vets - a dog limping is in pain, even if it’s something that will clear up, the only place you can get painkillers is the vet.