# Front Leg Development



## memo7351 (Sep 26, 2016)

*Hello Everyone,
*

I want to know what is this case called, What are reasons behind it, How could it affect my dog and How to cure or fix it?

The dog age is 9 months, gender is male and weight is almost 30 kg.

*Thank you.*


----------



## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

The dog in this older thread looks like yours:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/development-socialization/167401-question-front-legs.html


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Hard to see anything in the picture - are you referring to weak pasterns? A picture of your dog standing, taken from the side, showing his feet and lower legs will help.


----------



## memo7351 (Sep 26, 2016)

*Thank you for your concern.*


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Looks completely normal. Your dog has very good feet, pasterns are looking nice and strong. What exactly are you concerned about?


----------



## memo7351 (Sep 26, 2016)

The rotation of his feet (like duck feet)


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Sometimes hard floors makes them slide. How old is your dog? If he is like one year old, his chest will fill out and straighten the legs. I would not worry about it unless he limps. We humans don't always stand elegantly either.


----------



## memo7351 (Sep 26, 2016)

This drift (outward)


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

if anything the dog's pasterns are too straight .

there should be some angulation so that the load bearing front has some flex which allows for impact absorption when landing on front (jumping) and for rapid changes of direction .

this front is terrier like .

I do see some swelling , no lets not call it swelling because that usually is soft tissue , lets look at this as a bowing out or a slight curvature of the forelimb just about the carpus (wrist) involving the area where the radius and ulna meet.

In the picture where he is sitting you can see a bumping out or thickening of the "wrist" on the inside of the leg , moreso on his left leg.

That merging of the radius and ulna with the carpus is where there would be a growth plate. The leg grows from the ends .

When there is some trauma -- either due to poor conformation for function, or excessive pounding exercise at too young an age -- soft growth plate gets bruised and closes too early . 

The radius and ulna are still growing , but not at that end of the forelimb so the bone develops into this curve - the foot deviates outward.

Your dog has a minor deviation so not a great concern but take this into consideration when exercising him -- not an endurance type activity and no abrupt twists and turns . Not because he can't do them but you want to prevent damage , inflammation , and eventually arthritic changes .

Consider anti inflammatory foods as part of the diet .

Can you do a full side view of your dog?


----------



## memo7351 (Sep 26, 2016)

Thank you


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

the conformation of the leg / pasterns is genetic -- 

the SLIGHT deviation from true and straight is not -- this is environmental / nutritional 

a much much worse scenario is the downed- pastern , which is genetic


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

any possibility on the side view of the dog ??


----------



## memo7351 (Sep 26, 2016)

Thank you all for your concern
Side Picture


----------



## memo7351 (Sep 26, 2016)

Side Picture


----------

