Carpus Hyperextension
I have a
five month old German Shepherd puppy that has very loose ligaments on his
front feet, causing his legs to bend forward. Should I worry?
Hyperextension of the carpus
causes the lower foreleg to bend abnormally, bringing the dog's
palms closer to the ground. It is a common transient deformity in
young, growing puppies. The growth rate of the bones, ligaments,
tendons and joints may not be in perfect harmony in fast growing
animals, causing the crooked joints. Large breed dogs, fed high
calorie, high protein growth diets experience these problems most
often. In addition to breed and diet, genetic predisposition also plays
a major role. Most mild cases are self limiting, and resolve when the
other parts of the growing leg catch up. In more severe cases, meta
splints applied to the legs for a few weeks provide the needed support
while the carpi straighten. The opposing factors of the body's
tendency to grow out of such a problem, and the rising dog's weight
increasing the angulation can take weeks to months to either resolve
the problem, or to destroy the joints. Early attention is important to
produce a favorable outcome. A veterinarian's physical examination,
which may or may not include x-rays, is your best bet to insure proper
growth
Return to Petsdoc.com home page
Return to Ask the Vet Index page
Copyright © 2000 - 2010 petsdoc.com. All rights reserved.