My 6-month-old Lab's back legs are weak. Could it be hip dysplasia?

Question

My labrador 6 months has very weak back legs. He always struggles to get up when he wakes up and seems to be slow vs others dog. It's also hard for him to climb the stairs. we live in a appartment but I walk him 1 hours per day. And I give him 10 days calxium per month as well. People tell me to get hom swim to improve his legs' situation. Should I do it? what's more can I do to avoid the situation get worse? Is it genetic? Thank you in advance for your answer. Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered | 5 months and 10 days old | 55 lbs

Daniel Fonza, DVM · Accepted Answer

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.

My 6-month-old Lab's back legs are weak. Could it be hip dysplasia?

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