poppy's stiff!

[claire26pink]

hello guys!
i'm pretty new to this so i hope you can help me! I have a beautiful black lab puppy called Poppy she is 7 months old, and very cute, i bought her from a good breeder and was given all the hip and eye details. Poppy is a care free happy bouncy 7 month old as you can imagine into everything! she leads an active but easy life not too hard as shes only young and i know they shouldn't work too hard running around.

well getting to the point poppy seems stiff sometimes when she has been laying for awhile on the cool floor or even on the carpet, when she gets up she walks like an old girl it doesn't seem to bother her, but it bothers me, she never limps from the same leg! thats why i've jumped on the pc, is this normal while they are young, she is on a good diet and seems happy, before i take her to the vets do any of you lab owners have any suggestions? Also i have been reading about heartworm, now Poppy is wormed and has all her jabs but the vet never said about heartworm, is that because i live in the U.K? thick i may sound but this worries me and i need to know if i should sort her out!!
thanks again
claire & poppy.
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[Tatyana]

She might be experiencing Pano (Panostetis or growth pains), which is quite common, or it might be some other joint condition. Is it in her rear legs or her front legs? Either way, I'd take her to an orthopedic vet just to be sure. I hope it's just growth pains, which will go away on its own.

[Alsmum]

Hi claire - poppy being young shouldn't have excessive exercise as growing takes precedence. I don't let my young pups jump to or from the car for example until they are 12 months and no stairs. This is probably over protective but I don't want joint injuries.

I have my old dog who has a hip score of 42 thanks to an injury when young and so am very careful whilst the dogs are growing.

I worm with panacur, (lopatol and drontal sometimes - had a bad experience with them so a bit wary) and am in the UK. Your vet will advise re worming but I have not been advised to worm for heartworm.

Never a dull moment with dogs in the house

[4yelloweyedogs]

I've had experience with "growing pains" (Panostetis ) with one of my Labs, and a German Shephard years ago. They do outgrow this condition, but you should take her to the ortho vet to make sure this is what it is. It could be something else, which could be more serious, so I wouldn't take any chances ..... take her to the vets .....

Melissa