Health for Dogs

Bone Diseases of Large Breed Dogs
Large breed dogs are a special lot indeed. But along with their wonderful
traits and personality comes there own special problems, particularly of the
skeletal system. Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Golden, Chesapeake and
Labrador Retrievers, are among the many breeds that commonly present with
these disorders. Briefly, here is a description of some of those bony
problems.
1) Hip Dysplasia. By far the most common recognized skeletal problem in the
large breed dog. It is the condition in which abnormal formation of the hip
joint results in an unstable joint. As the dog ages, this can lead to severe
debilitating arthritis. The exact cause is unknown but it is believed to
develop because the skeleton grows faster then the supporting muscles.
Heredity and nutrition influence this imbalance of growth rate. Responsible
breeders try very hard to breed against this disorder but even under the best
conditions, hip dysplasia can show up.
2) Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). This is a disease of the shoulder, hock,
or knee joint of these young, fast growing large breeds. The lameness first
appears between 6 and 9 months of age. It is causes by a small piece of
cartilage that separates from the joint and flaps into the joint space
causing pain and discomfort.  Most of the time, surgery is curative.
3) Panosteitis. This is a very painful disorder where the periostium (the
sheath that covers bones) becomes inflamed.  It usually starts between 5 and
13 months of age. These pups can develop a fever and some can hardly walk.
The good news is that it is usually self-limiting if we just keep the pup
comfortable while they out grow it. Remissions are usually complete by 1 and
at most 2 years.
4) Ununited Anconeal process (UAP). This is a disorder of the elbow joint
that shows up in the young dog. A small piece of the elbow does not fuse
normally and causes pain and lameness in the front legs. Surgery is required
for correction.
5) Fragmented Coronoid Process. Another disease of the elbow effecting
younger dogs. This process of the weight bearing surface of the elbow joint
is fragmented and must be surgically removed to alleviate pain
6) Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy. This severely painful disease causes bony
thickenings near the joints especially near the ends of the foreleg and
forearm. While most dogs recover, this disease can be fatal from the severe
fever that develops. Unfortunately, even after recovery, the effected dog can
be left with a permanent deformity.
Note: Many experts believe that some of these disorders can be prevented or
minimized with proper nutrition. We may be over feeding our large breed pups
"pushing" their rapidly growing bones into these developmental abnormalities.
Check with your vet. Some premium food manufacturers have developed puppy
food designed for growth of these large breeds to minimize these skeletal
disorders. <<<
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