INTERESTING Gait in 10.5 Year Old Newf

[BLCOLE]

My Zeusie is 10.5 years old. I already know that he has arthritis in his hips, but he also exhibits a strange gait IN FRONT when he walks.

He plants his front feet SINGLE FILE when he walks. What sort of malady can cause an older Newf to do this?

 

[Lisa@Caeles Hills]

My old horse does that. He has Navicular disease and arthritis so he tries to step on his toes to avoid heel(navicular)pain but I believe the single file thing is because he doesnt bend his knee, but swings his leg more from the shoulder to avoid knee pain. Is your dog bending at the elbow? Just a thought.

 

[BLCOLE]

Originally posted by lisa k:
Is your dog bending at the elbow? Just a thought.

According to my dog's OFA report (done at Age 4) he has Grade II elbow dysplasia. The radiographic findings indicated "degenerative joint disease" in the elbows. Not a vetrinarian, so I am not sure what this means.

I haven't noticed if he bends his elbows, but apparently there is a problem.

I would appreciate somebody explaining these findings to me in English. I'm not a vetrinarian and am reading this stuff off the OFA report.

 

[ardeagold]

DJD generally means arthritis.

If a dog has HD or ED....over time the joint will show wear and tear - or osteoarthritis.

However, if a dog doesn't have HD or ED ... over time the joints will show wear and tear - or osteoarthritis.

The difference is usually in the amount of wear and tear, and the age it appears.

Pups with HD will sometimes start showing arthritis in the hip affected before it reaches a year of age.

And that's due to the malformation of the joint, causing excessive and early wear and tear.

Usually, you wouldn't see that for many years, unless there's been an injury, or the dog is putting stress on the joints from some activity.

[ 10-12-2007, 11:28 PM: Message edited by: Ardeagold ]

 

[BLCOLE]

Come to think of it, I HAVE noticed that Zeus doesn't like me to bend his elbows in any way when we are playing.

HMMMMM!