Im really worried about my chocolate lab puppy. I posted a couple of days ago about her eating faeces and have now calmed down after reading the replies.

My husband took her to the vet last night, her legs seem quite "bowed" looking at the front, and she doesnt want to walk too far, she is limping a bit, though she hadnt hurt herself in any way.

We have only had her a week and she was the last puppy left in the litter, and was 13 weeks old ----- from a very well respected breeder, shes been innoculated, and microchipped. The reason I tell you this is because its unlikely that the breeder didnt feed her good quality food.

The vet has said that she has a condition (dystrophy?) and said she could either have been fed a poor diet or its an inherited condition. I have googled it and am worried sick now that its permanent and serious, but the vet said that with proteins and Hills Science Plan food etc it should improve in three weeks?

I dont doubt his diagnosis, but just wondered if ANY of you have any experience of this, and whether it was resolvable?

In just a week Ive come to love her so much that I would be devestated if this was going to affect her quality of life.

Sorry for rambling!

I know nothing about these sort of dogs - although my uncle was a poacher and always had a working one so I sort of grew up seeing them a lot. They do seem prone to hip dysplasia and I don't know the ages at which the hip score tests can be done - but wasn't that the breeder's responsibility?

Someone will be along in a bit who knows much more than I do. Sounds like the pup didn't have enough tests done. A lot of breeders can present themselves as 'experts' with champion bloodlines etc - but really not have much of a clue so long as they're selling... This is why if buying a pedigree pup it's a good idea to go to a few shows, chat to laods of breeders with your chosen breed, and get the inside gossip. (I'm not lecturing you, OP, you put that in for the benefit of anyone about to start the search for a pedigree pup who's never had one before).

I wonder if that's what's happened here? Labs are bred by far too many backstreet breeders - to me, they seem the most overbred breed of dog as a lot of the farmers round here who are by no means dog experts, breed them to sell over the farm gate.

As it's a pet not a working dog, I'd relax and let yourself bond with it and be there for pup. You can arm yourself with info and maybe ask on some doggy forums for advice, too, as you may find a wider population of people who have actually been through this with a pet, who can help.

Good luck with pup and let us know how pup's getting on with the change in diet, etc.

Thanks Hogzilla.

Im so cross with myself. I had dogs as a child but the last 30 years have just had cats, however my husband had dogs all his life until we got together.

We did do a bit of research, but online only - we avoided the obvious "puppy farm" type of adverts, and this breeder seemed genuine. We have hip score tests from mum and dad lab but nothing on pup.

There is no way we will be "deserting" her, we will do everything the vet says and I will let you know how it goes, but your advice is VERY good, and if we had to do it over again I would be asking the breeder for people to contact regarding recommendations.

My husbands friend breeds water spaniels and in retrospect we should have taken one of them as he knows him so well............but we had our heart set on a chocolate lab.

Haven't you discussed it with the breeder?