Quote:
Pano is hugely unusual that late.
Your bigger suspects are elbow and hip dysplasia and in many dogs it's NOT uncommon to find a dog with both involved. Put him on a heavy duty glucosamine/chondroitin supplement ( follow their start up dosing instructions for a month) then drop it to twice a day, start with 250 mg of vitamin C a day and work up to 1000 mg for a month. Add an Omega 3 fish oil caps to his meals, the bigger the better.
All that will initially make his stools soft - be prepared, he'll have more trouble holding it til he gets used to them.
What you are doing with those is fighting inflammation and trying to protect the joint and heal it.
It will help but if he's majorly dysplastic in three or four major weight bearing joints it's going to be an uphill battle and yes, unfortunately it happens all the time.
It may be why they sold him. He can't work. He may be able, with supplements and a change in exercise - think sand walking and swimming over IMPACT, to go on fairly comfortably.
Unfortunately - unless you do do the xray series, you're not going to know if it's both elbows, one or both hips and one or both knees. So vets are competent enough at xrays and reading them to do them without anesthesia, which reduces the cost somewhat.
But the answers are the same - barring surgery all you can do is supplement and hope. I had some clients get some improvement in their multi-lateral affected dogs with the use of Freshfactors by Springtime Inc. No I don't work for them.
Supplement, rest, slow increase in non-impact low impact exercise, t hen try again. If he breaks down again, I suspect you'll have your answers, xray or not.
The truth is some of them are crippled front and rear by three.
It's not the slope, it's not the breed, it's BAD BREEDING.
I have had 13 german shepherds without hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia in any form. Some breeders ARE doing it well, right and properly. Most don't bother.
I hope it's just over work and that supplementation helps. Shepherds are good good dogs.
Pano is hugely unusual that late.
Your bigger suspects are elbow and hip dysplasia and in many dogs it's NOT uncommon to find a dog with both involved. Put him on a heavy duty glucosamine/chondroitin supplement ( follow their start up dosing instructions for a month) then drop it to twice a day, start with 250 mg of vitamin C a day and work up to 1000 mg for a month. Add an Omega 3 fish oil caps to his meals, the bigger the better.
All that will initially make his stools soft - be prepared, he'll have more trouble holding it til he gets used to them.
What you are doing with those is fighting inflammation and trying to protect the joint and heal it.
It will help but if he's majorly dysplastic in three or four major weight bearing joints it's going to be an uphill battle and yes, unfortunately it happens all the time.
It may be why they sold him. He can't work. He may be able, with supplements and a change in exercise - think sand walking and swimming over IMPACT, to go on fairly comfortably.
Unfortunately - unless you do do the xray series, you're not going to know if it's both elbows, one or both hips and one or both knees. So vets are competent enough at xrays and reading them to do them without anesthesia, which reduces the cost somewhat.
But the answers are the same - barring surgery all you can do is supplement and hope. I had some clients get some improvement in their multi-lateral affected dogs with the use of Freshfactors by Springtime Inc. No I don't work for them.
Supplement, rest, slow increase in non-impact low impact exercise, t hen try again. If he breaks down again, I suspect you'll have your answers, xray or not.
The truth is some of them are crippled front and rear by three.
It's not the slope, it's not the breed, it's BAD BREEDING.
I have had 13 german shepherds without hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia in any form. Some breeders ARE doing it well, right and properly. Most don't bother.
I hope it's just over work and that supplementation helps. Shepherds are good good dogs.
