A Labrador Retriever that eats
a well balanced diet, and is provided with adequate
exercise would be expected to live between 10 and 13
years. However, as with any breed of dog, the Lab is
also prone to certain diseases and health risks. In
this article, we wanted to provide you with
information on some of the more common problems.
First, because the Labrador Retriever is a larger
breed, it is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. This
joint/bone disease causes the hip and/or elbow
joints to become loose. Therefore, as the dog moves
about, it would experience swelling and usually
pain. The amount of pain depends on the activity of
the dog, the weight of the dog, and the overall
degree of the problem. In many instances, dysplasia
can be treated with oral medication. If the problem
is more serious, your veterinarian may choose a
series of injections, which have shown to be highly
successful. If all else fails, surgery may be
considered. However, the ultimate solution is humane
euthanasia.
Another relatively common
problem is ear infections. For dog breeds that have
long, floppy ears, what happens is that warm moist
air becomes trapped within the ear. When this
occurs, infections develop. To prevent this from
happening, you want to clean your Lab’s ears on a
regular basis, usually daily. Using a simple Q-tip,
swab out the ear, taking care not to go too deeply.
If you notice the inside of the ear a dark pink or
red, with or without brown deposits, talk to your
veterinarian about proper medication.
Then, it is important not to overfeed your Lab. This
particular breed lives for three things – love,
play, and food. The goal with any Labrador is to
keep it within a healthy weight range. If you find
your dog is becoming too heavy, try to get a handle
on it immediately. Excessive weight is a huge risk
factor for hip and/or elbow dysplasia. In addition,
too much weight on your Lab would put it at risk for
developing diabetes. The key to keeping your dog fit
and healthy is feeding it the right food, the right
amount of food, and making sure there is plenty of
exercise time.
If you have a Labrador that loves the water, which
most do, you could experience a problem known as
“Swim Tail”. With this, the tail becomes swollen and
sore due to overuse, similar to Tennis Elbow for a
tennis player. You might also notice the tail having
a slight kink with this condition. The good news is
that providing your dog rest out of the water and
perhaps anti-inflammatory medication usually works
exceptionally well.
Finally, some Labrador Retrievers suffer from a
condition known as a “Luxating Patella”. With this,
the kneecap “floats”, a painful condition. While
this type of Luxation is seen more often with
smaller breeds, it can affect the Lab as well. As
mentioned, providing your pet with a loving and safe
home with regular veterinarian checkups is the best
way to have a wonderful, healthy pet.
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