Puppy with Swollen Joints! Help

Luxie · 06-22-2011, 01:39 PM

So luxie went into the vet today to get her 3rd round of shots 16 weeks old. THe vet noticed her front elbow joints were swollen and she was not resting on them with all her weight. I am on blue buffalo large breed puppy food. He recommended Eukanuba because the calcium could be too hight in blue buffalo right now and shes growing too fast for her joints. I'm freaking out now that I might have hurt my puppy walking her and not giving her the best. Has anyone had a problem like this before? He said switch her until her joints catch up then go back to blue buffalo after a couple months.

Elaine · 06-22-2011, 02:01 PM

I would be thinking pano or elbow dysplasia before anything else and not worrying about what you are feeding right now. Eukanuba is not high on the list of foods I would feed my dogs. Did he do x-rays to see what the problem was or was he just guessing?

onyx'girl · 06-22-2011, 02:06 PM

I haven't heard of a 16 week old getting Pano. And it doesn't affect the joints.
I agree on the Eukanuba, if you can get Acana or Orijen, that would be my choice. Wellness super5mix LBP has the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorus as well.
Vitamin C will reduce inflammation, and salmon oil/vitamin E should help as well. I'd start supplementing now.

robinhuerta · 06-22-2011, 02:18 PM

Before I would jump to conclusions or change anything....I would get a proper diagnosis first....
There is an underlying "physical" reason for the swelling, especially on such a young puppy.

WVGSD · 06-22-2011, 04:09 PM

I pulled a puppy for a GSD rescue several years ago and, when she became ill, she was diagnosed with hypertrophic osteodystrophy. Here is some information:

Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy: A Bone Disease in Growing Dogs

This is disease found in rapidly growing large breed puppies and is often characterized by painful swelling of the growth plates in the legs. My rescue foster puppy was lethargic, did not want to move and had a fever of 106F. It took two vets to diagnose, but once diagnosed, treatment is supportive and she did beautifully. The emergency vet was convinced that she had parvo because of the fever. X-rays confirmed the diagnosis in this puppy and she was treated with pain medication, short term anti-inflammatories and good food. She was adopted very soon after I fostered her. Her new owner knew about it and made her vet aware of the possibility of a recurrence as she continued to grow.

**Cassidy's Mom** · 06-22-2011, 06:17 PM

Can you post a picture?

Luxie · 06-22-2011, 08:36 PM

I love my vet he's chief surgeon and chief of staff of a vet clinic for 35 years with 5 other vets. He said he has seen this before in puppys of large breeds and that it's like her growth plates are growing to fast to keep up and they are swelling. He said switch the food could be too much calcium in her food. He told me to not exercise her as much either and limit her jumping if I can. Please help if anyone has any experience I'm a little freaked out right now, thinking I've done something to cause this. Here is a picture you can see her front elbows are swollen.

Luxie · 06-22-2011, 08:37 PM

I forgot to say it's like shes not walking fully upright on her pads, like her feet are a little laid back as to not put too much pressure on the front legs.

Elaine · 06-22-2011, 08:45 PM

You have not caused this. I'm guessing your pup has HOD like Shannon suggested and that's something your pup was born with. There are things that can aggravate it, like foods and exercise, but these things did not cause it.

You need to push your vet for a proper diagnosis and not some silly recommendations that he's throwing at you from the top of his head. You can't properly manage a problem with knowing what it is.

Luxie · 06-22-2011, 09:57 PM

thanks so much for the feedback. i am OVERLY concerned now. since the postings about HOD i have been researching on it. luxie does NOT have any symptoms besides the swollen joints. she is not lethargic, does not have a loss of appetite, and definitely is not showing any signs of pain. i know that no one here is an expert on this but is there any reassurance from anyone that this may be something besides HOD? i only need this comfort until i can get back to my vet with a definite answer.

06-22-2011, 01:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
Luxie Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Jackson, MS Posts: 70	Puppy with Swollen Joints! Help So luxie went into the vet today to get her 3rd round of shots 16 weeks old. THe vet noticed her front elbow joints were swollen and she was not resting on them with all her weight. I am on blue buffalo large breed puppy food. He recommended Eukanuba because the calcium could be too hight in blue buffalo right now and shes growing too fast for her joints. I'm freaking out now that I might have hurt my puppy walking her and not giving her the best. Has anyone had a problem like this before? He said switch her until her joints catch up then go back to blue buffalo after a couple months.

06-22-2011, 02:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
Elaine Crowned Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,784	I would be thinking pano or elbow dysplasia before anything else and not worrying about what you are feeding right now. Eukanuba is not high on the list of foods I would feed my dogs. Did he do x-rays to see what the problem was or was he just guessing? __________________ Elaine and the herd

06-22-2011, 02:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 17,605	I haven't heard of a 16 week old getting Pano. And it doesn't affect the joints. I agree on the Eukanuba, if you can get Acana or Orijen, that would be my choice. Wellness super5mix LBP has the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorus as well. Vitamin C will reduce inflammation, and salmon oil/vitamin E should help as well. I'd start supplementing now. __________________ Jane~ Kept by Onyx, Kacie and Gideon v Wildhaus aka Karlo

06-22-2011, 02:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
robinhuerta Knighted Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,224	Before I would jump to conclusions or change anything....I would get a proper diagnosis first.... There is an underlying "physical" reason for the swelling, especially on such a young puppy. __________________ Huerta Hof German Shepherds www.teamhuertahof.com ....where breeding is still considered an art....

06-22-2011, 04:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
WVGSD Master Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 999	I pulled a puppy for a GSD rescue several years ago and, when she became ill, she was diagnosed with hypertrophic osteodystrophy. Here is some information: Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy: A Bone Disease in Growing Dogs This is disease found in rapidly growing large breed puppies and is often characterized by painful swelling of the growth plates in the legs. My rescue foster puppy was lethargic, did not want to move and had a fever of 106F. It took two vets to diagnose, but once diagnosed, treatment is supportive and she did beautifully. The emergency vet was convinced that she had parvo because of the fever. X-rays confirmed the diagnosis in this puppy and she was treated with pain medication, short term anti-inflammatories and good food. She was adopted very soon after I fostered her. Her new owner knew about it and made her vet aware of the possibility of a recurrence as she continued to grow. __________________ Shannon Max - rescued GSD - adopted Dec 22, 2010 to the Bridge on March 7, 2012

06-22-2011, 06:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,948	Can you post a picture? __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

06-22-2011, 08:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
Luxie Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Jackson, MS Posts: 70	I love my vet he's chief surgeon and chief of staff of a vet clinic for 35 years with 5 other vets. He said he has seen this before in puppys of large breeds and that it's like her growth plates are growing to fast to keep up and they are swelling. He said switch the food could be too much calcium in her food. He told me to not exercise her as much either and limit her jumping if I can. Please help if anyone has any experience I'm a little freaked out right now, thinking I've done something to cause this. Here is a picture you can see her front elbows are swollen. Attached Thumbnails

06-22-2011, 08:37 PM	#8 (permalink)
Luxie Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Jackson, MS Posts: 70	I forgot to say it's like shes not walking fully upright on her pads, like her feet are a little laid back as to not put too much pressure on the front legs.

06-22-2011, 08:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
Elaine Crowned Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,784	You have not caused this. I'm guessing your pup has HOD like Shannon suggested and that's something your pup was born with. There are things that can aggravate it, like foods and exercise, but these things did not cause it. You need to push your vet for a proper diagnosis and not some silly recommendations that he's throwing at you from the top of his head. You can't properly manage a problem with knowing what it is. __________________ Elaine and the herd

06-22-2011, 09:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
Luxie Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Jackson, MS Posts: 70	swollen joints. thanks so much for the feedback. i am OVERLY concerned now. since the postings about HOD i have been researching on it. luxie does NOT have any symptoms besides the swollen joints. she is not lethargic, does not have a loss of appetite, and definitely is not showing any signs of pain. i know that no one here is an expert on this but is there any reassurance from anyone that this may be something besides HOD? i only need this comfort until i can get back to my vet with a definite answer.

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