1st May 2006

My eight-month old labrador has a very noticeable ‘wiggle’ of the rear when he walks. Could there be a problem with his hips?

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Question:

My eight-month old labrador has a very noticeable ‘wiggle’ of the rear when he walks. He doesn’t seem to be in any pain and is very active, but he is very clumsy with his back legs. Could there be a problem with his hips?

Answer:

Be careful with him! Do not overexercise him as labs are prone to developing hip dysplasia. If he is showing signs of being weak on his back legs, you do not want to damage the young soft bones that are still growing, so try to slightly restrict his exercise and food intake. You should discuss with your vet whether he should have X-rays taken to determine if he does have hip dysplasia. It may also be worth having his hips scored for the severity of hip dysplasia by the Kennel Club Hip Dysplasia Panel. This will tell you how bad his hips are and whether it would be necessary to consider surgery to help him walk a little better. However, young labs are a little gangly on their back legs anyway and there may not be a problem. In fact, you may find that as his muscles mature he is better able to get around, and that he looses his ‘wiggle’.