Monitoring your Dogs Elbow Dysplasia
15 Jan 2010
There are many different types of ailments that can affect our dogs. Many we don’t find out until later because dogs will not start showing symptoms until well into the disease. However, elbow Dysplasia is an abnormal growth of cells, bone or tissue and can be detected between 4 and 10 months.
The Dysplasia abnormality can lead to your dog becoming lame if not treated. There is a type of condition similar to this that affects males more than females. Typically this condition is found in the larger breeds like Labs, Rottweilers, Chows and other giant breeds.
Males and females as we said can both be afflicted with Dysplasia. More common though in males more then female is the condition where the bone fragment is found in the inner surface of the upper ulna. This condition will be found in the foreleg just below the elbow joint.
Dysplasia is not always something your dog will show signs of. Watch him after he has been exercising and see if he shows stiffness or lameness. He might also be favoring the limb by either flexing or extending their elbow away from his body. It’s also good to watch your dog, as they get older because not all dogs will display symptoms.
The cause of this condition is not only genetic but can be caused by nutritional or developmental issues. It is important for you to get your pup to the vet for a medical examination. The vet will be able to make a diagnosis after a series of tests to eliminate other causes for the symptoms.
The symptoms can mean a number of things like joint trauma, possible infection or even some sort of arthritis. The Doctor will take x-rays of the affected limb as well as the other and run more tests before coming to a conclusion. If it is determined to be Elbow Dysplasia, then surgery might be recommended.
It will be important to keep your dog from any strenuous activities for about 4 weeks after surgery. Keep the area iced down off and on during the day for about 5 days to minimize the swelling. You will want to encourage movement in the limb though until your dog is strong enough to get up and around.
For future reference, you can take preventative measures for this condition by not promoting rapid growth of your dog. Manage their weight gain as they grow and feed them accordingly. In addition, do not breed a dog that has been diagnosed with this condition since it is genetic.
This is a fairly common condition in large dogs so don’t worry. If you got your dog from a breeder, it’s important to notify them of the condition. Your dog can continue to live a happy life just remember to get him yearly checkups with the vet.
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