my puppy walks funny - Page 1

I wrote regarding the pigment on the nose,(and thanks for the many answers I read on the board) but noboby answered my question re: his funny walk. My dog is 6 months old and he developed a "funny walk" He doesn't do it all the time, but sometimes when we go for a walk I notice it. He twists his "shakles", no idea how to spell this, out, but then he walks normal again. He also seems to limp on his front feet once in a while. I take him for long walks, like about 3 miles and he loves it. I also feed him Solid Gold Wolfcub and he never seems to have enough. So what could cause his funny walk? Any advice is appreciated, thanks

I suspect that he may have Pano, but seems just a bit young-at least with my experience. You did not say how much the puppy weighs. A male show-line puppy of this age should weigh from fifty (50) to fifty-five (55) pounds and be quite lean. A three-mile walk may be a bit much at this age, and bear in mind that his body is still growing very fast and he is clumsy. Your veterinarian can examine him for the presence of Pano, which typically affects the front legs and can move from one to the other. I don't want to alarm you, but you may want to have at least one (1) of his elbows x-rayed to make sure they are okay. Without any diagnosis and from the information you have posted, I suspect the early stages of Pano, and perhaps a bit much weight and a bit much exercise. But, I could well be wrong. If it is Pano, the remedy may be as easy as a change in the type/amount of diet and a bit less exercise. Good Luck, Bob-O

At 6 months old he could have Panosteitis - which is "growing pains" and do go away. Classic signs of Pano is lameness/soreness in the front leg, switching from one front leg to the other, and sometimes it does affect the hind legs too. It affects the long bones, not the joints. It can be seen on x-ray. At 6 months old you should be careful to keep your puppy lean, don't let him get fat. Solid Gold is a very good food but don't let him get fat on it. The only way to tell for sure if the strange movement you see if caused by an injury, Pano or a problem in his joints, is to have him x-rayed. Good luck with your pup. molly

I'm sorry Bob-O I posted at the same time you did. molly

No problem, Molly. You did give the originator a bit more detail than I did. I can never remember how to spell Panosteitis! Regards, Bob-O

I guessed - my spelling may not be correct either. We posted at the same time and were definately on the same page. molly

I agree with Bob-O that a 3 mile walk is a bit at that age. I would cut back to a mile three times per week and wait until he is at least ten months old before doing any more than that, and I would also limit play where he is running hard after a ball to ten-minute sessions as well. And these parameters would be for a pup in good shape and appropriate weight absent any issues like pano - if there are ongoing issues, you will need to limit his exercise further. I would also try to walk him on soft surfaces like forests and grass that act as shock absorbers and avoid pavement, although depending on where you live you may not find much truly soft ground in the winter. Here's a link to an age/weight chart that from my experience does a fair job of estimating appropriate weight growth in the average pup: http://www.nwk9.com/weight_height.htm

thanks so much for all the info. I know when I come here, I get some advice and it's always good. My puppy is about 55, not sure. He is very lean and he only gets about 6 cups of food as recommended. We walk only about one block on asphalt and then in the dirt, sand and so. We live in N. Nevada and I try to avoid the asphalt as much as possible as it is not good for me either. We just started going for walks about 2 weeks ago and the ground was not frozen. We play ball about 5 minutes, then he loses interest. He does get into a running fit once in a while and just runs like crazy up and down the hallway and livingroom. We will see the vet next week and I will ask him about this Pano, maybe it's just growing pains as he doesn't seem to be in pain or anything. Like I said earlier, he doesn't eat all that much, like today he hasn't eaten anything at all and I keep with the guidelines as I want to do everything right, if I can I have another question: he is getting a black dot on his tongue and the GSD we had before him, had that too. What's up with that? thanks again, Tucker's mom

black spots on tongues are normal - no worries. 6 cups of food/day is quite a bit - good for a growing lean puppy but don't follow any "guidelines" of the amount to feed him - look at your puppy - if he's thin or losing weight - feed him more, if he's maintaining a lean weight - maintain that amount, if he's gaining weight, decrease the amount. Puppies change by the day it seems, so every day look at his body weight, put your hands on him and feel it, and make adjustments to his food depending on that. molly

thanks Molly, that was quick. I just checked the weight chart and he is right where he is suppose to be. Like I said, sometimes, especially if we come back from a walk, he eats all his food and then like yesterday, he had only four cups of his puppy food. I do watch him if he is getting pouchy, but so far I can feel his rib cage and he looks real thin from the top. the amount of food was on the bag of puppy food and I have been doing that as I have no idea how much he is suppose to get. Another question, when can I start him on adult food? thanks, Tucker's mom