panosteitis/ Growing pains

[rosie beere]

Hi Gang,

I am sure I have seen this topic on ES before I just wondered if we could re-visit after my darling Memphis has just come back from the vets with this diagnosis.

The vet has started us off on Asprin twice daily for four days then I call her and tell her how he is going.

Was wondering about how long it lasts and how long you walk your pup for, Memphis is six months.

Any info would be great.

cheers Rosie

[Fran Griffin]

An old friend of mine, who once bred German Shepherds, and now has Flatcoat Retrievers always swore that adding some vitamin C and Vitamin B into a dogs diet during growth helped with these issues.  You have to be careful with vitamin C though, as it is possible to overdose on that, so if you decide to try this, check out the amounts for a dog. I also think lack of vitamin D is having just as much impact on dog health these days as it is human health. However, there is NO research on dogs. Only anecdotal things, therefore vets wont prescribe. 

The argument is always there though, that if the dog has a good species appropriate diet, it should absorb these vitamins from what it eats. If the dog is on a natural diet, and still has such symptoms, I would now automatically add digestive enzymes and see what happens.  They can't do any harm.  Not trying them can.

[Dušan Rauški]

Hello Rosie,

i have 15 month old irish setter girl and this summer she started to have pain in muscles around upper arm... first the left one, and after successful treatment at the vets she was fine (we thought that it was physical injury and she was treated with antibiotics and pain killers - it was very successful combination, the next day she was walking like nothing happened). after exactly one month, pain reoccurred but this time on right upper arm. Both times vet did an x-ray and it was clean. Having in mind circumstances and signs she was showing, eventually she was diagnosed with panosteitis.

It reoccurred two more times - each time one month after the last time it happened, and it was shifting from one leg to other without any pattern.

I was told (and i have excellent vet, specialized for dogs) that no one knows why this happens and that it happens in young dogs, usually no older from 14 months. All you can do is relieve the dog from pain if he is having too much pain, and it is not done with Aspirin cause this human medication can have seriously bad side effects on dogs stomach. I believe that pain killer tablets for dog,s use are called Rhymadil.

I hope mine little experience helps you!

Btw Lady is now grown out of this situation, and didn't had any pains for couple of months back now.

Greetings,

Dušan.

[Howard Glansfield]

HI Rosie,

The link to Arthur is about my dog.He is now 16 months old and is fighting fit with no sign of the problems he had.I think some setters just grow too quickly!

I hope Memphis will be his normal self soon.

Howard

[Sue and Cash]

Our second irish boy Casey had this.  It was about 25 years ago and I don't recall it being called that but then again it was so long ago.  One day at about 6 months he was having problems jumping onto the bed.  He was almost dragging his hind leg.  I thought injury but after resting him for a week he was fine, then it returned to his other hind leg about a week after that.  I recall the vet telling me his bones weren't growing at the same rate as his tendons/muscles and this can happen in large breed dogs.  Back then they didn't have large breed formula foods nor did they understand calcium levels etc.  Regardless he recovered just fine and same as Howards dog, he went on to be a strong, strapping boy. 

[rosie beere]

Thankyou for all your help.

Memphis is much happier untill he turn fast as Setters always do, his temp is down so I guess it is a management issue now.

He is alowed to go walkies (thank goodnes)   i keep him on his leash if I let him off I just walk quietly around he is great with that.

I did ask about Aspirin and was asured that was correct to give him at meal times and the SED dogs are always treated that way and I do trust my vet.

cheers Rosie