[abhishek]

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all well.

I am new here. I found this forum a few days ago while I was looking for some answers on my golden retriever's front legs.

I have a golden retriever. His name is SUPERMAN. I am worried about his front legs. The knees are knobby and the paws are pointing outwards. He is 4.5 months old. His weight is well above 16kgs. He plays well, jumps, sprints, attacks us and does not limp or has any kind of pain. All in all, he is active. I am feeding him 325grams of N&D puppy food.

Morning - 150grams + Calcium supplement 3 ml + megaflex powder 4 grams + 1 egg white + 1 bowl curd
Lunch - home made food + 25 grams N&D food + 1 multivitamin tablet (Pet Tabs) + 1 egg white + 1 bowl curd
Dinner - 150 grams + Calcium supplement 3 ml + megaflex powder 4 grams + 1 egg white + 1 bowl curd

He also eats fruits like bananas, mangos, watermelon etc. in between his meals.

I am so concerned about his feet. Please show me the way. Please tell me if this will be automatically corrected or if I need to visit a vet. I have read so much about this on the internet and everyone has their own opinion. Everyone says something different. Please take a look at these photos of him.

Look forward to your suggestions. Thank you.

 

[abhishek]

Cut all the supplements and just feed the dog food. These is 90% of the time a nutrition issue and he’s eating a balanced diet that is being all thrown apart by tons of calcium

Thank you very much for responding. So need to visit the vet for this right now? Just cut the calcium supplement? I am so heartbroken and I love him to the moon and back. I just want him to be OK.

 

[abhishek]

I would visit the vet right away, and stop feeding him what you're feeding him and switch to a high quality kibble so he's getting balanced nutrition.

Thank you very much for responding. I am feeding him N&D and I believe N&D is high-quality dog food. What do you think?

 

[abhishek]

You have a lot going on there.
Agree to stop all supplements (why is he on all that?) and other than Vit C nothing but balanced kibble. And I wouldn't do the Vit C indefinitely, just long enough (maybe 6 wks) to see if it helps.

Thank you very much for responding. I have stopped all supplements. The vet recommended these supplements. I just listened to him. I just wanted the best for him. I am feeding him N&D and I believe N&D is high-quality dog food. What do you think?

 

[abhishek]

Cut all the supplements and feed a high quality food. Take him to the vet to get their opinion.

Thank you very much for responding. I have stopped all supplements. I will go to the vet tomorrow.

 

[abhishek]

Farmina N&D?
I love their bags, and admit I buy some now and then just because I like the bag and ingredient description. But if it's one of the ones without grains it probably would not fit anyone's safe definition.

Yes, Farmina N&D - Farmina Pet Foods - Dog food - N&D Pumpkin Grain-Free Canine - Lamb & Blueberry Puppy Medium & Maxi

 

[abhishek]

You need to be feeding a grain inclusive formula, like the chicken and pomegranate formula that has oats, barley, millet, etc.

Thanks for replying. Sure. Next time I'll buy this one. Farmina N&D Low Grain Mini Breed Dry Puppy Food - Chicken & Pomegranate - 2.5 Kg Each - Pack of 2 : Amazon.in: Pet Supplies

Please confirm if this is ok.

 

[abhishek]

I think @Prism means that Farmina N&D is alright but do not choose the ones that says grain-free.. Grain-free foods have been linked to potentially causing canine dilated cardiomyopathy... Can you perhaps switch him to one of the grain inclusive Farmina N&D selection instead?

Thanks for replying. Sure. Next time I'll buy this one. Farmina N&D Low Grain Mini Breed Dry Puppy Food - Chicken & Pomegranate - 2.5 Kg Each - Pack of 2 : Amazon.in: Pet Supplies

Please confirm if this is ok.

I don't know too much about the food. So asked a few people who already have pets. They recommended n&d and I went for the most expensive one.

 

[abhishek]

You need to feed this one: Farmina Pet Foods - Dog food - N&D Ancestral Grain Canine - Chicken & Pomegranate Puppy Medium & Maxi

or this one: Farmina Pet Foods - Dog food - N&D Ancestral Grain Canine - Lamb & Blueberry Puppy medium & maxi

Doesn't really matter which.

Thank you very much for replying. I will definitely buy this henceforth. What do you think about the condition of his legs? Will they straighten out?

 

[abhishek]

I would listen to this advice and follow it. Good luck to your puppy and hope he's gonna be better soon.. 🙂

Thank you very much for replying. I will definitely buy this henceforth. What do you think about the condition of his legs? Will they straighten out?

 

[abhishek]

I'm sorry about the condition of your puppy's legs 😕 I'm not at all experienced to advise on such conditions and I did not go through this with my puppy... I can only state that If I were in your shoes, I would listen to more experienced and knowledgeable members like Prism and ArkansasGold.. I guess the first step is to start with the food change and perhaps to take vitamin C (as I read from the thread)? Maybe Prism can clarify for you if you should still continue this and how much?

I really hope your puppy is going to be better....🤞🏽

Thank you for replying.

 

[abhishek]

He's not eating a breed appropriate food currently. Most of the time, the pasterns are nutritionally influenced. He looks like there is more going on than just that but there's no telling if changing his diet will be able at this point to fix something that should've developed a certain way at a specific age. Almost certainly adding grain inclusive food WILL reverse any possible cardiac issues he's developed due to using GF foods.

Thank you for replying. I will change the food as suggested.

 

[abhishek]

Angular Limb Deformities in Dogs | Hill's Pet
I just looked up "carpal valgus in dogs" and the above article came up. Based on what I read in the article, it may be correctable through diet but you need to see a veterinarian asap.

Thank you so much for replying. I went to the vet on Saturday. He blamed the marble flooring in my house for his condition. He advised placing mats/carpets around the house for superman to walk on. He explained how the slippery flooring caused this. He suggested making him walk in the soil and rough surface and as he is already 4.5 months old the legs might not go back to perfect but could correct somewhat. He said if I went to him a month earlier he would have splinted his legs and the condition would correct about 90%. He said his bones have almost hardened. I am so heartbroken right now.

I now have carpets covering almost 90% of the area in my house where he usually walks/stays/plays. I started taking him for walks when he was a little over 3 months old. Since Saturday I am making him walk on the soil as much as I can. For an hour or so. I have also started massaging his front legs by pressing the joints in the opposite direction.

Has anyone got something to add?

 

[abhishek]

Lot of folks have marble/tile flooring- I do myself- the floor may be exacerbating his difficulties but they are unlikely to have caused them. Never heard of a puppy being splinted - here, vets usually adjust nutrition to try to fix such things.

The vet you take your pet to, can you share their website/contact details? I would like to try and proli do a video consulting with them. Thanks.

 

[abhishek]

I am not experienced but alot of people I know have the marble type of flooring you speak about and have had puppies as well from 8 weeks of age (they have Labradors so similar to Goldens??). These dogs are now about my Golden's age - roughly 2 years old and they don't have this condition.... I don't really like to criticize vets because it's their field of expertise.. But I find this very strange that the vet just blamed the flooring! 🙁

This is only getting more and more confusing. Who do I listen to? Are arkansasgold, sankari and prism goldens able to share the contact details of their respective vets?

 

[abhishek]

Hi abishek, I encourage you to reach out to any breeder vet OR if you have Facebook, there is a good group with a breeder vet that sometimes replies on posts with similar conditions. Even if you don’t post, you can search the group for similar posts and see what she says. The group is Pet Vet Corner

Thanks for replying. 99.5% of the breeders in India are full of ****. They are all money minded and there is no law for them either. Like there's AKC in the USA there's Kennel Club if India (KCI) in India. Even if you would like to get pets from breeders with KCI papers they will provide you with the pedigree than what was originally promised. I will check the facebook page.

I would again like to request you to please share the contact details of your vet.

 

[abhishek]

I dk that any of MY vets use video consults but I will inquire today for you. I too am hesitant to criticize a vet- however, I know about flooring, and have raised many, many puppies never presenting w this level of problem. I've only ever had one w dropped pasterns and Vit C fixed that fast (and it wasn't anywhere like your dog's- this didn't happen to him overnight and I'd have caught first notice of issues).
Do you speak english well? I am sure if I find you a vet to consult by video I will not find one who is fluent in more than Spanish.

Thank you very much for replying and offering to help. I would like to consult with the vets that you all consult with because they are tested by you.

I met with a lady yesterday who noticed the legs of superman and said the same thing as the vet. Blamed the marble flooring. She went on to add that she had a great dane who had the same issue because of the flooring and his legs were corrected by placing the mats on the floor. She said they placed the mats for good 1.5 years. She said she started when her dog was 3 months. She suggested the same thing. Place mats on the floor and make him walk/play/run in the soil. Anyways, she was just a random person and not an expert. I trust you all more than her.

I believe I can speak English well. The only 2 languages I speak are Hindi and English. I would only like to consult with the vets tested by you all. Please let me know if you can connect me to a vet who you would trust with your pet. Thank you.

 

[abhishek]

I would have loved to share my contact of my vet but she doesn't speak English but French (I actually live in France) and I'm right now in a remote no man's place in Norway due to work 🤦🏽‍♀️ I'm so sorry about this. But I can say from what I have seen back in my neighborhood in France, I know of 5 different labrador puppies (then) in different homes/owners that had grown up with marble flooring and are now reaching almost 2 years old.. they do not look like this visually so I'm inclined to feel marble flooring cannot cause this condition....? but it's my belief hence not scientific..

Also ArkansasGold and Prism have so much experience about raising so many puppies and golden retrievers... Personally, I have high confidence in their advice..

If you would really like some advice, I can share this image of your puppy with my husband and ask him to ask for you on your behalf? But this would take time, as all the vets in France are swamped...

Thanks for replying and being so helpful. Please feel free to share the pics with everyone and anyone you like

 

[abhishek]

Following up on the nutrition, I was reading again your original post to give the details and I was calculating the amount of N&D food you were giving your golden.. you mentioned 325g puppy food in total. But I believe you wrote.. 100g for breakfast, 25g for lunch and 100g for dinner = only 225g... Are you feeding 100g less or is this a typo? Just to clarify... Thanks..

Thanks for noticing this. I am sorry. This is a typo. It’s 150+25+150

 

[abhishek]

That wasn't my post. I wouldn't feed the N&D either. I would find a kibble that meets the wsava guidelines. Do you have access to Purina foods?

Yes purina is available where I am. Thankfully I am in one of the most popular metropolitan cities in India. So yes most of the things are available here.