Our male 5 month choc Labrador Hunter started limping 2 1/2 weeks ago. We crate rested him, kept to short walks but he still walks with a slight limp on his left front paw. We had him x-rayed and they can see that his left front paw (shoulder/ankle) seems to be growing faster than his right paw. Has anybody else had this? He wakes up stiff in the morning and I would not expect this from a young 5 month pup. We do feed him raw meat. Worried about our cheeky, loving choco pup. Thanks
Hi @Lorraine Seale and welcome to the forum. So sorry to hear about your boy's problem. My girl started limping at 5 months which was diagnosed as elbow dysplasia at 8 months. What was the vet's prognosis for your boy? Is it something they think will resolve as he continues to grow? Have you discussed the stiffness with the vet?
Thanks for the reply. We were referred to a specialist. He said he is too young for a full prognosis. We have to go back in 3 weeks for a check-up He sees nothing concerning at the moment. We are just worried!
I`m sorry I cant give any advice , but just wanted to say how sorry I am that you have this worry , and I hope you get some answers in three weeks time, please let us know x
It's perfectly normal to be worried, It's just so very hard to live with when your pup is so young. Try to stay positive - and hold on to the fact that your specialist is not overly concerned. Fingers are well and truly crossed for you and your next appointment bringing positive news; and don't forget we're here for the bad days when the worry gets to you and you need to rant
Today they found a bone fragment in his left elbow from the x-ray. He will have his elbow "cleaned" next week. It looks like elbow dysplasia but they will know for certain after next week. He is now very quiet and sleeps a lot. My little wiggle bum seems to be in pain now. It is quite soul destroying to see him like this.
There have been several members whose dogs had elbow dysplasia surgery, and I am sure others will come on here to give you some support and tips on how to best manage the situation.
I'm sorry to hear that you have mobility problems with your young puppy. It sounds as if your vet is 'on the case', but it's hard having to wait for the right diagnosis and treatment. So much can be done now for such conditions, so I hope there's a good way ahead for Hunter. As Karen has said, there are several on the forum with experience, so I'm sure you'll find good support here.
Hi @Lorraine Seale it sounds as if you have a Fragmentation of the Coronoid Process, one of the many forms of elbow dysplasia. We were diagnosed at 8 months, complicated by some malformation of the joint, and are now around 3 years post surgery - how time flies. Our surgeon told us upfront that Jen would suffer with osteoarthritis in her elbow it would be just a question of time. We also had a clear list of things that she shouldn't do together with things that would help future management. You need to ask for a management plan to help you recover from surgery and gradually get back to normal activity levels. Slow build up in recovery leads to a better result. If possible ask for a referral for hydrotherapy as it really does help recovery and fitness. There is life after surgery, it may not be quite what you had planned with your pup, but it's still a goid lufe. We manage exercise levels and longer walks one day means a refuction the next. Jen runs around like any Lab that you have ever met and loves doing zoomies. Loves swimming, retrieving and playing with doggie friends. She has supplements daily and is pretty much on a constant diet to manage her weight. We now have to have cartrophen injections to help her elbows but our surgeon had thought she would need her first course within a year of her op but we managed 2.5 years post op. We also have hydrotherapy once a fortnight. Try and stay positive, and it is hard when you just want to sit and cry and rage at the world because your pup is in pain. Happy to answer any questions etc or just be here for you to have a rant (been there ) .
Which supplements are you giving? Are they also OK to give to a puppy? Thanks for the help. We are just heartbroken that we will have to manage his pain and such an early stage in his life. Next Friday is the op........
Hi @Lorraine Seale . I give 15ml of salmon oil and a glucosamine with chondroitin supplement on her dinner every night. My surgeon suggested the glucosamine supplement. Many dry dog foods have it added but it's quite a low dosage . It's worth having a chat with your vet/surgeon for their thoughts and recommendation as there are several on the market and I think I've just about tried them all but very happy with the latest. It is so hard knowing your pup is in pain. My girl first started limping at 5 months but 2 weeks of restricted exercise and metacam resolved it only for her to start limping again at 7 months of age which led to x-rays and then a scan before her operation. I think one of the hardest parts was dropping her at the vet practice for the op and getting through the day, but we'll be here on the forum to help and support you through.
Hi Lorraine, so sorry you're going through this. We adopted our boy at just over a year old in November knowing he had fragmented coronoid process in both elbows. He's currently 8 weeks post op and on exercise restriction for 4 more weeks. For management I feed a prescription mobility diet which is equivalent of giving fish oil and glucosamine. I keep his Body Condition Score at a 4/9. I've actually never seen my boy limp but I know he limped around 7 months and then again at 11 months prior to the diagnosis. We had a board certified specialist do the arthroscopy. I'm not sure what country you're in, but there is a new osteoarthritis medication out called Galliprant that is meant for use at an early age. It claims to be safer for long term use and incase of accidental overdose ingestion than carprofen/rimadyl. What has been suggested above is key...lean body weight, supplements, rest when needed, low impact exercise such as swimming and walking versus running and jumping. I struggle the most that I still want my boy to have a good quality life so I try to balance being easy on the joints and also allowing the occasional romp and running with other dogs (when he's not in recovery, of course). Good luck to you and your lab!
Hi thanks for the information. We spoke to the Orthopedic specialist again yesterday and he thinks that Hunter has Ununited anconeal process (UAP). He will know more after the arthroscopy next week. We live in the Netherlands and the approach here is slightly different. A little too relaxed for me and we feel that we have to push for the extra information all the time. Especially over supplements and other medication. We are already keeping a close watch on his weight and reduced exercise. We want him to have a good quality life. He is still a puppy and restricting his exercise is quite challenging at times! He is also very social to both people and other animals and misses playing with other dogs at the moment. We are also working on the mental stimulation play as he wants to do zoomies in the house every night at 8:00pm!! I have also invested in new Kongs as well!! Thank you again for all the advice. It is amazing to see how many people love their labs especially when their health gets affected at such a young age.
Hi @Lorraine Seale apologies for slow response, life has been a bit hectic. We were living in France in a small rural town when we had the diagnosis and I'm sure that some of our treatment was different to here in the UK. At least we were lucky that our Orthopaedic Surgeon could speak English (although rather rusty) as he's spent sone of his teaining in Canada. It's 3yrs today since my girl's ok, it's not always easy but at least I no longer go into panic mode if she shows any soreness or a slight limp - we just deal with it. Overall she has a pretty normal life and enjoys her waljs, playing with other dogs, going to gundog training, swimming, parkour and Hoopers to name just a few - oh and she loves doing roomies. In fact the first time she did a zoomie after her op and recovery I didn't know whether to laugh with happiness or cry because I was so scared she'd hurt her elbow. We've come along way since then. Here's a link which has some good info on the various forms of ED which might help fill some gaps or help with your surgeon. https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/orthopaedic/canine-elbow-dysplasia/
Thanks for the link. My husband also found it! After the op, how long did Jen initially stay in the crate for complete rest? We spoke again to the vet about the surgeon as he is not very forthcoming with info!! However it was positive. It seems that he communicates better with animals than humans!! I will update you after the op this Friday. Mixed emotions about the pending operation but at least we know why he is limping....
We were supposed to be in a crate for 4 weeks; that said I was very lucky and didn't need the crate as she is and always was a calm girl. Round about the 6 weeks post op she tried a zoomie in the lounge a few times but was quickly diverted. I didn't use a collar either as again she wasn't interested in trying to rip her bandage off. The fun was trying to keep the bandage dry while going out for a toilet trip when it was raining. I used plastic bags from the supermarket over the bandage with a rubber band to try and keep it on. Jen had more trouble walking like that than she did at any other time after the op - it was as if the plastic bag prevented the leg from moving . It is good if your surgeon is a good communicator with humans but ultimately it is his care and experience with your dog that is important. Will be waiting to hear on Friday and will be thinking of you, and if you feel the need to rant while waiting for the phone call, you know where we are.
