My GSD hops like a Bunny - Page 1

   Hello,

  I have a 4-year-old GSD of the show line, son of a Mexican VA.  Until a few months I knew that I had to analyze his hips with a XRay in order to chertificate his hips (for dysplasia) before going to specialized shows and before breeding with females of his kind (with pedigree) and I did today.  Before the analysis the veterinarian made the dog walking, jogging and running not too fast, the walking and jogging was good, but when he made him going faster my dog started to hop like a bunny, he told that it was not normal and was because there is too much weight in his hips (my dog is a little bit overweight).  The Xray plaque will be ready to read on Monday, he told me that before sending it to the Kennel club in Mexico City (FCM) he will give me and advance of the result.   However, I am worried about his bunny movement, is it normal in an adult?  Is that caused by hips dysplasia or by the overweight?
Thanks a lot.

bunny hopping is not a good sign

my Aussie started to bunny hop when she was checked we discoverd her left hip was really bad........she is 10 now and has been in pain for a long time. we manage the pain with medicine, but it is more difficult every year.

being overweight is very, very bad for dogs it is very difficult on their joints.....I hope that 's the only reason why he's hopping.

good luck

Hope it is nothing serious. 
Let us know how it goes.

Bunny hopping is a classic sign of HD, but it won't necesarily mean that he is dysplastic.
The overweight won't be helping.. 
I can understand your worries, but I'm afraid you'll just have to tough it out until the vet can give you an assessment of the pics before they get sent away.  Could you take a camera along and take some images of the plates so you could have a record for yourself?  I did when my youngster turned out to have HD - he was xrayed at 5 months, and his hips were awful, but I learned an awful lot about how to 'read' xrays from having my own pics.
Good luck at the vets on Monday, would be interested to hear what the vet has to say. Hope your boy is okay.
Maggie

My 5 year old male started bunny hopping recently due to sore joints from Lyme Disease. I did have X-rays done which turned out fine. Vet said his hips were in excellent shape for his age. So there can be reasons for bunny hopping other than HD.

It is a bunch of Bull corn...do not let someone worry you...
My ofa EXCELLENT OFA CERTIFIED FEMALE   ROSIE  AND COLA   BOTH  DID THE BUNNY HOP AT THE SPRING VALLEY SCHUTZ CLUB 

many years ago and all the big competitors said  Oh they have bad hips.........they ate the words and I LEARNED A LESSON.

WHAT COMES OUT OF MOUTHS OF OTHERS IS NOT GOSPEL NOR IS IT FACT.

Have had many gsd bunny hop....so never use that as a judgement..Have had Vets , even one in Dallas < Tex who was suppose to be   AN AUTHORITY    make statements that caused one  person to not send an ofa xray in and that dog could have been passed , possibly..  Others same person made similar statements   did not get rated as stated or even come close..SO never take a vets word, or his OPINION..or any one else , ..send the xrays in for the final certification ...If you are not happy with the result....take a 3 months swimming session with the dog and redo the exrays.

YR

Wait on the official results before you decide you have a problem. 

I can't say one way or another,but I have a bitch that bunny hops as opposed to trotting. However in a dead run shes as fast and fluid as any i've ever seen. For what it"s worth,I've also learned to listen to YR when she speaks.

You can never judge a book by it's cover.......
Dogs can bunny hop, pace, trot & move all kinds of wierd ways....unless an xray shows that the dog has signs of HD....movement is not an "honest" assessment of dysplasia of any form.
just my opinion,
Robin

   Before sending the X-ray plaque to the national kennel club it was checked by the veterinarian, who said it was normal despite his age and weight, he said that he will obtain the a1 or a2.  My father, a physician with many years of experience in medical emergencies, saw the plaque and he said that the hips of the dog are normal, in the worst case he will be clasified as a2.  My brother is studying medicine, so he can read X-ray plaques, he saw the plaques and compared it to some images of dysplasic and non dysplasic dogs and he said that the hips of my dog are normal.  I am still waiting to the results, they should be available soon.
   Thank you to all of you by answering, especially to the user YellowRose.