I've broken my dog

She always comes riding with me but yesterday when went a little further than usual and probably a bit faster.

I watered her and had a few rests as well as lots of uphill so she wasn't running the whole time but she is walking really stiffly today. She hasn't got any damage I can see. The wife is not best pleased..

Anything I can do to make her a bit more comfy while she recovers?? I'm sure it's just aches and pains but no more big trips for the pup.

Hot bath, lots of beer and some ibuprofen. 😉

im hoping that you have used the word pup simply as it sounds cute.

what dog? how far? how old?

SOOBalias – Member

im hoping that you have used the word pup simply as it sounds cute.

Ditto.

Is it hypoglycaemia? We had a spaniel who used to run itself into the ground and needed serious sugaring before it would move again, we would always take Mars bars etc for the dog in case it stopped.. Has she eaten much since?

Labrador, 5, no idea on mileage out for 3 hours.

Yeah called her the pup since she was one. She is used to it and is out with me most weeks, I am careful but I think it was a bit hot and a bit long, she is bascially sound but achey.

I'm not one to anthromorphosise but she is well pissed off with me.

Bit of a hijack but Ive been wondering when I can start to take my 5 month old pointer out running/biking? She is very active so weve ignored 'this no more than 1/2 hour walks until she is at least 7 nonsense'.

Ive got a five year old chocky lab and take him out if its around an hours quick blast through the woods. Last summer I took him out on a hot day for a couple of hours (obviosuly with plenty of water) , It totally **** him for days and I will never do it again . I think labs are like horses they will just keep running , Im also wary as he keeps wanting to get in front which is great fun that I dont end up catching his leg . Im sure he will recover just watch you dont over do it as they obviously are well known for hip problems.

Obviously, I don't mean any offence and it's your dog so your choice – but I wouldn't take my dog out for 3 hours at cycling pace. He's young & fit and would easily keep up, but the problem is he'd follow me to the ends of the earth, even if he's damaging himself doing it.

Mind you, if she's used to riding with you, then she's probably fitter than most.

That is not nonsense young dogs need to grow before they can run and stuff, you have to be more cautious with breeds prone to hip and bone problems.

I am kicking myself to be honest. I am getting a lot fitter and don't notice the increase in pace up the hills but on reflection I think she can't really come out anymore. She is usually fine.

I waited until my pointer was a year.
I do fail to see how it can be too damaging for them as my pointer only runs the same amount when out biking as when I'm walking, she's just with me more when I'm on the bike!
If anyone can keep the kind of relentless pace up to knacker a pointer either they are on a road bike or the trails are even more flat than round my way.
(But, of course I bow to the greater knowledge of the STW vet community)

Our Lab (7 years old) broke after running 8 miles with me. Labs are eaters not runners

Ive got a five year old chocky lab and take him out if its around an hours quick blast through the woods. Last summer I took him out on a hot day for a couple of hours (obviosuly with plenty of water) , It totally **** him for days and I will never do it again . I think labs are like horses they will just keep running , Im also wary as he keeps wanting to get in front which is great fun that I dont end up catching his leg . Im sure he will recover just watch you dont over do it as they obviously are well known for hip problems.

I shall stop off at Pets at home and buy her some treats to assuage my guilt.

Erm heat stroke ? Even if you gave her enough water?

Also Labs get hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis which affects the joints so the run could have exacerbated a pre-existing condition.

Anyway it really depends on how severe the sign are. If she is in quite a lot of pain I would take her to your vet to at least get some doggy pain killers – NOT IBUPROFEN!!!! He/she can then check her joints out at the same time i.e. range of motion, flexion, crepitus etc.

Certainly if she it still sore after a few days then I'd get her checked out esp. at such a young age 🙂

We took our dog our for two fairly quick laps of Cwmcarn one weekend (separate days), and he was hobbling a bit on the Sunday evening.

He was a bit stiff for a couple of days, so now we won't take him if we know we're doing to go fast, or cover a lot of distance. It's not easy to leave him behind because he definitely makes a ride more fun, and loves to run.

My mates dog (heinz 57) is the same – used to go miles but now too much and she get a bit lame on the front end so leaves her at home on long trips IIRC 🙂

I had this potential fear- I had to ease right off as Bingo was too eager down technical sections. Dog/bike best left to the canal tow path or park IMO.

Unless you like the risk of big vet bills in the future.

My pointer is now 20 months old and I've taken him for 1 hour max rides since he was 6 months old – albeit on a singlespeed and going slowly on the downs as speeding down hills is what will cause joint issues- like DezB says I think if anything I cramp his style a bit and slow him down!
We've only had one dog /bike interface (pretty slow speed as I was always wary) and he's learned pretty quickly from that.

Probably either dehydrated or ran out of energy. Mrs M has had one dog collapse out working a very long tough day

More importantly, Labradors are very susceptible to hip problems and are simply not designed to run for long distances. If you take a Lab biking regularly you stand a 99% chance of seriously shortening its active life by several years

Yeah you have to be really careful.

I have a 5 year old chokkie lab too and he just wants to run and run and run. If i am out on the bike i tend to limit it to an hour, if i am running he can easily come for a couple of hours as its a slower pace. Fetch he will play all day long and then when he's knackered he'll go and find the nearest mud puddle to wallow in.

Labs need to be exercised a lot, as mentioned above they are prone to hip problems, and if you leave them in the house eating a lot and getting fat this will only aggrevate that. But there is a limit and certainly when biking.

Jools, she'll probably be fine with a bit of rest.

It does highlight the fact that we need to be careful with our dogs though. They can't (or won't) say "I'm tired, can we slow down please?"

I am well aware of the hip problems that Labs get but she is lean and very fit. I thought keeping her excercised would strenghten the muscles and ligaments around her joints and probably help her stay active for longer, is that not the case then?

It's all academic now the wife has banned me taking her out on the bike.

Jools, as i stated above that is the case. With labs it is extremely important to keep them lean and exercised. The fat labs you see waddling around are those that are prone to the hip problems.

I am well aware of the hip problems that Labs but she is lean and very fit

Nope: over activity can be as bad as underactivity, sorry 🙂 But a fit and non-overweight/underweight dog is best – Everything in moderation 🙂

are those that are prone to the hip problems

Erm yes and no – being overweight will accelerate pre-existing joint problems but certainly hip problems are associated with bone and joint development when young.

hip problems are associated with bone and joint development when young.

agreed.

Vet J. 2009 May 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Diagnosis, genetic control and preventive management of canine hip dysplasia: A review.

Ginja MM, Silvestre AM, Gonzalo-Orden JM, Ferreira AJ.

Department of Veterinary Science – CITAB, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
Abstract

Despite expensive screening and breeding programmes, hip dysplasia (HD) continues to be one of the most common orthopaedic diseases in dogs. The vast majority of dogs afflicted with HD show minimal to no clinical signs, but it can also be a highly debilitating condition for both working and pet dogs. Hip joint laxity is considered a major risk factor for the development of degenerative joint disease and a definitive diagnosis is made if characteristic signs are evident on a ventrodorsal view of the pelvis. Early prediction of the condition can be made using stress radiographic techniques to evaluate the passive hip laxity. The diagnosis of HD may be used for the purpose of selecting breeding stock or to decide on the best treatment approach. Breeding programmes based on individual dog phenotypes have been ineffective and a selection procedure based on breeding value (BV) estimation is recommended. Traditional conservative and surgical treatment approaches are reserved for dogs with overt clinical signs of the disease but such treatments can be expensive and aggressive, and are often ineffective in eliminating clinical signs or subluxation and in preventing the development of degenerative joint disease. The implementation of breeding programmes based on BVs and further research into early prediction/diagnosis of HD and effective preventive treatment approaches are essential.

Sorry to digress – bit of R&R is in order I think to return to the OP – but maybe go to your vet if it persists or gets worse – at least you might need some doggy pain killers in the short term (sorry repeating myself again).

Nope: over activity can be as bad as underactivity

Exactly right.

Maybe you should start riding a Mountain Unicycle 😉 (sorry if I held you up).

Rest and Cod Liver Oil added to food. Vet may add analgesia, eg, Meloxicam.

So it was you!!! I waited in a good spot so no issues.

You are properly mad though!!!

Labs are like dustbins, she had someones flapjack at the shop that had only just been put down. On the plus side when the kids are messy it saves lots of floor mopping!

😀 (hope your's dogs okay)

Cod Liver Oil

+1

Labs are like dustbins

On Saturday i watched mine eat a bumblebee and subsequently get stung, came running over for comfort then sulked for an hour.

Over the rest of the weekend he did the same thing 3 more times!

Who said dogs are intelligent?

There is such a thing as too much and too little. Especially approaching warmer weather.

Ontop of this a dog will always go above and beyond to please his master so you should ride slower and shorter IMO. Exercise and strain are two different concepts.

I think the missus is right in the winter it's better – slower, cooler and softer underfoot. I think she may have got in the way of a guy behind me too.

When my Collie had ran too much (he was a working dog) he'd get quite stiff the next day. The vet gave us Metacam. Worked a treat.

we would always take Mars bars etc for the dog

Please don't give chocolate to your dog. It contains a chemical that causes their heart to beat very quickly, which can be fatal.

Hope the dog has recovered, they'll follow you to the ends of the earth. Loyalty.

She had a cup of sweet tea a day on the sofa and seems to be her old self again, still looking at me in a funny way though!