# Sore muscles or something else?



## +two (Jul 12, 2011)

I am watching my brothers two Golden Retrievers this week. They are great dogs in general and very well behaved. I often take them for walks and I love seeing their natural instincts and abilities come out. 

However, they are couch potatoes. It kind of makes me mad actually. Here are two wonderful retrievers with great personalities who just sit inside ALL DAY. They are lucky if they get the ball thrown for them for 10 minutes a day. Besides me, no one else takes them for walks and forget outings. 

So, I decided to bring Chloe (female, 5yo) with me hiking yesterday. We have been on 90 minute walks in the woods before and she has done much better than her brother, Cooper. I decided to bring Chloe because I thought she could handle it.

Well, she handled it but barely. She was very slow at the end and it took a lot of praising and encouragement to keep her going. Today she is very sore and looks like she is having trouble with moving her hind end. She is not limping, she just looks *sore.* 

I have never dealt with sore muscles before in a dog. Is there anything I can do to help her? Special exercise restrictions? 

And mainly, _should I be worried that she really hurt herself?_ Is it time to see the ortho?


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## dmickle1 (Jun 19, 2011)

I wouldn't be too worried. Underexercised dogs can easily get sore if they're suddenly going for long walks. If you asked a person to jog a few miles after they sat on a couch for a few years, they'd be sore, too!

90 minutes may have been a bit of a long walk for her so shortening the walk may be a good idea. Was she mostly at your side or did she run around in the woods a lot? 

If the soreness lasts for longer than a day and a half to two days, I'd be slightly more concerned. But most likely she'll wake up tomorrow and be just fine  If she seems really stiff, dogs can have plain old Aspirin (NOT Tylenol, NOT Motrin, NOT Advil, just Aspirin). This may help relieve some of her achiness. Atlas has a bone spur in his elbow that gets sore sometimes and an aspirin after a hard run helps him out a lot. 

Poor guys  It's good of you to watch them and at least get them outside for some fresh air!


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## +two (Jul 12, 2011)

I really think she is just sore and achy because it seems much worse after she's been laying down for awhile. Then she warms up and its less pronounced. 

I know I wrote that weird, but I meant that previously we had been on 90 minutes walks and she has done fine. Our hike yesterday was closer to 4.5 hours. She pretty much stayed close and didn't do too much sprinting around. The other two dogs I brought with me are doing great today and seem to have more energy than ever! I will keep an eye on her and see if I can get some aspirin.

Thanks!

Update: I noticed Chloe was licking her back paws so I checked them and it turns out her pads are worn through. Poor girl, but at least I know what is causing her discomfort now.


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## dmickle1 (Jun 19, 2011)

+two said:


> I really think she is just sore and achy because it seems much worse after she's been laying down for awhile. Then she warms up and its less pronounced.
> 
> I know I wrote that weird, but I meant that previously we had been on 90 minutes walks and she has done fine. Our hike yesterday was closer to 4.5 hours. She pretty much stayed close and didn't do too much sprinting around. The other two dogs I brought with me are doing great today and seem to have more energy than ever! I will keep an eye on her and see if I can get some aspirin.
> 
> ...


Awww, poor girl  I hope she's feeling better soon!


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## Polywoggy (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh poor girl. She really must not be getting off the couch much. Willow's pads were always very tough due to the amount of hiking we did and playing fetch until my arm gave out, but every once in a while she would cut a pad on broken glass or something. People who litter like that really P me off. It would sometimes take a week before Willow lost her limp. Goldens need a lot of exercise. I don't know why people don't get that, but I know it happens with every breed. Willow would not have let me get away with a lack of exercise. She would have pestered me to death. I suppose a lot of people read that as bad behaviour. I knew nothing about dogs until she taught me. I'm glad I listened.


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