Pups bowed legs?

[HBG 350]

You should be giving some bone in with the diet its on mate, they need calcium to grow strong bones.

one of the best replies yet,it sonds like rickets which is caused by lack of calcium,get plenty of milk into it and some stress powder.

[Romany 1,065]

YOU have a pm matie

 

Well you nearly did, your pm box must be full..

[shushycatcher 219]

how old is it?

[DogMagic 461]

Whoever suggested you message skycat is right. She is a lot more knowledgable on dogs health, nuetrition and metabolism than 99.9% of people on here. And i dont mean that as a slating of the rest of us. As for food: DONT ever give ANY dog cooked bones and certainly not cooked chicken bones. Chicken carcasses are perfect but dont cook them. I give my dogs meat a lot, not as much as i used to cos my local butcher has changed hands but i do whenever i can. And i have done from the day i got them in as pups and iv never had a bow leg problem. Now all of mine are adults they can handle a high protien diet so long as there doing plenty of running. Go and get yourself a good quality puppy food, beta, burns, james wellbeloved, autarky are all good. Also give once a week tinned fish, boiled eggs, a drop of cod liver oil.

[rocky1 942]

Whoever suggested you message skycat is right. She is a lot more knowledgable on dogs health, nuetrition and metabolism than 99.9% of people on here. And i dont mean that as a slating of the rest of us. As for food: DONT ever give ANY dog cooked bones and certainly not cooked chicken bones. Chicken carcasses are perfect but dont cook them. I give my dogs meat a lot, not as much as i used to cos my local butcher has changed hands but i do whenever i can. And i have done from the day i got them in as pups and iv never had a bow leg problem. Now all of mine are adults they can handle a high protien diet so long as there doing plenty of running. Go and get yourself a good quality puppy food, beta, burns, james wellbeloved, autarky are all good. Also give once a week tinned fish, boiled eggs, a drop of cod liver oil.

[brendy mc l 694]

mate get your self some powered calcium u will get it at any farm shop it is treatable if caught early enough good luck mate

[skycat 6,172]

You are feeding an unbalanced diet by giving only liver and heart: both are very high in protein. You should only feed organ meat (liver, heart or kidney) in the amount that a dog would get if it ate a whole rabbit. Think whole carcase when you feed raw: mostly muscle meat and bone, with only a tiny amount of liver or heart. I would knock all organ meat on the head for at least a month. Get chicken wings and carcases: mince or smash up for a young pup. Feed one third chicken mush, one third plain boiled rice or brown bread (proper brown bread not the cheap horrible stuff full of preservatives) and one third minced veg: carrots, cauliflower, greens, celery, tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, peas, apples: mince or puree finely. Don't just feed the same veg all the time, change it about every few days. Also add Kelp Seaweed Powder as an excellent mineral supplement. Also use breast of lamb (ribs) as a complete meal for the pup to gnaw on: don't try and mince this!

 

A properly balance raw diet is a lot lower in protein than a lot of complete puppy foods as there is so much water content: but if you unbalance raw food and only feed very high protein organ meat or muscle meat on its own you will have problems. I knew someone who reared an entire litter on hearts and tongues: several broke legs at around a year old as there wasn't enough calcium in their diet.

 

Don't add calcium supplements: chicken wings and carcases supply all the calcium you need. But if you are in any doubt at all then see the vet.

[dabigmc 23]

Well, I had the exact same problem with a pup last year...and i mean exactly!!

Brought her to see a greyhound specialist vet, he literally is the dogs balls......nothing this man does not know!

Well the reasons for the bowed legs

1)Too much exercise when too young

2)Calcium deficency

3)imbalance in food

4)ligaments and tendons growing quicker than bone developing, hence being bowed inwards, due to protein levels too high.

 

This is the advise he gave me (my bitch's legs corrected themselves in 10 days)

1)Box restrict dog for 10 days, ie literally keep dog in box 4ft x 4ft for 10days, sounds bad but needs to be done.

2)After 10 days observe improvement, and for the next 10days allow pup the freedom of the pen for 10 min/day

3)Ensure pup has a gripped surface to walk on,dimpled flags or sand,etc. (no slippery surfaces like laminate or polished wood).

4)get prescribed dosage of calcium tablet from vet

5)DO NOT FEED RAW MEAT this is the main part of the problem, too rich in protein and mineral imbalance.

6)feed pup adult nuts for next two months, this slows down the pups growth fractionally....legs will straighten right out.

 

 

I was freaking when it was happening to my pup....so i know how you are feeling bud.

But after following this advise it sorted itself right out.

[terrier s 123]

You are feeding an unbalanced diet by giving only liver and heart: both are very high in protein. You should only feed organ meat (liver, heart or kidney) in the amount that a dog would get if it ate a whole rabbit. Think whole carcase when you feed raw: mostly muscle meat and bone, with only a tiny amount of liver or heart. I would knock all organ meat on the head for at least a month. Get chicken wings and carcases: mince or smash up for a young pup. Feed one third chicken mush, one third plain boiled rice or brown bread (proper brown bread not the cheap horrible stuff full of preservatives) and one third minced veg: carrots, cauliflower, greens, celery, tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, peas, apples: mince or puree finely. Don't just feed the same veg all the time, change it about every few days. Also add Kelp Seaweed Powder as an excellent mineral supplement. Also use breast of lamb (ribs) as a complete meal for the pup to gnaw on: don't try and mince this!

 

A properly balance raw diet is a lot lower in protein than a lot of complete puppy foods as there is so much water content: but if you unbalance raw food and only feed very high protein organ meat or muscle meat on its own you will have problems. I knew someone who reared an entire litter on hearts and tongues: several broke legs at around a year old as there wasn't enough calcium in their diet.

 

Don't add calcium supplements: chicken wings and carcases supply all the calcium you need. But if you are in any doubt at all then see the vet.

 

great info there

[chartpolski 20,418]

So whats the lad supposed to do ? One says raw meat, the other says no raw meat,; one says calcium tablets, the other says no calcium supplements ! The only advice I'd give is take the dog to see a good Greyhound/Running Dog Vet !!

 

Cheers.

[timmy k 571]

Had the same with a bull cross a few years ago and thought it was the bull in it like the tom and jerry bull dog, I did nothing about it and the dog turned out straight legged and strong boned, im not saying to do nothing before everyone starts having a go, im just saying not to panick to much it might be just the bull blood get a picture up and lets have a gander.

[dabigmc 23]

Feeding raw meat is great if done properly.....AND HERE LIES THE PROBLEM......not everyone does it properly, thus effecting the CALCIUM/PHOSPHOROUS balance.....leading to bowed legs!!!!!

We all want to give our pups the best start in life.....but millions of pounds are spent developing nuts/meals for pups/dogs and getting the quantities of minerals, fats, proteins and vitamins correct to the mg........however when we decide to rear a pup on nothing but raw we are taking a gamble that we have the quantities right!!!

 

Keep it safe, different breeds react differently to different diets......so why not for the first few months leave it to the professionals feed meal.....once the pup finds it feet then in stages change its diet to Raw! Just my honest opinion after many days of hair pulling torture over the same problem with my own pup last year!!!!

[thorny 100]

Get the pup on real low protein food ASAP to slow the growing process, my bull did it as a pup and after a week or two of cheap low pro kibble he was ok.

Sorry mate but what a load of rubbish, silly comments like this will cause the guy even further problems, dear O dear!!!

Time to go to vets if you are concerned. I would opt for a good quality dry food, by this I mean top end stuff. Could just be a heredatory trait, Mum and Dad can be fine even grandparents and it will stop pop up from time to time. Are You adding any suppliments to his meat. Have you insured enough calcium has been added to his diet. What sort of exercise has the pup had.

[j1985 1,983]

Just passing on what I was told when it happened to my pup and something that worked not just for me but others (with bulls) since!!

[iworkwhippets 12,247]

My pups 2 front legs are turning in on the knuckle i was told this was from lack of exercise but the pup is healthy and is out all day running, what is the problem? Never delth with pups i always raised hounds at 5-6 months onwards,looking for good advise!

 

My advice is, Take your pup to the vets