Young & Active Dog with Sore Paws? Legs? Hips? after playing?

My 2.5 yr old lab mix loves running around, swimming, retrieving, you name it. She is very active. However starting a few months ago after we play frisbee, ball, go for a run or hike and she comes in a lays down and relaxes with me she doesnt want to get up and acts like her back legs or feet or hips are very sore. When she does get up she takes tiny steps and she needs a few minutes for her legs to "stretch" but she still limps around. Then, when she eats she looks like she is dancing from switching the weight side to side on her backfeet. The next day she is totally fine. No soreness no anything. This cycle continues everyday. I check her range of motion, her paws for cuts, sore, rawness, or long nails, etc and find nothing. A few weeks later we were playing catch in the backyard just like usual and she was running to catch the ball when she all of a sudden yelped and stopped mid-run and limped her way back to me where she continued whimpering for a minute. I picked her up and brought her inside and checked her thoroughly for everything again. What could be hurting her? It only happens after she gets her exercise like she has a sore back-end from the "workout." Also, we play in soft grass not on pavement. I can't NOT give her exercise either. Anyone with experience?She is not even 3 and she is a lab mix so I didnt think she would have HD.. my husband found her abandoned by the lake and the vet said she was almost 4 weeks old so i have no idea what her lineage is.. She gets sore after play and then the next morning is hyper just like always.. and the cycle continues. Im going to take her back to the vet, they thought maybe a pulled muscle and to restrict activity and/or ice it. But playing frisbee in the backyard for 30 mins should not make her sore

Sounds like hip dysplasia. Call the veterinarian and get her in there for an exam and an X-ray.

bad hips, joints

What does the vet say about this? Something is very wrong here.

It sounds like somewhere in her lineage there was hip dysplasia that was put in her papers when you got her. You need to contact where you got her from (if it was a breeder) they should have all the info from her parents, grandparents on file. You need to take her to the vet. They will examine her and probably do xrays. It won't be cheap but well worth it. The vet can tell you what her quality of life should be like. They may be able to prescribe pills for joint health or for pain. It may something more serious as an injury to her spine. I wish you luck.

Really does sound like HD.. Mine had that and the symptoms were the same.

When you go to the vet, ask about Lyme Disease. Arthritis is a common secondary ailment. Ask them too about glucosomine/chondroiten supplements. While there will be many people quick to attack about the use of steroids, I had a Springer who acquired Lyme Disease as a pup, and lived a very long and happy life (16 years), with quite liberal use of prednisone to control his arthritis.

Consider starting her on joint supplements such as glucosamine chondroitin and omega 3 fatty acids. Yes, hip dysplasia did cross my mind, but before that, ACL(Anterior Cruciate Ligament) tear or rupture came before that. It is very common, especially in labs but does require surgery. This ligament is located in the knee and when ruptured can cause arthritic pain, but it not known to completely immobilize them. Just to mention the most successful surgery is a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) although more expensive, my young dog has had 2 of them, at age 3 and 4 years and she can act as if nothing happened. It is mostly found in overweight dogs, however, I can personally say that is not always the cause considering I have a problem keeping weight ON my dog even before the incident.