Vets for my lumpkin

[catseyes]

on sunday. we are worried about his front legs, he had a slight limp for 4 days a few weeks back and with rest it went, we continued rest for another week before doing a small walk last weekend and he limped for a few steps again.

We are concerned he may have either an elbow problem or and we hope he doesnt Newfoundland forelimb abnomoly, he has short front legs that seem to bow out and low on his pasterns front feet.

He is on a low protein food, not overwalked at all, just garden play in the week and a walk on grass at the weekends where he can paddle in a stream and we just spend time there letting him see other dogs and play without walking more than a few hundred metres.

These are some photos of him taken yesterday.. he is our first newf so hard to know what is normal and what isnt, different views from different people make it confusing, so think we're heading for xrays.







soo worried about my little man.

 

[fall3n-ang3l]

He looks adorable, so much like bernie! What did the breeder say when he came and checked him over? When are you taking him? Will have everything crossed for you, as bernie is my first also, I don't know if there is a problem or not but iam sure someone will come along and say

 

[skoorka]

What a cutie pie!!!! We found out the hard way that we overwalked our Elwood as a pup (he has awful elbow displaysia but after arthroscopic surgery is the happiest beastie in the world!) and playing was better for the first year or so to enable him to rest.

 

[Angela]

Have you had him xrayed yet and talked to his breeder? He is so darn cute.

 

[victoria1140]

Difficult to say but l would reccomend a specialist if you are worried,l assume he is insured.

Max had elbow arthroscopy done at an early age ,the best analogy is its like trying to walk with stones in your shoes.
He recovered brilliantly though make sure your specialist explains everything ,mine didn't.

Where are you in the UK,if near London Fitzpatrick's come highly recommended, also vets schools are good too.

Don't let anyone tell you its just pano,it may be but with these babies l would rather waste my insurance money and know they are OK.

 

[Wheaty]

He is adorable! Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Cutiemus Maximus]

X-rays will be a big help. So far Admiral has been tentatively diagnosed by her amazing vet w/ Bilateral Carpal Valgus. Because I haven't noticed any limping or impairment I'm waiting until she's two in Nov to do her full x-rays. If I were in your position, though, I'd do x-rays right away.

 

[catseyes]

We saw our vet yesterday and he is having xrays on thursday and we will then be referred to a specialist.

They think he has carpal valgus in his wrists, that he has pain in one elbow, that both elbows are in an incorrect position and that the bones between the 2 joints are now growing straight.

I dont know what if anything we will be able to do for him. Been told to not let him play or run.

Vet seemed to think that taking him off puppy food onto adult was a huge mistake and that even with all the research i did and took with me, he wasnt listening to me. That there wouldnt be large breed puppy food if there wasnt a need for it and that it should be fed until 18 months of age and to slow down growth is not a good idea.

I explained the food he is on has as much nutritional value as the puppy food the correct calium, phosphorus and fats but lower protein. He said i should contact companies like purina to ask their thoughts.. said i dont trust them at all, that they make bakers and why would they sell a food with colours, fillers, sugars and carcinogens... oh because some people want a cheap dog food -- errrr bakers isnt cheap.

He had not heard of nfa but agreed his xrays may well look like those i showed him from an nfa website.

So confused and scared.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

Here's a link that might be helpful, hopefully it leads you to speaking with the right people.

www.sulathenewfie.com (hopefully that link worked?)

I think they are also on FB (for real time conversations if needed)

 

[catseyes]

Thank you, i have actually been emailing kristen who owns sula, im in the uk though which makes it difficult for us to go over things in more detail and i am going to be trying to get copies of his xrays to send to kristen.

 

[Angela]

I am so glad you are in touch with Kristen who has a lot of experience with Sula etc. Praying it isn't FLA but keep in touch here please.

 

[victoria1140]

May sound weird ,watch supervet on 4od.in this there was a staffy pup with incorrectly growing bones and it sounds so familiar.

He was treated at Fitzpatrick's in Surrey.

 

[catseyes]

May sound weird ,watch supervet on 4od.in this there was a staffy pup with incorrectly growing bones and it sounds so familiar.

He was treated at Fitzpatrick's in Surrey.

We saw that one and sat and cried through the whole thing. Think fitzpatrick would be really expensive, we insured him but only for 5k a year which is gonna be gone in days at this rate. All his siblings are fine this really really sucks, so angry and upset. Cant sleep or eat just feel sick constantly thinking about how many surgeries he may need, how he might not get through the GA for x rays, how if he does have a serious deformity can a giant breed really have a happy life??

Hvaing our oes put down last year broke me, to go through this so soon, i just want a healthy happy pain free puppy, this isnt fair on him.

 

[victoria1140]

It may be worth contacting them and querying costs.may not be as bad as you think,after all the one with the great Dane cost £5000 and that was spinal surgery,also you may not need to do everything asap and there may be another form of treatment.

I know how fast bills spiral especially with my boy,no its not fair but l thank my lucky stars we got our boy as he will get everything he needs.


Big hugs its not easy when you have a medically challenged furkid but it just makes them more special.

 

[littlerosieuk]

Talk to the breeder and please do not rush into surgery. Try every other possible route first. He is gorgeous.

 

[victoria1140]

Do the xrays but also are there any non surgical routes he can have?

Be prepared the aftercare after surgery is hard work but worth it.we ended up feeling really guilty about it.

When do you speak to specialists after xrays?

Also huge hugs it isn't easy but he's lucky to have you and also that you noticed while young.
also on food sounds like you are doing OK,its a shame vets have little idea on feeding sometimes.we always think my boys issues started as he was on puppy food too long.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

Your vet sounds misinformed so definitely get a second opinion. You are right with the food choice. Feeding sardines can help if he is down on his pasterns. How old is he? A lot can change as a pup matures. Do not rush into surgery. Don't panic yet and see what the breeder says. He is adorable. Keep us posted on his progress.

 

[catseyes]

Thanks everyone, he is 18 weeks old now and seems to have had the low on his pasterns since he was born but has become more evident since he has grown.

I have spoken to the breeders who agree that we need xrays and to keep them informed of what happends. We certainly wont rush into anything surgical, having spoken to kristen with sula and reading stories from others with nfa (if it is that he has) then management with hydro, supplements and physio may help him.

We have to weigh up what will be right for him, if we are told he needs surgery before his growth plates close then what do we do as i would be reluctant to wait too long and make the problems worse.

He is getting around fine and still plays and runs.. although he isnt allowed to at the momment which is hard as he is just a baby who wants to play and bounce around with my other dog.

 

[victoria1140]

If you are told you need surgery,you can always get a second opinion.

It depends on how bad the problem may be as he grows and unfortunately in some ways its damned if you do and damned if you don't.

All you can do is the best with all the info you have and hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Sometimes its easier to have these things done when young but find out plusses and minuses.

We thought so hard about having Maxs tpo surgery done and now we think that may have contributed to his sarcoma.however we did it with his best interests at heart and that's the best anyone can do.

Big hugs for tomorrow.

 

[catseyes]

Driving myself to distraction today, been talking to his sisters owners and see their photos their pups front legs are so straight and long, lump is soooo much shorter than they are, by a lot.

Any advice on getting th vet to give me copies of the xrays as i want to be able to send them to sulas owner and should we want to get a second opinion i dont want to go through having more xrays done.. but when i asked the lady at the vets who is the one who books xrays and is the surgeons pa she said it generally wasnt something they do but i would need to discuss it with the vet which to me sounds like a no!