Need Some advice and recommendations

[jaxthelab]

hi all, I am new to this site. I have a 14 month old chocolate lab and he is a great dog. We have had him as a pup and noticed he is very lazy. Also when he walks, there is almost a limp to it. the sad part is when he is running with other dogs, he just stops and lays down. also he cant run very fast. he is a very good swimmer tho. As far as health, he has been a healthy dog for what i have seen, he is 110 pounds, which is big, but we took him to an orthopedic surgeon to get checked up and weight is not a huge factor because he is a big dog, never the less he has to loose a bit of weight. we got x rays on his hips and back legs thinking it was hip dysplasia, but the doctor, who is a specialist said there was absolutely nothing wrong with the joints or hips on the x ray. the doctor claims that the dog is just " a fat lazy dog in his teenage years and will grow out of it" is that true?. he goes to day care once a week to get his exercise for the most part but at the day care the lady who works there has " never seen anything like it" i was wondering if any of you have had a similar problem where the dog is very lethargic, and out of breath after a 5 min walk around the block? or does anyone have any recommendations for me to help this pup. i know i have to walk the dog more and give him some exercise which my sister and i have already started. i couldn't get any pics of the dog but if you would like to see him on instagram, his username is @lifeofjax_and_murph

Thanks

[Tanya]

at 100 pounds at 18 months he must be able to slim down. he may not be overweight but i'd personally keep him on the skinny side.

I'd get a second opinion. out of breath after 5 minutes is absolutely not normal. Unless you just mean he's panting. if the issue is not the hips it must be something else.

i would get him on a weight loss plan and possibly consult with a rehab specialist to get a plan to get him in shape but first ensure he is healthy. Has any bloodwork been done? has he had a FULL check-up (check the heart/lunges/etc.)?

ETA: have you talked to his breeder at all?

[POPTOP]

Hello and Welcome!

I, too, think that is a little heavy even if he is a big dog. You should easily be able to feel his ribs.

Since his hips are cleared, I was thinking heart and/or lungs.

Another thought, along with complete blood work, is an in depth thyroid test.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

[jaxthelab]

thank you tanya, we are looking at getting a second opinion on his organs, the hip part, im going to get the doctor to email me the x ray images. Thanks

[Tanya]

Did they check knees? shoulders? or only the hips? Was there an assessment of the dog/gate/full range of motion assessement prior to x-rays by the orthopedic surgeon? it it a bit mind boggling that because hips seemed ok (and they are not yet done growing most likely) that he assumes the dog is just "lazy".

[smartrock]

I'm assuming the limp is in the back, not the front legs, elbows or shoulders? Did the ortho vet observe what you're referring to as "almost a limp"?

When it's hot outside, my dogs are panting and want to lie down after a fairly brief walk. It doesn't have to be brutally hot outside for them to feel it, especially my older boy, who has a super thick coat. If it has only been happening since the heat of summer began, I guess it could be related to the heat. If he's overweight, that's only going to make it worse. Swimming could be a great exercise for him to help tone him up and lose weight, if needed. It would both give him exercise and it's easy on his joints, if there is any joint issue. Is he able to swim or play in and out of the water for longer periods of time when he's probably cooler doing it?

If it's not orthopedic in nature, I'd be concerned about his heart and lung function also, and make sure he's gotten a full work up from his vet. I'd have thought by now his regular vet would have noticed any murmurs or abnormal heart or lung sounds during routine exams, but I'd ask specifically about that.

I hope you figure it out- please keep us in the loop! And when you have 5 or more posts, it will be easier to post some photos of him directly!

[jaxthelab]

thank you everyone, we will get a full check up done on jax, as for the swimming, we couldnt get him out of the water! the dr did check ankles and knees and said everything was normal, i know its not healthy, but when he is excited to go in my truck he can jump from the ground all the way up on the seat.

[JenC]

I would consider dropping the dog's weight. Unless he's really tall, he shouldn't be over 100#. You may want to get the heart checked. Labs can have heart problems (valve dysplasia)....or if he stops excercising in the middle of activity, he may slow when he feels odd, maybe check for EIC.

[Snowshoe]

How big is "big?" How tall is he at his withers? My neighbour's pet store Lab also weighed 110 pounds, which was a good weight for him. He got up to 115 a few times which really was not a huge difference in appearance. He was a big, tall, lanky dog at 110 but I don't know how tall he was.

You are in Toronto where, hasn't the humidex hit 40C a couple of times recently? That alone could count for his lethargy. It could for my perfectly healthy and high energy dog who simply does not like the heat. Ruling out other reasons is a good idea though.

[jaxthelab]

forsure, thanks for everyones opinion, he will go for blood work asap.