# Hips and Displasia



## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Pup is 5 1/2 months old now. Losing teeth. Hips are loose and all over the place when he runs after a ball. I had a Shepherd with bad hips so I'm paranoid. Is it common for hips to be floppy (ankles angled inward when standing) at this age?

Parents have both been X-rayed and certified. Pup is Czech, but this is the first mating with this male / female parent combo.

Thanks for the insights!


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Ligaments dont start to tighten up till around 7-8 months old. He will trip over blade of grass at this age


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

That's sure great to hear! And it's good to hear from you, Mike.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Ligaments dont start to tighten up till around 7-8 months old. He will trip over blade of grass at this age


I have no puppy experience, but that is what all the vet handbooks say, too: What Mike said.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Cool, I was just guessing! 

Actually no, I learnt that from Selena. Ain't she smart?????


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## Trish Campbell (Nov 28, 2006)

Pups at that age are like gangly colts. I would not worry at this point. I don't even like to do preliminary x-rays until 1 year of age because I think before that many pups have some joint laxity. If the dog was showing symptoms of pain or reluctance to do certain types of activity, then I'd worry and x-ray.


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

THanks all,

He seems to really enjoy all physical things. When he's excited, he does really impressive vertical leaps. I figure if that hurt, he wouldn't do it.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Fight the paranoia. I had Rotts, so I know exactly what you are talking about. I see anything, and I think dysplasia. I know just what you are thinking there.


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

That's really it, Jeff. Like I said, I had to live through hips with a previous GSD, so like your Rotts, it makes me paranoid.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

You can x ray now if it gets too bad. OR just think of the fact that in some people stress causes them to lose weight, and so this stress is keeping you ___________ fill in the blank.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

The only problem I see with x-raying early, is that I know of dogs that were written off as being dysplastic at 10 months, who were re-x-rayed at 14 months and got OFA Good. It may cause even more stress and worry when there isn't even anything wrong.


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## Michele McAtee (Apr 10, 2006)

My pups brother just had prelims at 10 months (no symptoms, just for sale purposes) and they came back minor dysplasia. I was kinda freakin...lil close for my comfort.

But, like Mike (and my breeder) said, could test now and show minor displasia, and later be good...

I've been told there is no way (aside from obvious and debilitating pain) to tell dysplasia without x-rays. Freakin and being noidy won't do me or my dog any favors.

Enjoy your fluppy puppy!!!


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

I like Jeff's diet idea. :lol:

With my pup, as I said, both parents had clean hips and elbows. So I'm not particularly worried. And he sits so perfectly with both feet under him. My other dog (with bad hips) never did this.

Also he has such an impressive vertical leap (that I don't encourage) it's obviously not uncomfortable.


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## Michele McAtee (Apr 10, 2006)

Ted White said:


> I like Jeff's diet idea. :lol:


So, if you stress about the dogs hips, you'll lose weight? 
(curious, because I just quit smoking like 2 mos ago and am attempting to LOSE weight...) 

Maybe I SHOULD be stressing about Cato's hips????? Oh, skinny me....


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Too many of my friends are now X smokers. THEN they get all self rightous about MY smoking. LOL

Apparently, the anti smoking crowd has not figured out that there are many many toxins in the air other than my cig smoke, and that cancer is genetic.............](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)


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## Michele McAtee (Apr 10, 2006)

Hey, hey....now slow down there, cowboy.

I never said I was anti smoking. Ahem. I said I've quit smoking about 2 months ago...just as of about 5 or so days ago, I'm even sans the patch...

You go ahead and smoke them cigs. I might even stand there next to ya.

(distinct John Wayne ringing in this tone)


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Maybe cig smoking is what's genetic...


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Ted White said:


> Maybe cig smoking is what's genetic...


So I hear.

And maybe it's genetic to be vulnerable to the carcinogens in cigarette smoke.


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

could be a genetic magenetism to smoke particles


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Ted White said:


> could be a genetic magenetism to smoke particles



Oh yeah.... forgot that!


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## Becky Shilling (Jul 11, 2006)

Maybe cig smoking is what's genetic...


Nah...my Mom smoked like a chimney and out of the three of us sisters, only I became a smoker.


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## Michele McAtee (Apr 10, 2006)

I don't know that actual cigarette smoking is passed on genetically speaking, however, if mama smokes with babe in womb, epigenetic studies are showing corelations of the babe perhaps being fine as a babe and developing cardiovascular issues later in life...

um, thanks mom...  (of course If I do develop cardiovascular issues, it will not be because I smoked cigs for 21 years!!!


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Pups hips still look wobbly wobbly. 8.5 months old now. Trying not to get anxious...


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Ted I prelimed my current dog at 12 months (contract obligation). His hips would have come back borderline at best and his elbows looked like they wouldn't pass either (that triangle bone thing didn't look attached). He also had an odd loose look to his movement occasionally. 

At 26 months we redid his xrays and he came back with "good" hip score and his elbows also passed (the triangle part was completely attached).


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Thanks for the reply Susan. Everyone I've mentioned this to says you can't tell visually. That's interesting 



susan tuck said:


> Ted I prelimed my current dog at 12 months (contract obligation). His hips would have come back borderline at best and his elbows looked like they wouldn't pass either (that triangle bone thing didn't look attached). He also had an odd loose look to his movement occasionally.
> 
> At 26 months we redid his xrays and he came back with "good" hip score and his elbows also passed (the triangle part was completely attached).


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