The American Beagler Forum

I need some help on a pup that i am going to keep. Last Sunday I had the pups out playing and i noticed that one looked like it had bow legs in front. I didn't pay much attention to it because it was still running around playing just like the other pups. Yesterday I noticed it's legs looked worse and when I looked at her , her legs seem to be weak in the knee joints of her front legs. Does anyone have any idea what is causing this weaknest of the joints and the bowed legs? Could it be that she is missing something in her diet? Yesterday it looked like it bothered her to walk.

1cc of cod liver oil daily will straighten those legs up.

Thanks beagler282, I will give that a try.

Cal Tabs or extra calcium for food source. Pup is growing faster than the calcuim intake needed to keep up with bone development.

John

do you keep her in a above ground kennel with wire bottom.

bluemouse,
I do keep her in an above ground kennel with wire bottom.

Sounds like it Could be Rickets

Rickets is a disease of young, growing animals. The most common causes are dietary insufficiencies of phosphorus or vitamin D. Calcium deficiencies can also cause rickets, and while this rarely occurs naturally, poor balanced diets that are deficient in calcium have been said to cause the disease. As in most diets causing osteodystrophies, the abnormal calcium:phosphorus ratio is most likely the cause.

Also make sure the pup is getting plenty of Sunlight. Also Give the pups Some Fruit like apples oranges and Raw Carrots if the pup is young enough ans the rickets are not to advanced the pup should come out of it.

Thanks TC. I don't know if the cod liver oil is helping or not be she seems to be getting better. She is now running around playing with the other pup that I have and running with pretty good speed now compared to the way she was getting around.

beagler282,
That cod liver oil really did the trick. Now you can't tell that her legs were ever crooked and it sure didn't bother her foot speed. She is the fastest of my pups and seems to love to run. The cod liver oil is pretty cheap so I am giving her and my other pup a cc each day. I figured if it made her legs straight it can't hurt to give daily and they seem to like it, they will lick the spoon like it's candy.

TC wrote:Sounds like it Could be Rickets

Rickets is a disease of young, growing animals. The most common causes are dietary insufficiencies of phosphorus or vitamin D. Calcium deficiencies can also cause rickets, and while this rarely occurs naturally, poor balanced diets that are deficient in calcium have been said to cause the disease. As in most diets causing osteodystrophies, the abnormal calcium:phosphorus ratio is most likely the cause.

Also make sure the pup is getting plenty of Sunlight. Also Give the pups Some Fruit like apples oranges and Raw Carrots if the pup is young enough ans the rickets are not to advanced the pup should come out of it.

This is why I feed the Powdered Calves milk when weaning pups and until they are about 4 to 6 months old.. Works great!!!!!