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Why is my active young Lab suddenly struggling to sit or stand?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 8 months old

I have a chocolate lab who is one and half years old. He recently started having trouble sitting and laying down. He also has a lot of trouble getting up. He doesn't whine or seem to be in pain while he sits or gets up but he is obviously having issues with these movements. Ever since he was a puppy, he has had a swayed walk from left to right that is vert dramatic. He is also very active and runs around for hours. What could have made him suddenly have issues sitting and getting up?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 12th, 2017

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.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 20th, 2017
Hi there and thank you for your post! Am is a cute boy! I am sorry to hear he is having difficulty getting up and down. This is likely genetics and we see this a lot in this particular breed. My primary suspicion is that this is hip dysplasia, meaning that the hip is deformed and is painful / unstable for Am to walk with. I would suggest having x-rays performed of his hips to see how bad the hips are. If the hip dysplasia is quite bad, you may need to look into total hip replacement to fix this problem surgically. Some young dogs may grow out of a mild case of hip dysplasia as their bones strengthen and growth plates close. However, there are many that do not get better and the condition only progresses. I would consider long term management with glucosamine / chondroitin supplement such as Dasuquin and omega 3 fish oil Welactin. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions / concerns. I am also available via phone or text consultation.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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