Signs and symptoms of HD - Page 1

Hello Everyone,

I was just wondering what are the signs and symptoms that an 11 month old might display if they have HD? Would sitting back on the haunches be one? Also what about kind of walking wobbly in the hind feet? The reason I ask is because my girl walks funny not so much up in the hips but in her feet. I thought it was because she is so cowhocked. Her hips feel fine. She runs and jumps with no problem she stands on her hind legs wit no problem she just walks funny. What are some consquences of being too cowhocked?

Thanks

hips feel fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  no one has xray vision if you see a problem or you are not sure, go to the vet and have her x-rayed, if she is hocked that is the reason wehy her back legs wobble but it can also be something more serious. and if she does have hd why let her up on her hind legs, you could hurt her

Gimmee10mins, The only true diagnoses for hip dyplasie is obtained from a radiographic examination. Eleven (11) month old puppies are quite clumsy still, and the body still has a year or two to mature. But it is also a good age for a preliminary radiograph of the hips in order to determine the future t some end.

There is no reliable list of clinic signs that indicate hip dysplasie, regardless of what someone may tell you. The only diagnosis is from a radiograph of the pelvic area, such as one that would be sent to the O.F.A. or S.V. for evaluation.

Hope for the best,

Bob-O

Thanks guys for your responses. vhvgsd you are right I don't purposely put her up on her hind legs she likes to jump up and put on paws on my shoulders when I bend down to love on her. But I will definately have her hips prelimed. I want to actually get them 'a' stamped. Maybe i will do both.

have her checked out as soon as you can. hopefully its not hd, but its better to know sooner rather than later. my gsd was diagnosed about 4 months ago and he's now 14 months old. but at least i can make sure he's getting the attention it needs and monitor him closely. good luck to you and your pup.

First of all, you should avoid over excersicing, running, jumping or any activity that may cause injury for the the first 12 months.  The breeder should of told you this.  Bone and joint structure do not completely develop until well past 12 months of age.

well you can do prelims and a stamps when she is 12 months old

i should have clarified: i walk my dog for 30 - 40 min and he plays ball a couple times a day and we have a bel mal mix and they play also. the vet and our surgical specialist both said that is good for him. swimming is new and definitely approved by both vets. we don't let our boy jump, luckily he isn't a jumper. i am going to get a ramp for my durango, cuz he's getting to big for me to comfortably lift in and out. if he gets too rowdy, we put him in a down so he doesn't exert himself. again, good luck

you will only start seeing signs normally once the hd is more advanced or severe. the dog may start to favor one back leg over the other. if you notice the dogs quits wanting to play vs its normal drive could be a sign as could the dog getting easily irriated.

I have know dogs that had perfect movement and still had hd and never had any problems until late in life. you never know as they are all different.  good luck

Hips xrays vs the clinical signs presented by a dysplastic dog are often world's apart. Some mildy dysplastic dogs are lame, some severely dysplastic dogs are not and vice versa. I think it's also worth mentioning that there are many dogs that express HD clinically as juveniles, but if cared for properly - no hard exercise, a program of chondrotin /glucosamine/MSM joint supplements, forced rest and maintaining a low body weight, the vast majority will recover after a month or 2 and go on to lead a normal lives.  You can't take a dyplastic dog and force it to, jump, walk/jog/run miles every day and expect it to not have lameness problems as one psoter to the board did and then ended up having his dog destroyed because he managed him inappropriately and without common sense. 

Personally I've dealt with more than one dysplastic dog in my 50 years of dog ownership.  The worst was a 8 month old with juvenile expressed HD, he was severely lame at that age. Restin ghim and dogin all th eabove resulted in a dog that grew up to lead a painfree life and one that could jump a 6 foot fence.

The one true thing about dog's hips is that no one can tell if they are normal or not just by looking and feeling. In my experience the ones with the most uncoordinated rears have had the best hips overall. Blitz is cowhocked too and watching him walk brings tears to my eyes. However his xrays were excellent  and he runs and plays like the Tazmanian Devil.