Why does my Labrador struggle to stand and stagger on her hind legs?

Poor Duke! Unfortunately hip dysplasia is a common congenital abnormality in Labs, and it could be that he is suffering from that causing his difficulty getting up, sitting, and laying down. It could also be due to ruptured cranial cruciate ligaments and/or meniscal damage in his knees, which are also common in large breed dogs. He is in pain if he's having these difficulties, and I would have him seen by a vet tomorrow for physical exam, lameness exam, and x-rays. These tests will help the vet identify what is causing his difficulties, and can discuss treatment options with you. If it is a problem with his cruciate ligaments or meniscus, surgery will likely be require to fix it.

This is probably due to hip dysplasia, a chronic knee problem or arthritis in her joints. She also could have a bulging intervertebral disc causing the symptoms. I recommend using a Help em Up harness on her so you can easily assist her to stand up. In addition speak with your veterinarian about giving her pain medication. I also like to give an omega 3 supplement to reduce inflammation. If she’s overweight reducing her weight will reduce the strain, stiffness and pain in her joints. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tiara.

Hello, sorry to hear about Leo. It could be that he is showing early signs of hips dysplasia. Other problems, could include that he has some form of bone disease which could be associated with his nutrition. If Leo does have some form of orthopedic disease, he may require to be at a lean body weight throughout his life. The best way to diagnose these disease is by obtaining x-rays and an orthopedic exam. Please contact your local veterinarian if he continues to have have a hard time sitting and getting up then have him evaluated immediately. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Yes, it is common for Labrador's to have hip dysplasia. This can cause them some pain. Chewie could be having pain/soreness while laying down. It would be a good idea to have him examined by a veterinarian. If the vet thinks he could be having hip pain, they can do an xray of his hips to rule out hip dysplasia. If Chewie does have hip dysplasia, there are several treatment options depending on the severity of the dysplasia. I hope this has helped. Thank you for using pet coach.

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!

Hello. The hips do look pretty good. I would ask your veterinarian to examine & determine if it is possible that Zoi has injured her knee. I would be especially interested in your vet conducting an exam looking for a cranial drawer sign that would indicate an anterior cruciate ligament tear, a common injury in larger breed dogs. Hope you find an answer to Zoi's pain & discomfort & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Thelma Louise! She is a large breed dog, and they can be prone to tearing their cranial cruciate ligament in their knee. That can happen suddenly. It could also be she has a problem with her hips, as hip problems such as hip dysphasia is common in large breed dogs. Because this has been going on for a couple of weeks, it's time to see the vet. She is showing you she is in pain because she has trouble standing up and can't jump onto a bed. I would take her into a vet this weekend or first thing Monday. The vet can diagnose what is causing her pain, and can treat her for it. The vet can also prescribe pain medications. Please do not give her any human ones, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. Best of luck, I hope this helps!