young labrador pup, I have a young golden lab pup 8 months old?

Honey the golden lab looks well and eats well, she is clever runs and fetches the ball when asked, however there are times after a walk of about a mile her front legs wobble from time to time, she does not fall over but it is scary. Does anyone know if this is common in labs, I have been told that labs are susceptible to arthritis quite young, any comments would be gratefully appreciated. I have another dog and the vets bills are high and I cant afford to take her as well. I love my dogs and any professional advice would be gratefully received and faithfully applied.

My 2 year old lab does the same thing with his left leg. He is in incredible shape. Can run with the wind. When I have him sit after major activity his left leg shakes rapidly. He doesn't look to be in pain. I'd be interested to see other answers. I think it has to do with growing and maturing. If my lab still does this by age 3 I'll get a little concerned. My vet is not right now.

I had a doberman, I always thought from when he was young that his legs looked a little wobbly at times but it was something that was barely noticeable, he was very energetic and fit. He was taken to vets regualary and everything was fine. When he reached four, he suddenly developed bad shaking, stumbling over and slipping on wooden flooring it came on very quickly and very bad. He was tested for everything but i had already done my research and was hoping that it was not going to be what I feared Wobblers syndrome or (Spondololithesis). He was taken to a specialist for scan. We were told the possibilities were Wobblers, or slipped disc or a infection attacking the nervous system. My fears were conformed and he had wobblers which had helped cause a slipped disc. He had the slipped disc operated on which is a operation that is done through the throat and steel plates put in to reinforce the spine. He was given medication for the pain. Its a very expensive operation and in all it cost around £5000. including the scans. This is why pet insurance is essential. He slowly recovered although he could not do stairs and would start to trip if taken for a walk that was to long. He died 9 months later from kidney failure. Wobblers is common in dobermans, great danes, and horses. Its very hard to diagnose but other dogs do get it. I think its more likely that your lab has something else, but a slipped disc or something on the spine is a possibility. you should still consider wobblers and get as much info as possible. Arhritis is also a possiblity as many dogs do still get it young.http://www.gsdhelpline.com/wobbler2.htmhttp://personal.palouse.net/valeska/wobblers.htm here is a couple of links about wobblers

A young dog should not be overexercised, particularly breeds like Labs which are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. did you buy from a reputable breeder who had the parents hip & elbow scored before breeding? Exercise should build up gradually from 5 minute walks for a very young pup to around 30 minutes at 6 months. Chasing a ball or unlimited free running is not good exercise for puppies as they can easily strain muscles or damage joints, especially as they tend to be so unco-ordinated at this age!. If you want advice from breed specialists, try this forum:http://www.labradorforums.co.uk(by the way, you either have a yellow Labrador or a Golden Retriever - no such thing as a Golden Labrador)

This needs to be checked out by your vet, if you can't afford the vets bills you shouldn't have 2 dogs!! Labs are prone to arthritus and hip dysplasia and both conditions can be extremely painful for the dog.How much exercise do you give her? An 8month old lab should have no more then 30mins twice a day free running play as there bones are still developing and to much exercise can cause joint problems.If she is doing this on a regular basis you need to see the vet as soon as possible.Good luck.

when my black lab sits sometimes his front left leg shakes a bit. It is of no concern he is great shape. I don;t think you have nothing to worry about! it's a dog thing!!! always remember if your dog stops eating then you know it is not well!!!

Yes, we have a 4 and a half year old chocolate lab and very occasionally, she does this.She's fit, not overweight, and never been lame. It's been no problem at all.No signs of arthritis in her at all.Good luck.