[Wyatt's Mom]

I'm new here and also a first-time puppy owner. My husband and I just returned from a two-day trip and noticed that our 5-month-old puppy's front legs seem sloped from the paw to the first joint... like his wrists are weak. Is this normal? (growth spurt related?) It seemed his legs were straighter before. Thanks for any feedback. We will be taking him to the vet in about a month to be neutered, but thought maybe we should ask them about it sooner than that if it's not normal.

 

[Nicole74]

I have no idea. Bailey is 5 months old and her wrists are not like that. I would bring it up to the vet. I'm sure someone here has more answers then I do.

 

[Pointgold]

Can you provide a photo?

 

[Wyatt's Mom]

I'll try to take a photo and upload it.

 

[Wyatt's Mom]

Here are a couple pictures. His tail was wagging in the first one so you can only really see the right paw. The second one is better and closer. He doesn't seem to be in any pain and isn't limping.

 

[momtoMax]

well, I can say Max doesn't look like that at his feet. However, I can also say that for the longest time, Max grew body part by body part. First his tail was super long, when he grew into his tail, he looked like dumbo with his crazy big ears. Next was the long legged faze....so could it just be that your puppy is going through a faze where his ankles are super big compared to the rest of him? I really don't know but I guess it's a possibility. does he run/walk okay? Max never went through a stage that looked like that...he's 6 months now. It might not be a bad idea to take him for an early check up to your vet. On the chance it's a bone growth issue, it would be so much better to be seen right away. I hope someone has seen something like this and can give you great advice. I hope everythings okay!!

 

[Pointgold]

I wouldn't panic. This looks like it is growth related. He's 5 months old, which is a totally "geeky" age. He is a little down on his pasterns. He is likely cutting molars, too. I would make sure that he is on a slow growth program. I'd put him on adult food, if he is not already, rather than puppy, and make sure that he is not getting any supplements with calcium. A little yogurt or probiotics can't hurt, and will help him utilize the nutrients in his food.

 

[momtoMax]

I don't know if everyone here believes in putting a 5 month old puppy on grown up food so I wouldn't take that as gospel. Just saying. Max is still on puppy food and his growth seems to finally be slowing down a lot even on the puppy food.

 

[Nicole74]

I have Bailey on adult food. She absolutely hates puppy food and I have no idea why. I've tried a few different brands, it was difficult to change the food so often due to sensitive stomache. She finally eats well with the adult food, the vet said it was fine at her last appointment.

 

[Ljilly28]

I wouldn't panic. This looks like it is growth related. He's 5 months old, which is a totally "geeky" age. He is a little down on his pasterns. He is likely cutting molars, too. I would make sure that he is on a slow growth program. I'd put him on adult food, if he is not already, rather than puppy, and make sure that he is not getting any supplements with calcium. A little yogurt or probiotics can't hurt, and will help him utilize the nutrients in his food.

I couldnt agree with this great advice more, especially the part of pronto switching him to adult food. He does look down on his pasterns, which you can read about more commonly in German Shepherd Dogs and Great Danes. I would trust PG if she says not to panic, but I would be a bit worried if he were my pup. It's common and sound advice to switch to adult or ALS food for panoe and other bone issues.

 

[DNL2448]

I had a litter of GSDs years ago and had two puppies with sublexated pasterns. I switched them to adult food as well as swimming them daily. One puppy turned out fine the other I had to PTS (but he was extreme). So PG is right to keep the calcium down and slow down the growth by switching to adult food.

 

[Pointgold]

Just as an aside, I have ALWAYS switched puppies to adult food between 4-6 months old, and can attest that most breeders do, as well. Here's one way to look at it:
Puppy food is an "accelerated growth food." In the wild, dogs nurse until they are around 4 months of age or so, and then they eat the same thing as adults in the pack. There is no "puppy formula", "adult formula", "weight loss formula", or "senior formula". Once they are no longer getting the only "puppy formula" (nursing), which is during the time that they actually do need "accelerated growth", they grow at a slower, normal rate on the same food as adults. It makes perfect sense to put our pets on "adult" food at the same time as they would be in the wild, per se.

Horse folks also understand the benefits of this. A horse kept in a stall and being feed "hot foods' - grain, corn, sweet feed" will grow quickly but is more likely to be less sound than a horse allowed good pasture and kept at a slower growth rate. That horse is far more likely to be sound much longer.

 

[Pointgold]

I don't know if everyone here believes in putting a 5 month old puppy on grown up food so I wouldn't take that as gospel. Just saying. Max is still on puppy food and his growth seems to finally be slowing down a lot even on the puppy food.

Ever have a dog with pano? The very first thing a vet will tell you is to get the puppy off puppy food and onto adult food. A puppy on puppy food past 4-6 months old is far more likely to develop bone growth problems (which may manifest much later) than a puppy switched to adult food at the same age.
It may not be "gospel" but it is something that breeders, vets, and canine nutritionists have been doing for decades.

 

[kira]

Ever have a dog with pano? The very first thing a vet will tell you is to get the puppy off puppy food and onto adult food. A puppy on puppy food past 4-6 months old is far more likely to develop bone growth problems (which may manifest much later) than a puppy switched to adult food at the same age.
It may not be "gospel" but it is something that breeders, vets, and canine nutritionists have been doing for decades.

Murphy's contract specified switching to adult food at around 3 mos. We made the switch at about 3.5mos (3 months came up real fast and I still had to do my research!!). He is plenty big, perfectly normal (maybe mellower than the average pup but he was always that way) and according to my vet, perfectly healthy. Just my experience, I am not actually knowledgeable on the benefits of puppy vs. adult food past what I've read on here and so on...

 

[kwhit]

As PG said, put him on an adult food, (lower protien), and make sure it has the correct calcium/phos. levels. Also, giving Vit. C will help. Ester C is good. I had Danes before my Goldens and this is pretty common. If you feel better going to the vet, then go. But...don't let them talk you into staying on a puppy food. :no:

 

[Heidi36oh]

I agree all of mine been on adult food at age 5 to 6 month of age!

 

[momtoMax]

Ever have a dog with pano? The very first thing a vet will tell you is to get the puppy off puppy food and onto adult food. A puppy on puppy food past 4-6 months old is far more likely to develop bone growth problems (which may manifest much later) than a puppy switched to adult food at the same age.
It may not be "gospel" but it is something that breeders, vets, and canine nutritionists have been doing for decades.

No, I haven't. So you are saying now that there is something wrong with the growth of this dog rather than, I wouldn't worry to much about it. And while dogs have grown up healthy stopping puppy food at 6 months, etc. countless other dogs have done the same eating puppy food up to a year like my Willow for example - she is plenty sound in her old age.

 

[Pointgold]

No, I haven't. So you are saying now that there is something wrong with the growth of this dog rather than, I wouldn't worry to much about it. And while dogs have grown up healthy stopping puppy food at 6 months, etc. countless other dogs have done the same eating puppy food up to a year like my Willow for example - she is plenty sound in her old age.

No...that is not at all what I said.

 

[Penny & Maggie's Mom]

There is good info on the great dane lady's site. She has articles on pano and knuckling over and diet. The advice above is spot on. Here is the knuckling over page. http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/puppy_feed_program_for_knuckling_over.htm Also, if you go to the articles tab on the left you can find info on pano too. She really plugs supplements, etc so sift thru that and you'll find lots of good info.

 

[Pointgold]

I 've been doing this a looooooooooong time. Never said my word is "gospel", but the information that I share here on the forum is not ROMA. There is a foundation of success - not just mine, but many, many others, and a veterinary background, as well.
I told the OP not to panic. It is growth related, and assuring that the puppy's growth is slow moving forward can potentially prevent serious issues later. Since most bone growth problems do not show up until later, doing the best that you can, proactively now when the dog is young, makes perfect sense.
Take it for what it's worth.