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My senior Labrador is limping and whining. What can help him?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | neutered | 11 years and 3 months old | 105 lbs

I have a labrador who is 11 years old. Recently he has been limping from his back leg. There are times where he wont limp. I dont know if it could be the weather due to the cool weather we have been having recently. There are times where he just sits and looks at us at starts to whine, but he then eventually stops and lays down. Is there anything that we can give him to help with his limping?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 24th, 2017

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Rocky's limp can be caused by many conditions including trauma, certain infections which target the joints, an issue with the ligaments (for example, a ligament tear, similar to ACL tear in humans) and arthritis, which is very common in older dogs. I recommend having him seen by a vet to determine the cause of the limp and begin the appropriate treatment. The limp can improve with weightloss if Rocky is overweight and glucosamine chrondroitin supplements if caused by arthritis. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

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