[trumansdad]

Good morning all,

I have a 15 month old Black Lab. He is from working stock and I am training him as a gundog.

Yesterday the we went on a fairly long walk (about 5 miles). When we got home, and after a bit of a rest he had a little difficulty getting up and was limping quite badly. When I took him out this morning he was still limping but no where near as badly. This happens everytime we take him on a long walk. The limp dissapates over the next couple of days and he is back to normal again. I know the answer is "well don;t take him for long walks then" but I just wondered if anyone else had encountered this and if it is anything I should be concerned about?
Can you over exercise a Labrador??

P.S. He is not overweight.

Many thanks

 

[clairiscrazy]

have you ever took him to the vet for a check over to make sure there is nothing wrong with his legs??


also im not sure on this but 5miles is that not a bit to long for a 15months old pup???

 

[thrupence]

Hi i am not an expert on this matter but i think you can over exercise a labrador especially a pup, i would say 5miles is too much for a pup that age.

I would take him to the vet to make sure that there is nothing really wrong with him.


Margaret

 

[trumansdad]

Hi,

No I have never had his legs checked specifically. I have never been unduly concerned as it always goes away. Come to think of it he does sometimes limp when he wakes up from a long(ish) nap but soon shakes that off and I just thought it was because he had been laying in an awkward position. We got him a big doggie cushion so that he doesnt have to lie on the floor!

What does a HD check cost at the vets??

 

[Edith]

I would take him to the vet too and screen his elbows, knees and hips.

5 miles is not too long for a young dog. We should not pimper our dogs too much. They are fully grown with this age and should have enough muscles built up for such an activity. A working gundog needs to have much more endurance than is needed for a 5 mile walk and I would check him throughly as problems with a 5 mile walk are not a good sign.


Edith

 

[Keren]

hello trumansdad....We have a 7 month lab and I posted a very similar question as yours....alfie limps after a walk and can be stiff inthe morning...hes not over weight and if you didn't know he had a limp at times...you would be none the wiser....I was told 5 minutes for each month of the dogs life, We took alfie to the vets and he is having his hips x-rayed tomorrow to rule out bad hips...this is probably not what you want to read....but I would take him to the vets and get him checked...for your peace of mind.... good luck barnsie.

 

[trumansdad]

Thanks Barnsie,

Yes they do sound as if they are very similar issues.

Whats the Hip check costing you??

If it does turn out that he has hip issues, does that mean that his working career is over??

 

[Keren]

Alfie isn't old enough to get his hips scored...he has to a year old... we are very lucky and have a local vet whos specialises in orthapedic condtions in dogs...so first thing is hips x-rayed and then he may need to have his hips stablized and then we go on from there...both me and my husband were gutted when we realised alfie might have a problem....but hopefully it can be sorted....my replies are under hips-barnies....in health matters and I had a great reply from john....read them they might help...we also discovered that alfies mums hips scores weren't brilliant...we were under the understanding that both parents were good....alfie comes from working and show dogs....good luck is truman insured if not then may-be before you go to the vets it might be worth looking into....alfie is insured and has been since birth with pet plan....
Good luck and try not to worry...we went away at the weekend and left alfie in kennels something we didn't want to do but the rest seems to have done him good and yes hes leeping all over the place....no limp in sight.......
good luck barnsie.....will get alfies results tomorrow afternoon will let you know....

 

[Edith]

it does not have to be the hips, there is much more in a leg than just the hips. So let him be checked completely

If he has bad hips AND has pain ( as he obviously has!!) then his working career is definitely over.

Mild HD or borderline dogs often work up to old age and never show any signs of their bad hips. But that is different from dog to dog. My lab has worked all his life, still jumpes very high obstacles without any difficulty and has mild HD on one hip. But no pain and no arthritis. Maybe you dog has arthritis already, which causes lots of pain.


Edith

 

[Keren]

Alfie has a limp he isn't in pain at all.....in fact since we have cut his walks down to next to nothing he sits with "the lab look" next to the gate...wishing for a walk.....trumansdad didn't say he was in pain at all....
and yes we too are hoping that alfie doesn't have bad hips..the replies I received were full of hope whilst still edging on caution....good luck to trumansdad....

 

[Edith]

Why does a dog limp? To avoid pain. It is that easy.
Why do you limp when you've broken your leg?
Answer: not to put to much pressure on the broken leg to avoid pain.

Limping shows, that something is not right and that the dog is in pain

Edith

 

[Keren]

right firstly I disagree with you, my puppy let the vet totally minpulate his legs,hips, the lot and never once protested...my son who has cerebral palsy puts up a big fight and screams in pain...limping can be a habit...and I should know.

 

[Keren]

oh edith forgot to put, if you sit,sleep funny and your leg goes to sleep....you em limp but not in pain..cos your leg is numb...see a limp doesn't always mean pain... my vet told me that alfie isn't in pain and well he is qualified and I believe him......

 

[Edith]

You can of course get used to a limb, or have a short leg and limp because of this, but there is always a reason for a limp. Be it a akward sleeping position or a walk that was too long. But I for sure don't like the thought that my dog limps after such walks.
My dog walks for hours without end, sometimes up to 15, 20 miles a day and does not limb.

Just ask yourself the question: why does he limp?
He won't do it without a reason

Edith

 

[clairiscrazy]

ok to calm things down a bit everyone has there very own personal opinion thats what makes this site so great and helpfull

i think we all agree trumansdad needs to take his lab to the vets for a full checkup to see what the problem is hopefully all will be fine until then



GOOD LUCK WITH THE VET trumansdad
let us know what happens

 

[Keren]

I agree good luck to trumansdad....and yes I agree going to the vets is the next step....after all we all love labs and even after only a few months we wouldn't be without aflie....I must apologise to anyone who read my mails.....only I hate to be dictated too so sorry.....going for a strong coffee...regards barnsie....

 

[trumansdad]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I didn't mean to cause a ruckass!!

We will get him checked by the vet.

Thanks.

 

[trumansdad]

I forgot to say that he is insured and its not really a question of money (although he does cost us a fortune!) but I would be so dissapointed for him as his training is coming along so well now after a shaky start. I really do think that he will make an excellent gundog and would hate for him to miss out on that.

hope alfie is OK

 

[Keren]

I agree with you there....my husband wanted to breed with alfie.....but who knows maybe we are both worrying about nothing....looks like we have a long haul ahead.....good luck and yeah I'll post aflies results..
regards barnsie..

 

[branwen]

I agree with Clair,Truemans dad should take his boy to the vet,and it doesnt really matter how much it costs,as long as Trueman is seen,Dylan has Bilateral elbow dysplasia,commonly known as OCD,he also has arthritis in both elbows,Dylan is not in pain,even though he is allergic to medication and is on no pain relief at all,beleive me if Dylan was in pain we would know,but he flies around the house like a bat out of hell,there is no stopping him,and it was only last week my vet told me to increase his excercise,Good luck to Trumans dad,