need advice on 5 mo. old GSD - Page 3

To Sitasmom,
I know that you're probably right but I don't feel right about giving this pup back to these people. Will they just put him down because they can't sell him? Will they try to resell him?
I don't want any more heartbreak than I feel already but find it very difficult to just ,sort of, throw him away because he isn't perfect. I only don't want him to suffer any pain. I also would like to make sure that they cannot continue to do this bad breeding.
I'm at a loss for word right now

Hello toothfairy, All is not lost. I bought a GSD 18 years ago and she couldn't walk at 6 months, Severe HD! She had 2 hip surgeries to remove femur ball on both sides. Couldn't afford replacement. She couldn't run to fast and was in a small amount of pain after running all day, but she was the happiest damn dog I ever had. She lived to the age of 12 1/2. When she had to be put down, she was still happy as ever, which made it one of the most painful goodbye's I've ever had. Don't get discouraged. Start with X-rays and go from there. Best of luck to you guys and Take Care   Pete

X-rays will determine the extent of HD or they
can rule it out. One things for sure your GSD is
in great hands with you. Let us know the outcome
of the pending X-rays. And by the way you are
in the right forum.

Take the dog to a specialist. A "normal" vet will surely say nothing but doom and gloom, and often, they are WRONG! They want to deem any clumsy GSD dysplastic, etc.

I'd honestly look at it like this...what did you expect for $400? Not being mean...just logical. I would let the breeder know whatever is wrong w/him, but for $400, you're not going to get much support, I'll bet. Don't be so sure he's going to be a cripple; some poorly bred dogs w/poor conformation go through really horrid stages. Heck, I had a gorgeous WL dog walk all wobbly at 3mos...I freaked. Nothing was wrong w/the dog. The specialist said to relax and that lost of GSD pups walk "all kinds of goofy" at certain stages. Did my dog look like yours? Well, no, but my point is it may not be as bad as you think.

Prepare yourself for the worst, get xrays (but don't bother unless the vet is GOOD at those xrays) and post them before you do anything drastic, ok? Sadly, most of us know as much or more as some vets who read xrays. Scary, huh? Good luck.
 

Ok, I was finally able to watch the video. Yikes...he appears to have really loose ligaments. That may improve; his overangulation and roach back likely won't. He doesn't appear to be in pain though judging by his movement and body language. What kind of pen was he kept in? He seems very out of shape for a pup that age. My puppies are completely different at that age. This may be a combination of poor physical condition due to breeder's facilities and poor genes and not one simple problem like HD.

Please keep us posted.

The same goes with this puppy. Get the x-rays, have a specialist look at them and discuss if there are and options.

What you've said already...
1 overangulation
2 retained/missing testicle
3 "floating" rib (s) - ??
4 what else will pop up?

I have to agree with Jenni78 (maybe for the first time), take your put to a specialist. and go from there. If its hips turn out to be really bad, putting him down it may be the humane thing to do. There is no reason to let a poor animal suffer needlessy. They don't understand the hell we put them through.

A while back I had a puppy who broke her hip in several places, know one knows exactly how. I noticed her gait was a bit off, and took her in for x-rays and was amazed that she was still walking! a specialist said that he could patch her up, but with no guarantees and that she would most likely need more surgeries. Putting her down was humane - it was one of the most difficult decissions I'm had to make in a very long time, but it was the right thing to do.

Next time save your money and purchase a puppy from a breeder who breeds dogs with certified hips and elbows. Dont trust the breeder you can go on line and check for yourself....
 

Not to go off topic, but SM, you put a dog down whose only symptom was a gait that was "a bit off"?

I always try to ask the dog how it feels and not the xrays. Xrays can deceive. I have seen dogs who shouldn't walk based on xrays, and they appear totally sound....even many years later. I have seen dogs w/mild to moderate HD who seemed to be in horrible pain. Read the whole dog- not just his xrays. Please...for his sake.

No i put her down becasue she was in pain, and she would require at least 2 surgeries and most likely be in pain all of her life.
It was the humane thing to do.

toothfairy51 what you saved on your dog you will probably spend on surgery - that is IF the hips in fact are bad, get x rays done and post it...IF HIPS are BAD - it's not the end of the world..although i know how you feel...I was a wreck when i saw my dogs x rays, but a lot of people who come here have great suggestions and most of them helped me out by just directing me to what options I had, by telling me that it was not the end of the world or the end of life for your dog...I had FHO done on my dog in May, and as of today she is doing great, i did tons of research on line, I read everything i could find, searched youtube for pre/post videos of dogs,  I took her to an ortho specialist, I bought a swimming pool to exercise her, I had to get down on the floor and stretch her legs...it was not easy, but it was totally worth it...I am still paying for the expenses but every evening when i come home and she comes up to me and places her head on my lap and just leans her whole body on me, makes me realize just how precious she is, she is worth every penny...
here is the link to the thread and to my blog...i hope that helps..
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/bulletins.read?mnr=485341

http://ladyfrostgsd.blogspot.com/2011/05/unwanted.html

Someone posted earlier "What did you expect for $400.00?." Well, This is my 4th GSD, over a period of 30 years and I did expect to get a healthy dog. Just because a dog is expensive doesn't mean it's going to be better. My GSD that we got from Holland (for the equivilent of approx. $500.00) was the BEST dog EVER! However, he had a pinched chest, one decended testicle and an overbite so bad that I HAD to elevate his food and water dishes so he wouldn't drown. The breeder, when told of the problems did pay for the surgery on the testicle, it was very high up in his flank. Then it turned out he was allergic to the sutures, the scrotum swelled to the size of a small watermelon and he had to have another surgery to remove the scrotum. But, having said all that, he had the best disposition of any dog I ever had in my life.
I think the reason that I got this dog for $400.00 is because the BYB knows about the "Pet lemon law" and figures that if anyone comes back to him with problems, it won't cost him as much.
Tomorrow is xray day for Baron. I'll keep everyone posted.
Thanks again
toothfairy51
PS. My pup is not in any pain now. He did get himself up on the couch with me twice this morning. Also, his right ear is standing up now and then. I'm not worried about his ear. He is still teething.