Knee Problems in 14 week old GSD - Page 1

We have a 14 week old GSD. She has been a "calm" puppy since we got her, happy to just lie at your feet instead of playing and running. Three weeks ago our vet told us that we has concerned about her hips, but wanted to watch her and see if she is in a growth spurt.
Over the past three weeks her rear has become more concerning. When she walks her hocks occasionally knock into each other and her feet can't seem to figure out which way they should be going. Our vet recommended x rays as he suspected hip dysplasia. After the x rays we were told that while her hips aren't good, but they aren't dysplastic yet. However while under sedation he found that her knees are what are causing her problems. He explained that instead of staying in the normal motion in knees hers are sliding side to side.

He has recommended that we limit all activity for her continue to watch, hoping she is just in an awkward growth phase.
 
Is this common in GSD and does anyone have experience with this in a puppy? 
 

 

 No, SORRY to hear that.  Did you contact the person that u got her from ?  This is not something I would 
consider a growth problem.  I haven't heard of this and I've bred German Shepherds for over 20 years.  I
might consider taking her back, before u wait another 6 months or so and get really attached.  There are so
many pups to choose from, and good breeders that do health checks on their dogs and give a guarantee.
Did u get her from a well known breeder ?  Hjope everything turns out okay for u and her.

Hips not good, but not yet dysplastic?  According to what this vet has said about her knees, she has luxating patellas, more common in toy breeds than GSD's. The groove the knee fits in is too shallow to keep the knee cap stable. Google it. Given her age, I think you should get a second opinion from an orthopedic surgeon. What you are seeing on xrays may well be normal for her breed and age; her growth plates wil not close for months. Some GSD puppies are very gangly and awkward at 4 months.

Giving the dog back is seldom a viable option for a dog buyer who is already attached to the dog. Suggesting that doesn't usually set well with me; dogs are not objects like appliances or furniture that should go back to the store if something is wrong. If I bred this dog, I would ask the buyer to get a second opinion from a vet of my choice, I'd pay the bill and then we would make a joint decision on how to procede in the way that is best for the dog. Luxating patellas can be surgically corrected. Any buyer who was anxious to give back a dog would get a refund after I got the dog; never another dog from me.
 

Maybe its due to having laxicity of ligaments at her age. Right now she could look like her legs are spaghetti noodles. Long loose, stumbling over herself etc.That's kinda normal in some American showlines. She may be calm also just because of her breeding. Nothing to be alarmed about. I would give her a few months before you shell out half a million to the 'support the specialist' fund.
Lots of human teenagers also are gangly, loose ligamented freaks. Long legs, huge heads, and they do weird things like sleeping alot.. Well they are growing right ?

Whisper

My advise is to take your pup to a vet familiar with GSD's .  Sounds like you are being fleeced!  Not yet dysplastic?  What in heavens name is he talking about.  Many vets will give you horrid advice regarding GSD.  So sorry you found one of these uneducated bafoons........

This all sounds crazy. I wouldn't even consider having a hip X-ray on a 14 week old. The vet said they arent good but not dysplastic yet? That makes zero sense.

Find a vet who is intimately familiar with German Shepherds. Although I can't speak to the knee condition claimed by your Dr I do know that knocking knees and easty westy hocks are not unusual in GS pups and in themselves are not something to be concerned about. I had one male years ago who had horribly knocky knees and hated picking his back feet up and used to drag them. This was on and off from 4-8 months. I equated it to loose ligaments, awkward growth and reasonably normal development. All of the GS I have owned have had a point where I have seen at least a slight eatsy westy look to the hocks and I've never had a dysplastic dog yet. My one who dragged his feet lived to be 9 and he ran hard almost daily often on pavement. If he was dysplastic we would have known it.

Hip dysplasia is not generally officially diagnosed until 2 years of age. Did you see the X-rays? Do you have copies that you can post here? I would trust the PDB members before my vet on the reading of a hip X-ray. I just had a dog done and while the X-ray was of sufficient quality l, neither then tech nor the vet could tell me what they were looking at. They aren't intimately knowledgeable with HD.

I would never even consider xraying a puppy that young, unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.  Sorry but I don't think that is the case here.  To xray a puppy at this age and say its has or does not have HD is not what I would base a decision on concerning the future of that puppy.  Every case is different and I am sure that most people would agree, that age is way too young.  I think I would try to restrict any rough play and limit my pups activities.  Try to make that puppy comfortable and when she is alittle older, I would find another vet that is more experienced and has more knowledge with GSDs.  Just my opinion!

Good Luck with your baby! Keep us posted.

If this puppy does have luxating patellas, and I stress the word "if", it could also be the result of loose ligamentation as Kimmelot has stated.

The bottom line is this dog needs to be seen by an orthopedic specialist who doesn't take one look at a GSD and decide it has HD or worse. I dumped a vet who took one look at one of my aging GSD's and said - when I was in school we learned to answer "German Shepherd" every time we were presented with a genetic disease and asked which breeds were prone to that specific condition. We knew that 9 times out of 10 we would be right since this breed gets every disease known to the canine world. He misdiagnosed my GSD and 3 weeks later she was dead.

Could you get a short video of the pup walking?

Melissa

Please excuse the quality of the video clip. If this doesn't show what you need I can try to get more and additional directions.


 http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h78/TD61804/?action=view&current=060712004.mp4