Limping labrador

[MissJael]

Hi,
My 5yr old lab has developed a limp on his front right leg. I've looked as closely as I can to see if there's anything stuck in his pads or in between them but there doesn't seem to be anything, or any punctures.
He's well in himself, eating normally, keen as anything to go out for a walk even though he'd limp the whole time.
I've given it a couple of days to see if it would settle, but it doesn't seem to be going away and I am going to take him to the vet on Mon.
Has anybody any experience of this (I know there are a myraid of possibilities!) or is there anything I can do in the meantime?
Thanks.

 

[domane]

Firstly I'd try the "walking it off" regime. If there is no improvement after a week, I'd then try the "limited exercise" regime - short walks on lead, no running, purely for necessity (for ablutions!!) and no playing indoors - rest, rest and more rest.

As least then you can go to vets knowing you've tried both options. We recently had to have our 18m lab knocked out and x-rayed for a mystery front leg limp. Thankfully the x-rays did not reveal the dreaded dysplasia and a month's course of anti-inflammatory, coupled with highly reduced exercise seemed to work. I'm guessing she had some kind of soft tissue/tendon or ligament injury and these can take months to heal. Who knows, even without the limited exercise and medication, she may just have got better in time anyway! 4 months on and she is back to her usual careering about and has a very tiny, barely imperceptible limp now and even this is ever-improving. You know what labs are like though... they could have a leg hanging off and they'd still run!

 

[Kellys Heroes]

Labradors are just labradors aren't they? As lovely and gorgeous as they are, they're also slightly loopy! Chances are your dog has pulled something whilst lolloping round like a loony

Agreed with above, gentle exercise (difficult I know!) for a few days and if no improvement, rest until the vet visit with no unnecessary exercise - no jumping on beds, sofas, (if allowed) or into cars.
The vets may just put him on a course of Metacam and he'll be as right as rain, but if not, they'll investigate further (and he'll STILL be up for walks!)

We got told that *whispers* hip dysplasia.... doesn't generally come apparent quickly, it tends to start gently and become more severe. How true that is, we're not sure, but don't worry I'm sure it'll turn out to be nothing!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Psst and sorry to bang on but any dysplasia of hips or elbows can only be detected via x-ray. if you're worried about his elbows, do get him in for x-ray while you're there on Monday, were his parents scored, do you know?

Could he have tweaked his back? That's where my dog's lameness came from earlier this year.
I am sure it is just a tweak or he's over stretched himself, keep him easy for a while and see if it passes

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

i would restrict his exercise over the weekend to just toilets and garden and take him to vets on monday. sorry i would not recommend trying to walk it off, as domane first suggests. chances are he has pulled something being barmy but i wouldnt take the chance!

 

[MissJael]

Thanks for your replies guys!
I'm letting him take it easy over the weekend, it's supposed to rain here all day tomorrow so he won't even want to go out in it and have got a huge bone from the butchers to keep him entertained for a while and then vets on Mon, even to get an anti-inflammatory.

CC, I don't know if the parents were scored - ended up taking him on because my brother was going to dump him, the git. I haven't even got his papers, brother has lost them! Seeing how thorough and meticulous the OH is with his gundogs, which are also labs, makes me a even crosser! (howzat for good grammar!)

 

[MurphysMinder]

Ditto the restricted exercise for a few days. My young GSD has on a few occasions been hopping lame, as she does everything flat out she does tend to injure herself. I was a bit paranoid when she was younger but she has now been scored and I know has good hips and elbows, so I just keep her to lead only exercise for a few days and she has always come right. With your lab it could be something as simple as knocking a toe back. If he is no better with minimum exercise then pop him to the vets.

 

[Natch]

Is there any heat in the leg or shoulder? Any lumps and bumps? Treat as you would do a horse, really, which I think you're already doing She may appreciate it being gently massaged.

Our Poppy used to go lame for various reasons - thorns and cut pads and the like, but also sprains and strains I think. Mostly a few days of rest sorted her out.

 

[Luci07]

on the anti inflammatories - the stronger one is metacalm or a cheaper version (but apparently same product) is Loxicom but they can make some dogs really sick and mine started throwing up on it. He has been switched to Rimadyl tablets - not so strong but hes not sick with them. There was a dog when we went back to the vets that had had an extreme reaction so do watch out.

And good luck with the restricted exercise. I am trying to take staffie boy 3 - 4 a day for only 10 minutes at a time. He is now refusing to go out on a lead so that means he won't go out with the dogwalker now and in turn, my bitch is getting fed up of being dragged out - so at the yard, when we set off to go down through the fields, she now turns tail and legs it back to the car. Blooming dogs!