Panosteitis is most common in large breed dogs between 6 and 18 months of age. Occasionally, middle-aged German Shepherds will have a bout of panosteitis.

 

What are the symptoms?
Presenting symptoms include a history of acute sudden lameness not associated with any trauma. It is usually a large breed male dog between the ages of 6 to 18 months. There are periods of lameness lasting from 2 to 3 weeks and it may shift from leg to leg. The most commonly affected bones are the radius, ulna, humerus, femur, and tibia, though the foot and pelvic bones may also be involved. The dog may show a reluctance to walk or exercise. When the affected bones are squeezed, the dog reacts painfully. Occasionally, affected dogs will have a fever, tonsillitis, or an elevated white blood cell count.

 

What are the symptoms?

He fits all of the symptoms of panosteitis except the age of occurrence. He is about to be 2 years old, 6 months over the age range. I've just been reading different articles and a lot of people are saying that it isn't common for them to have it up to 18 months, with only 20% of dogs showing signs at that age, and my guy is almost 6 months over that.


I really was hoping to see (for some reassurance and hope that there's a light at the end of the tunnel soon) if anyone had experience with a dog who has had it for as long as mine (12+ months) and at an age as old as mine.

I appreciate your response! Thank you

 

Get a 2nd opinion! If for nothing else, than your own peace of mind!

 

I think I will end up going this route soon if things don't change. I just don't know what else they could test for? They've looked for growths, cancer, contusions, fractures, dysplasia.. Everything has come up normal. I don't want to pay for the same tests at a different vet just to be given the same results... Those things aren't cheap.

His symptoms are also very much in line with panosteitis - lameness for a few weeks on one leg and then switching to a different one, with varying degrees of pain. (Again, tested negative for Lyme)

Sometimes I think that maybe I'm just overanalyzing (I do that far too often) and I need to just trust what I've been given and wait to see how he does, but it makes me sad to see him limping all the time.

 

since you had x rays done go back to the vet and have a look at them and have the vet show you the pano (shadows).

You can have pano for this time period.

What are you feeding the dog .

There are better solutions then aspirin.

 

He is on Nature's Variety, it's what the breeder was feeding him as well. He's never been on a 'puppy' formula, but looks like that didn't make much of a difference anyway, he grew too quickly regardless!

 

I had a large gsd many years ago that suffered from severe incidents of pano until he was 3 years old. He ended up being 32" and 125#.

 

Hearing this gives me some comfort, thank you! Is it possible that my guy is still growing, though? Surely he would be done by 24 months..

 

I have a 3 year old GSD that has been diagnosed with Pano in both hind legs multiple times. He grew fast too as a pup ... so I really think it can just be growing pains. I too hate pano!

Every once in awhile he'll run too hard and he'll limp a bit for a day or too. Thanks to the repeated bouts with pano, I have a nice stash of anti-inflammatory meds the vet prescribed. I give them to him for a day or two and then he's fine.

 

It makes me wonder. They definitely continue growing for a long time, but surely a growth spurt at 2yrs old is relatively minor compared to growth spurts under a year old. I don't fully understand pano, just know that I hate watching them go through it.
When Eli had his last bout of pano I can't say I noticed him grow very much. But he must have as it was a really bad bout. But I'm glad it was over with after that!