Why does my Lab limp on his hind leg, and massage makes it better?

A number of medical conditions can cause limping. Labrador Retrievers are prone to several joint problems that can cause pain and thus limping, including elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation. But there are a host of other problems that can cause limping, and in very simple terms it's just a response to pain, so the source of the pain must be determined first, using physical examination and x-rays, in order to determine what's causing the pain, and how to treat it. For more facts and characteristics about Labradors, visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/labrador-retriever

Limping can be an indication of pain, so please make an appointment to have Midnight seen by a veterinarian. Causes of the limping could be trauma, a muscular or nerve injury, a fractured bone, an injured or overgrown toenail, a tumour/mass, or a foreign body imbedded in the paw or leg. Some infectious diseases such as Lyme disease and joint diseases such as arthritis or joint infection can cause limping as well. . Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to your pup without consulting with your vet.

This really depending on the cause of the limp. If there is sever muscular damage, massage could actually make the discomfort worse and if the limp is due to and underlying joint concern, massage may not do much. You'll want to visit your local Veterinarian for a comprehensive exam. This way you'll know for sure the best approach to take.

With an intermittent lameness in one leg this sounds like he has injured his knee. The most common cause of lameness in a lab is a cruciate ligament strain or tear. As Felix improves with rest he probably has just strained this ligament. This is similar to an ACL injury in people. Dogs who have this injury off and on will eventually tear the ligament completely and require surgery to repair it. I recommend you stop running Felix, walk him only and prevent him from jumping and roughhousing. This may heal and if you don't run him and he may not get lame again. If he continues to be lame it's time for a veterinary exam and X-rays. They can feel his knee and look at the X-ray to determine whether surgery is needed or if they think he will heal with rest, medication and rehab. He also could have a torn meniscus in his knee which would also need surgery to remove. Many dogs overwork the other leg when they are lame so sometimes they get cruciate injuries on both legs. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Felix.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Lameness can be caused by a number of things. Unfortunately, in this breed, ACL injuries are common and are typically due to degenerative changes with the ligament (if this is a back leg lameness). Also, if this is an ACL injury, there is a > 50% chance that the opposite leg will be affected by the same problem down the road. On the examination with the veterinarian, they will check her knee joint and see if there is an instability called a cranial drawer or a tibial thrust. Both of these manipulations help confirm the suspicion of an ACL injury. Most of the time, an ACL injury requires surgical correction to fix. This can be discussed further with your veterinarian once diagnosed. This may not be an ACL injury and may be osteoarthritis or hip dysplasia causing discomfort. I would recommend x-rays of the affected leg. If this is a front leg, there are other possibilities such as arthritis, a bone fracture, infection, ligament injury, elbow dysplasia, etc. I would definitely get Bliss on a joint supplement along with omega 3 fish oil. I typically recommend Dasuquin and Welactin for supplements, which can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please remember to rate this answer as helpful or not. Thank you!

It is possible that Babe has a luxating patella. The patella can pop out of place and you may see limping. Then they walk normally after it pops back in the proper place. Here is an article that discusses luxating patella in dogs: https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/luxating-patella/

I see that Lexi is Lab, which is considered a large breed dog. Large breed puppies can be prone to a condition called hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which is an inflammation of the long bones. It will cause intermittent lameness, and this could be the cause of Lexi's current lameness. I would take her into the vet on Monday for an exam. The vet can do x-rays to confirm if she does have hypertrophic osteodystrophy or not. There is no cure for it, but most puppies recover on their own after a couple of episodes. In the meantime, take Lexi out on a leash only, no running or jumping, and keep her as quiet as possible.