Quote:
Originally Posted by gemy  Your very welcome;
Unfortunately it is a good chance that either the turn out will worsen (this turn out is sometimes called easty/westy) or stay the same, but with this structural anomaly more pressure is going to be born upwards through the elbow and eventually into the shoulder joint.
Problematic, umm a 50 50 chance, by that I mean clinical signs of distress. Be it limping, lifting up paws, early arthritic changes into the joint.
Now at 7 months old you have a world of time to investigate and to ameliorate the symptoms and to give your girl the best chance of a long and happy painfree life.
First things first though. Get your vet to examine your pup, see what he recommends in terms of Xrays. If the turn out is greater than 5 degrees, I might strongly recommend Xrays to see the alignment and condition of ankles, elbows, and shoulders. If she is not spayed yet, while she is under is a great time to do the Xrays. Also of course to remove any baby teeth.
There are as I mentioned a whole lot of rehab you can try, but first get some diagnostic testing.
There are also food additives that help to support joint health. Also I can give you some suggestions on how to train the legs/feet into a more proper alignment, but it will take time and dedication on your part. |
Well, we went to the vet yesterday, and he said he really didn't think x-rays were necessary unless I planned on having the surgery to correct. I'm not sure whether I plan on that, as I sincerely hope it never comes to it, but I went ahead and pressed for the x-rays anyway, because I'd rather not leave anything to chance with this. Lila actually had other ideas, tho, lol, and refused to hold still, the squirmy little booger! So, back again we went this morning so he could sedate her and try again. (Note: I actually had both of my girls spayed/teeth removed several months ago, at the earliest opportunity, so combining procedures wasn't an option... which was unfortunate, because I was a nervous wreck both then and today
But she did fine, as I knew she would. I just picked her up, and her vet said that, yes, he did see some premature bone closure, but that he wasn't OVERLY worried about it... however, his tone seemed to imply that he was a BIT more worried than he'd been the day before... and he decided to have an orthopedic specialist in a town nearby take a look "just to be sure that no further action (aka surgery) is required.
Now, I'm not entirely sure what (if anything) the fact that he felt a specialist is necessary means, but I've decided not to worry or stress about what MIGHT happen until we know a little more. That won't do anyone any good. So the waiting game has begun... I have a week.
However, in the meantime, though he didn't mention anything in the way of exercises to train the legs, I would love to work with her on that. You have been extremely helpful, and I am up for any more suggestions/advice you can give me! The time/dedication is not a problem at all (I have a lot of free time with her, and we both love to train!), and if this will help her in the long run, then I'm ready and willing to learn!