Waddling when walking

by Jennifer
(Murrieta, ca)

Hi there! We have an 8 month old rottie who waddles like crazy when we are walking him. Is this normal?

Or should I be worried about HD, or other joint problems. He only does this when we are walking a a brisk pace.

Thank you for your help,
Jennifer







Hi Jennifer
I'm not exactly sure what the 'waddling' looks like, but it's impossible for me to really guess if anything is wrong I'm afraid.

Some dogs tend to 'wag their whole rear end from side to side' as they walk, and this may be what the waddling looks like.

Unless he's showing other signs of canine hip dysplasia, seems overly stiff or has pain, then I doubt it's something like that.

However, as I said it's pretty much impossible for me to say with any certainty one way or the other and I'd recommend having your vet check him out if you are at all worried. Although he's really too young for any kind of definitive diagnosis or evaluation of his hips, by manually manipulating the joint (if he thinks it necessary), your vet should be able to determine if there is any big problem that needs further investigation.

Sorry I couldn't help more but I wish you the very best of luck with your pup and hope all is well.