Senior Labrador Retriever Hip Pain: What Could It Be?
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Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats, 5 dogs, and garden!
The Question
My 9-year-old Labrador Retriever, Penny, has been showing some concerning changes lately, and I'm worried about her hips. I know Labs can be prone to hip dysplasia, and I'm wondering if what I'm seeing is typical for that condition or something more serious. Could you please advise if this is something we need to address urgently and if it sounds like a common issue for her breed?
Quick Info about Penny
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Hi Emily, Thanks for writing in. What you’re describing sounds very much like a dog with inflammation or arthritis in her hips, but there are quite a few different things that could be going on here. You’re right about hip dysplasia and Labradors, and more severe cases are usually diagnosed, or at least suspected, from a younger age, like with my own Labrador, Bailey. She ended up having both hips replaced when she was 4 years old. However, milder cases of hip dysplasia can go unnoticed for years, and even dogs with perfect joint conformation can develop joint problems. While her hips are a likely culprit for the signs you’ve described, her knees (stifles) and back could also be involved, so you’ll need to get Penny in for an examination with your vet. Depending on what they find, they might recommend doing some x-rays or a medication trial. If she’s not already, now would be a great time to look into starting Penny on some joint supplements (I’ve included a link below to an article) which can help support the joint and limit further damage. Keeping her at a lean body weight is essential, and try to stop her from jumping up or down from any heights. In fact, just keeping her on a short lead for walks would be best, at least until she’s been seen by your vet. I’ve popped some links below for a bit more information, including the story of my dog’s bionic hips, and if you’d like to talk one-on-one to a vet from home, you can head to Pangovet.com and book an online consultation. All the best, Dr Karyn https://www.dogster.com/dog-health-care/best-joint-supplements-for-dogs https://www.dogster.com/dog-health-care/hip-dysplasia-in-dogs https://www.dogster.com/doggos-weekly/baileys-bionic-hips https://www.dogster.com/ask-the-vet/arthritis-in-dogs https://www.dogster.com/dog-health-care/exercises-for-dogs-with-arthritis