What's Wrong With My Puppy's Foot?

[ksmith]

Thanks everyone!

[ksmith]

I just wanted to let all of you who were kind enough to respond to my post that the vet said it might be bad news for our pup. She said it looked like a growth plate injury and that the outlook may not be good for her. She said the best case senario is that it does not get worse but the more likely outcome will be that it does become a more serious problem as she gets older. She even said 'a three-legged-dog is quite resiliant'.

I have been watching my pup really closely since we got her and I haven't witnessed any injury, so I am hoping the vet got it wrong.

She has referred us to an orthopedic specialist, which I will follow up. In the meantime I am getting a second opinion from my old family vet - a long drive, but I need to see some one whose opinion I really trust.

Does anyone know anything about growth plate injury in pups?

[Crysti_Lei]

its more likely a diet imbalance, vets wont always pick it. so don't go chopping her leg off just yet.

[cassie]

DEFINITELY get a second, even third or fourth, opinion.

[ksmith]

its more likely a diet imbalance, vets wont always pick it. so don't go chopping her leg off just yet.

Thanks so much, I really hope you are right. My gut tells me it will be okay. I am seeing my old vet on Tuesday and he has an orthopedic surgeon visting that day to do an op. So between the two of them, I am confident that the visit will provide the full story - good or bad. We love her anyway!

[Rysup]

All of my Amstaff puppies have knuckled over around 10 weeks of age. I just cut back their food for 2 or 3 weeks and the problem resolved itself. I think vets would be quick to assume its something more - cut back her food and wait a few weeks before making any rash decisions.

[neatz]

If it is an injury maybe it happened before you got the dog (you have only had it for a week or so) and the deformity is only showing up now due to growth. Maybe it would pay to call the breeder just so that you can obtain the most accurate history which you can pass on to the vet. It could be possible the pup had a fall or was dropped by a small child etc.

Good luck with your second opinion.

[puggy_puggy]

I just wanted to let all of you who were kind enough to respond to my post that the vet said it might be bad news for our pup. She said it looked like a growth plate injury and that the outlook may not be good for her. She said the best case senario is that it does not get worse but the more likely outcome will be that it does become a more serious problem as she gets older. She even said 'a three-legged-dog is quite resiliant'.

Does anyone know anything about growth plate injury in pups?

Have xrays been done to confirm? It looks like her foot is the problem not her leg. If it was her leg it would more likely be the growth plate but being her foot it's most likely to be diet. At 8 and a 1/2 weeks it would be very rare to see the results of premature growth plate closure.

Reduce her food and see what difference occurs in the the next week. I am pretty sure you will see a difference.

If it is a growth plate problem amputation is a last resort.

Previous thread on Premature Growth Plate Closure

Poppy has just had surgery to lengthen her radius as its growth plate prematurely closed.

Edited April 24, 2009 by puggy_puggy

[Nekhbet]

would you consider knocking back to something like Eagle Pack giant breed puppy food for a while? Its quite good for problems.

as for the growth plate injury make sure they x-ray and have a qualified person see it. No one can accurately predict the future, if it was my dog and chopping off the leg was the only option I'd reduce the diet to something like IP and let the puppy grow slowly and on the lighter side. You never know how they grow and they do have a lot of growing to do

[ksmith]

would you consider knocking back to something like Eagle Pack giant breed puppy food for a while? Its quite good for problems.

as for the growth plate injury make sure they x-ray and have a qualified person see it. No one can accurately predict the future, if it was my dog and chopping off the leg was the only option I'd reduce the diet to something like IP and let the puppy grow slowly and on the lighter side. You never know how they grow and they do have a lot of growing to do

Which one would you suggest? The holistic or the other one?

[Nekhbet]

I used the normal giant breed in the purple striped bag for my Dogue de Bordeaux. The kibble is quite small so your pup should not have an issue chewing it.

your dog will have an average growth rate on this food as its not very high in protein compared to most foods BUT it is very well balanced. I only recommend it as I have used it myself.

[ksmith]

I used the normal giant breed in the purple striped bag for my Dogue de Bordeaux. The kibble is quite small so your pup should not have an issue chewing it.

your dog will have an average growth rate on this food as its not very high in protein compared to most foods BUT it is very well balanced. I only recommend it as I have used it myself.

Thanks for that, I will track some down over the weekend. I am currently using Artemis, but I read the article b the Great Dane Lady and she also recommended Eagle Pack. In the meantime I have cut back to just three half-cup meals of Artemis

[puggy_puggy]

I used the normal giant breed in the purple striped bag for my Dogue de Bordeaux. The kibble is quite small so your pup should not have an issue chewing it.

your dog will have an average growth rate on this food as its not very high in protein compared to most foods BUT it is very well balanced. I only recommend it as I have used it myself.

Thanks for that, I will track some down over the weekend. I am currently using Artemis, but I read the article b the Great Dane Lady and she also recommended Eagle Pack. In the meantime I have cut back to just three half-cup meals of Artemis

1 1/2 cups of food still seems like a massive amount for a 4kg puppy. But I don't feed dry food so I could be wrong. Are you still feeding other things as well?

[ksmith]

I used the normal giant breed in the purple striped bag for my Dogue de Bordeaux. The kibble is quite small so your pup should not have an issue chewing it.

your dog will have an average growth rate on this food as its not very high in protein compared to most foods BUT it is very well balanced. I only recommend it as I have used it myself.

Thanks for that, I will track some down over the weekend. I am currently using Artemis, but I read the article b the Great Dane Lady and she also recommended Eagle Pack. In the meantime I have cut back to just three half-cup meals of Artemis

1 1/2 cups of food still seems like a massive amount for a 4kg puppy. But I don't feed dry food so I could be wrong. Are you still feeding other things as well?

No that's all I am feeding. On the back of the pack it says for a 5-10lbs puppy between 6 and 11 weeks to feed between 1 and 1/3 to 2 and 1/4 cups per day. She's 8lbs 8oz so I figure that is a little less than their suggestion. Don't know if my maths is quite right, I think so. But is that still too much do you think?

[Nekhbet]

dog food bags tend to be terrible over ... my 60kg Dogue now eats about 3-4 coffee mugs of dry food a day the packet says he needs about double that but you use what you think is right. If the pup is a good weight a couple of chicken necks are good as well.

[puggy_puggy]

dog food bags tend to be terrible over ... my 60kg Dogue now eats about 3-4 coffee mugs of dry food a day the packet says he needs about double that but you use what you think is right. If the pup is a good weight a couple of chicken necks are good as well.

But feeding what someone thinks is right I would say is a major cause of knuckling because they are infact feeding to much. That's why dry dog foods are very confusing as you have no idea of really how much to feed.

If you feed a BARF diet then you pretty much know exaclty how much to feed and are able to weigh it.

[ksmith]

dog food bags tend to be terrible over ... my 60kg Dogue now eats about 3-4 coffee mugs of dry food a day the packet says he needs about double that but you use what you think is right. If the pup is a good weight a couple of chicken necks are good as well.

I guess they want to you to use more and buy more. Maybe cut back even more then?

[ksmith]

dog food bags tend to be terrible over ... my 60kg Dogue now eats about 3-4 coffee mugs of dry food a day the packet says he needs about double that but you use what you think is right. If the pup is a good weight a couple of chicken necks are good as well.

But feeding what someone thinks is right I would say is a major cause of knuckling because they are infact feeding to much. That's why dry dog foods are very confusing as you have no idea of really how much to feed.

If you feed a BARF diet then you pretty much know exaclty how much to feed and are able to weigh it.

By the way...that photo of pippy and poppy at the end of your link is so cute, best of luck!

[puggy_puggy]

Coming from a BARF feeder I would say consider feeding her BARF and get rid of the dry food. You were already feeding BARF patties so continue with them but add either chicken necks and/or other raw meaty bones as well. Remeber to weigh everything so that it is only 10% of your girls weight daily.

[Nekhbet]

puggy pug I love a BARF diet as well, dry food is a little more specific in their percentages. Batches have to be tested to fit in with guidelines whereas raw food changes between seasons and the animals it comes from. I would see no reason to go onto BARF completely if the dog gets better or a good dry food makes no difference after a couple of months.