Panosteitis- Large Breed Growing Pains.
While “growing pains” are often something our parents spoke of, did you know large and giant breed dogs are prone to these as well? Panosteitis (or Pano as it is more commonly known) is a disease that commonly effects young dogs (usually between the ages of 6 and 18 months of age). The first signs of Pano are limping and favoring of a paw or leg. This lameness can last a day to a few weeks. This can be very scary to an owner who up until this point has had an agile giant puppy who loves to lope about the house at a full run! Pano is an inflammation of the bone itself and through radiographs (x-rays) a vet can often determine if this is indeed the problem a dog is experiencing (as opposed to hip or elbow dysplasia or another orthopedic issue). There are many different approaches to treatment of Panosteitis. Some vets reccommend supplementing dogs with high doses of MSM, glucosamine and vitamin C, others provide anti-inflammatories to keep them comfortable. Whatever route you go, keep exercise to a minimum and know that if it is indeed Pano, your dog will grow out of it and will soon be back to his limber self again!
