If anyone has an idea what might be causing this I'd really appreciate hearing about it.  Sorry, going to be long.  First, some background:

Our Lab is 12 1/2, fit, never overweight, weighs 55 lb. (25 kg) and often taken for a much younger dog.  Annual Vet check in July showed only a healthy, young for her age, dog.

Yesterday drove to visit Grandma and cousin Laddie.  In and out of the car a lot, visited nursing home with Grandma and both pooches, then a short walk.  Small sign of problem - reluctant to jump up into our jeep on her own so was lifted, and reluctant to come up Grandma's rickety back steps.  No problems getting down or on the walk.  Usual drive home with Jet asleep on back seat. 

Instant stress on arriving home.  Very fretful, ended up on floor of jeep at opposite door to one she usually uses and had to be lifted out, backwards.  Unwilling to walk forward, tucked up, wobbly, heavy panting, would rather try to walk backwards.  Carried in to house, then out again to backyard for bathroom stop.  Very distressed.  Gave half of 325 mg aspirin.  Assume the panting and distress are signs of pain but could discern no pain reaction on feeling her all over with careful attention to abdomen, hips and cruciate.

I slept on the floor with her last night as she seemed to want constant contact with me and reassurance.  Both of us went to sleep but her pain seemed to come at intervals as she would waken me with resumed panting and fretfullness, moving twice to be closer to me and forcing me to move.  Bowel accident in the early morning, yeah right on our shared bed as she was lying down.  Stool looked normal.  Then she got up and went outside, lifted up and down deck steps, back inside and slept peacefully the rest of the night.

Gave Metacam, double dose as intructions say for the first time, this morning with her breakfast.  Morning ritual, including elimination, as usual but she still seemed to have pain somewhere and still helped on the steps.  Now sleeping on our chesterfield, was lifted up.  Temperature is 37.7C.

Went through this four years ago with same acute symptoms and if anything, even more distress on Jet's part as that time she was crying out.  At that time showed pronounced limping on right hind leg and reluctant to set it down at all.  Vet was so sure it was a cruciate problem that he booked the surgery before even seeing her but the "drawer test" and Xray showed no problem with the cruciate ligament or with her hips.  Symptoms dissipated and a few days later she was fine again and we have no idea what caused this, though that time she had, for the first time, been given her vacinations in the hip a few days before the problem manifested itself.  Only guess we have for that time is a delayed reaction at the injection site.

In retropsect, there have been other incidents lately of reticence in climbing stairs.  But only certain ones, such as our front steps when she is fetching up the morning newspaper, which is big and tends to catch on the steps, and only sometimes.  Ditto jumping up into the jeep which she has seemed to not like as well as the last one ever since we got it two years ago, but again only sometimes.  Absolutely no problem jumping up on the chesterfield or our bed and no problem getting down.

This is a holiday weekend here in Ontario, Canada so our Vet is closed till Tuesday (now Sunday).  Jet is resting comfortably now so we think we will wait and see what transpires today and tomorrow.  But if anyone has an idea to share, or similar experience, your comments would be most welcome.

Hi i'd definitely think there was something wrong with her legs i'm can't help you i've got no experience of this but i'd definitely go to another vet and get a second opinion even a test on her heart it doesn't sound right to me.

Warm regards  Susan

I would suggest a refferal and possibly a mylogram, she could have a nerve problem in her back, I certainly wouldnt be happy with those symptoms.  Some dogs with back problems CAN get down far better than they can get up, pressure on the spinal cord may be relieved in certain positions and make movement ok for the dog.  She does seem to have a real problem.  Good luck.
Dawn.

Well, Its noon, Tuesday here and we're just back from the Vet's.  He suspects intervetebral disk disease and we will go back tomorrow morning for an Xray to confirm.  He suspects it is a chronic condition and Jet has just experienced an acute episode.  Common in older dogs and easily medicated.

She has been much better.  Went for short walk last evening and she clearly wondered why we turned back so soon.  Was playful and energetic, bouncing up on her hind feet and acting her usual self.  Her problems with going up and down seem to be intermittant.  I am going to see what more I can find out about intervetebral d.d. on the internet.

Yes I did think the symptoms were more "back" like.  Let us know how you get on with her.
Dawn.

Little black Jetski pup is home now and Xray has confirmed the Vet's suspicion of Intevertebral disk disease.  She also has significant spondylosis but it is not believed to be the source of her discomfort and is also a condition common to older dogs.  She is to be medicated with Dexamethasone for the next several weeks, and tapering off it.  The hard part is going to be the restricted exercise and short leash walks only.  She's used to a considerable amount of exercise, off leash, and already wonders why her walks have been shortened.  Vet is thinking her 10 km cross country ski outings with me should probably not resume this winter either, which will be hard on both of us.  I've been told she could very well go without ever having another of these episodes or she could have one, just have to wait and see.  Have also been told that if she has another episode that has her showing signs of paralysis that I should treat such as an extreme emergency.  Also instructed to limit jumping up and down from our bed etc. as much as I can.

Have a question for all who may have gone through this before.  The Vet who checked us out is not our regular fellow.  I understood (will check to make sure I got this part right) him to say he wants Jet to have only short walks of no more than 15 minutes for the rest of her life.  That seems extreme to me, when she is used to so much more.  I am prepared to have her slow down, but that much?  What level of activity did you allow your older dog to resume?

Oh, they xrayed her hips as well and she apparently has remarkably good hips, no displasia at all.