Lets talk hips - Page 1

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6261591-description.html

What are your thoughts???

They have stated that " The first nine months of life are considered to be a critical period for hip joint development in the dog."

It ha; been postulated that reduction of overall bone growth rate during the first nine months of life can improve hip joint congruity by reducing the disparate growth rate between the acetabulum and the femoral head.

So why are we feeding puppy food that is making the dogs grow faster IF they need to grow slower?

CHD has a genetic basis, with heritability most frequently estimated to be about 0.30. For example, a heritability of about 0.3 indicates that about 30% of the variation in occurrence of CHD is attributed to parentage, while the remaining 70% is attributable to environmental factors or interactions with environmental factors.

I have heard this from another board  and other breeders. Does anyone know how much this is true?

So let me ask this also,  Is a raw diet better for hips then a commerical dog food?

(Boy I feel like I am talking to my self  would not be the first time)

Same thing in many other animals.  I've known equines who were fed up as babies to compete in 3-year old events.  Many had joint problems due to rapid growth.  And I am not talking the race industry here, i'm talking halter, reining, cutting, pleasure futurities.  That's why our pups go to an adult dog food at 8 to 9-weeks.  They don't need that high protien puppy food.

I mentioned on one of the posts that one of my vets that has
been practicing for ONLY 35 years, said people should feed 
Adult dog food from day one, and some people thought it was 
hog wash, and I should find a new vet.

Well he explained his reasoning, and it made all the sense in the world,
so I've taken his advice, I feed adult dog food from day one, and also along 
with a raw diet.  No rapid growth, no Pano!

STUPID ME!

I use puppy formula starting the 5 week of pregnancy and use it while the pups are nursing.  When the weaning process is started, the adult formula is introduced for that and I encourage the buyers to stay on the adult formula for the balance of the dog's life.  Got a 4 month old now that was weaned in that fashion and she is doing great(teeth, coat, ears are all doing great and she has a high energy level).  My fingers are crossed that the hips will A stamp.

I never feed puppy food only adult and also feed raw daily. Some of mine have had Pano some not. I have a good friend that has always fed raw kept her dog lean and fit and has just been diagnosed with HD severe on one side moderate in the other. The necks of the femurs are large and short with shallow sockets. I think that HD is genetic .I  think that  a improper diet and overwork can make HD worse but not be the cause.

hummm...ive never used puppy food either...straight to reg. dog food....

Talking hips...did DH ever finish that thread about the xrays she posted? I can't find it with a search, anybody have that link handy?