Questions

[zozogirl]

Hi everyone im having a problem with my little boy chief.. The past couple days his front legs are hurting him... And hes been walking weird.. I get payed once a month and cant get him in to a vet until the end of this month what can i do for his legs. Heres a picture

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[chinchi_&_chupa]

You need to get him to the vet ASAP! That is totally not normal and there is no way to tell what is going on over the internet. Pawn shop, auto title loan, whatever...get him to the vet!

[BrokenAquarian]

I've seen that, or something like it. (Vets chime in!) does it come from malnutrition?
His legs are starting to deform. That is bone structure. Needs to be taken care of NOW. He's a growing pup and waiting a couple of weeks will do him great damage. It happens fast.

What are you feeding him?

[jamielvsaustin]

Google "knuckling over". I think the information you'll find is on Great Danes-but it applies here as well. The nutrition of your dog isn't sufficient. What are you feeding? You may need to add supplements. Also, try to keep him on softer surfaces-not the cement you have him on in the picture.

4,5 and 6 star foods is what you want: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

I have a feeling you're going to come back with-you can't afford a high quality of food for your dog-since you only get paid once a month...and if that's the case, why do you have a dog? You know there is such things as emergencies right? If there was some big emergency with your dog right now what would you do? Wait until the end of the month?

[turtle]

Poor pup! It looks like a form of rickets and/or a vitamin D deficiency.

He is young so this can be corrected with supplements like cod liver oil and good food and sunlight but he does need to see a vet.

You should take him as soon as possible so you know exactly what to give him to help cure this as it can cause premanent damage to his legs and his growth. Please do take him to see a vet.

[Amie]

Call your vet - call every vet in your area - and see if they'll let you do a payment plan.

[Jazzy]

Maybe this will help:

http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would beg, borrow & steal to get to the vet ASAP.

[ilovetyson]

If it IS Rickets.. He needs to spend several hours outside in the sun. And take Vit. E.

But, I am not sure that is the case. That is not a great looking thing and looks like he is in lots of pain. He needs to go to a vet ASAP. Maybe contact rescues in the area and see if they can help, Or know a vet that may work with you as well!

[Misskiwi67]

Its a growth abnormality caused by the tendons growing at different rates than the bones. He needs a quality puppy food (for large breeds if he is a large breed), he should not have access to floors that are slippery, and time. Most dogs will grow out of it with a quality diet - NOT a home-made diet!!!!

Get him to the vet ASAP to make sure there isn't anything else going wrong too, sometimes puppies will have multiple growth abnormalities.

[zozogirl]

Thank you everyone for your reply. We took him to the vet the day after i posted this. I understand that some poeple like to put others down but we get payed once a month because my fiancee is on disablity and i had to stop working because we had to come to albuquerque for his surgerys on his leg. Which he will be getting a half leg amputation. Anyways The vet told us it was from mal nutrition from getting weaned to early. So she told me to keep feeding him iams puppy food but add chicken and cottage cheese and bread to the mix and she gave me some vitamins for him. His legs do really good and look great some days but today since that happened his legs are doing it again i was told to wrap them up if they bend to much so hes running around with little wraps on his legs now. He isnt showing any pain and he is doing real good for taking the vitamins my other dogs i have to force them to take them. I'll keep you all updated on him. He has another appt next week after my hubbys apt aswell.

[jamielvsaustin]

Please find a better food for your dog. Vets know a lot, but most don't really know about nutrition. Iams is not a good food for your dog.

4,5 and 6 star foods is what you want: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

[BrokenAquarian]

I personally would not give the bread. Dogs shouldn't be eating grains on a regular basis. Most dog foods are full of them - but dogs don't naturally eat grass seed(wheat).

jamielvsaustin is right, most vets aren't very knowledgeable when it comes to diet. Weird, but human doctors are the same way.

[Misskiwi67]

Most foods getting "ideal" ratings are too rich for large breed puppies and will make this puppy worse. Just because you don't like the food being fed doesn't mean what you think is good would be better.

I do, however, agree that the bread is not likely a good idea.

[zozogirl]

Thank you everyone i cut out the bread and ive been putting some chicken and cottage cheese and a little bit of plain yogurt in his food 4 times a day. His legs are good today but ive been keeping him from running around like a wild man . It seems like when hes running around most of the day the next day his legs act up like that. I will be taking him in to get checked in a week or 2. My fiancee will be going to surgery soon so once hes admitted in ill have some more time to take him in to the vet. I think im going to look for another one because this woman was so rude and made it seem like i was starving him to death which for him being 10 weeks ( now 11 weeks old ) and being 9 lbs i aint starving him.

[buckaroo]

Malnutrition and starving aren't the same thing. You can feed a puppy all day long and he may even gain weight but if his diet is missing essential ingredients, he's going to be malnourished and things like what you're seeing will happen.

You may not like the vet's "bedside" manner that much but there is value in continuing to see the same person because she already saw the puppy once and knows what was going on the last time he was in. It will also build her confidence in you if you come back and show you are following through. Continuity of care can be really helpful and also reduces the need to repeat any diagnostic tests. Jumping from vet to vet is usually a mistake.