Why is my active lab limping, not eating, and losing weight suddenly?

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!

Lameness, loss of appetite and energy are definitely concerning. This can be caused by tick borne diseases such as Lyme disease. There are also certain bone and joint diseases that only affect growing puppies, and need to be ruled out with an x-Ray. I recommend having your appointment sooner rather than later, you may want to call your vet and ask for an earlier appointment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and vomiting can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. Lameness can be due to discomfort possibly due to arthritis or something else. This may be related or perhaps may be unrelated and another issue. Lyme disease is a possibility though this is not very common. I recommend that you have Jakey evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hello. I would recommend taking Frankie to your vet to first of all do a test for tick diseases. Sometimes they can get quite sick quickly, other times they can have a smoldering disease with no specific symptoms & mild lameness., very similar to what you are describing with Frankie. Even if you have not seen a tick on her, this is a very good place to start. The test requires a few drops of blood & your vet probably can run it in her office. Hopefully, you will get some answers & get her back to feeling her old self quickly. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Princess. Labs unfortunately can suffer from varying kinds of illnesses which may cause any of these signs. These may include dental disease, joint and bone diseases such as a torn ACL or arthritis, liver or kidney disease, and unfortunately cancer. It sounds like Princess is very sick and I would worry that she may have something that requires immediate medical attention. Additionally, if she is painful then she may be suffering and thus I would want her to have some sort of pain medications on board to help her feel more comfortable. The best way to rule out any potential life threatening disease, or treat her for pain or other medical conditions would be to have her evaluated by a veterinarian. You veterinarian will be able to run tests on Princess to determine what the best treatment for her will be and hopefully get her feeling a lot better. In the mean time, ensure she is comfortable and has access to copious amounts of water. Notify your doctor if you see any concurrent vomiting, diarrhea, coughing or sneezing. Best of luck and hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear Champ isn't felling well. I recommend taking him to a vet right away. It is very difficult to diagnose him over the internet. If he is weak, he may need IV fluids and medications to make him feel better. Once a vet performs an exam, they will be able to guide you to the next steps in diagnosing and treating his problems. At his age, I would be worried about things like intestinal parasites or infectious diseases, like parvovirus. Good luck and kisses to Champ!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dogs do not have to eat as often as we do, or even daily. If Lucille is still interested in food, drinking water, and not vomiting or diarrhea, I would continue to monitor her for another 24 hours. I would see a vet if the lethargy and decrease appetite continues. She could be coming down with something and may get worse, or getting over something and bounce back. Please do not give any over the counter medications unless directed by a vet because some medications are toxic to dogs. Good luck and kisses to Lucille!