Hey guys...
Grady has been favoring his left leg for about a week. We figured maybe he was playing too hard but I wanted to make sure so I took him in today. He's showing signs of early problems in his left hip. The big D word came up... dysplasia. The vet is putting him on a lower calorie/lower protein diet (Sierra Mountain) which he was on... but we switch up between that and the Bison formula. Also, fish oils and a lower exercise/play routine. No xrays at this point but it's scary and depressing since he's only 8 months. He growled for the first time when they did the flexion/extension tests on his leg so it's definitely bothering him but he's not in acute pain. Only when tested. So for now, we wait. Hopefully it's just a growing stage and slowing him down will help. Although, he's a smaller Mastiff to begin with at 87lbs and 8 months which isn't a great thing if he's showing these signs and not huge. UGH. I'm so upset. I emailed his breeder just to let her know what's going on... but there's no way we'd give him up. I just hate to think of the possibility of him having hip issues so early and maybe forever. We went through knee reconstructions with our last dog, Samson and he did fine, lived a long happy life but I hate to go through all that again. Depressing. Anyway... if anyone has gone through this and had it work itself out with diet/drugs/therapy... let me know. I'd love to hear some good news. Hoping it all works out. We will do whatever it takes for him but I'd like him to live a normal pain free life, of course. Thanks.
Grady has been favoring his left leg for about a week. We figured maybe he was playing too hard but I wanted to make sure so I took him in today. He's showing signs of early problems in his left hip. The big D word came up... dysplasia. The vet is putting him on a lower calorie/lower protein diet (Sierra Mountain) which he was on... but we switch up between that and the Bison formula. Also, fish oils and a lower exercise/play routine. No xrays at this point but it's scary and depressing since he's only 8 months. He growled for the first time when they did the flexion/extension tests on his leg so it's definitely bothering him but he's not in acute pain. Only when tested. So for now, we wait. Hopefully it's just a growing stage and slowing him down will help. Although, he's a smaller Mastiff to begin with at 87lbs and 8 months which isn't a great thing if he's showing these signs and not huge. UGH. I'm so upset. I emailed his breeder just to let her know what's going on... but there's no way we'd give him up. I just hate to think of the possibility of him having hip issues so early and maybe forever. We went through knee reconstructions with our last dog, Samson and he did fine, lived a long happy life but I hate to go through all that again. Depressing. Anyway... if anyone has gone through this and had it work itself out with diet/drugs/therapy... let me know. I'd love to hear some good news. Hoping it all works out. We will do whatever it takes for him but I'd like him to live a normal pain free life, of course. Thanks.
maybe it's just growing pains like you said, hope so.
