# 9 month old, growing pains?



## roxykong (Dec 27, 2008)

Hello,
We are the owners of a wonderful female shepherd named Roxy. We have noticed around 5 months that she would limp on and off. Now, at 9 months, she just finished her first heat cycle (we are getting her spayed next month), and she seems to have pain in all of her limbs, yet she will play on them like normal. She has recently gotten defensive about her food, and will growl, even snap, if we try to touch her forearms which she never had done before. It's not a paw problem, but seems to be around the ends of the long bones, like the elbow joint and wrist? Any help would be greatly appreciated as we are really frustrated to see her in pain.

Thanks.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Sounds like panosteitis, often referred to as pano: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1561&aid=466


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Poor Roxy. Kisses to her from Otto, he has pano too.

When I exercise him, I make sure he's playing on a padded surface. He loves ball so restricting his play like suggested on the pano info sites is not an option (unless I want my hands and pantlegs chewed off). I have a padded room for him to run around in. 

http://www.matsmatsmats.com/home/garage-basement-floor/soft-floor.html

The kids color floor is similar to what I have in my basement - although I paid a lot less for it at BJs Wholesale club - I've also seen it at Lowe's and a cut out bin hardware store called Grossmans.

When my pup plays on the floors that aren't padded or outside, he limps. If he plays on the foam floor, it's not so bad. 

Also, walks on concrete are suposed to agrevate the condition so shorter walks are in order. It's hard when you have a young pup with so much energy and this problem.


----------



## roxykong (Dec 27, 2008)

we suspected it might be pano when she started to feel pain in her legs, do you recommend anything for pain management, and did your pup show signs of aggression during his pano. thank you for all your responses.


----------



## derby98 (Feb 9, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: roxykongwe suspected it might be pano when she started to feel pain in her legs, do you recommend anything for pain management, and did your pup show signs of aggression during his pano. thank you for all your responses.


Our 11 month old Diego has had 3 bouts of Pano. Once at 5 months, 7 months & recently at 10 months. They lasted for 9 days, 7 days & the last one was 3 days.
Just try to limit your dog's activity during the flair up's.


----------



## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

I would get ahold of your vet and ask what he recommends for pain management.I haven't had that problem yet but my breeder said to use Bufferin 2x a day.She didn't say the dosage so ask the vet and they will be able to tell you the dosage amount on whatever pain med they recommend.Good luck,hopefully the aggression is pain related.


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: roxykongwe suspected it might be pano when she started to feel pain in her legs, do you recommend anything for pain management, and did your pup show signs of aggression during his pano. thank you for all your responses.


I don't give him anything for pain. He doesn't act like it hurts, he just bobbles when he walks (opposed to floating like a GSD should). He lifts his front legs almost like he's saying please but it's at inappropriate times. 

He doesn't have the aggression burst like you're seeing.







Otto's aggression is usually founded in something else - he's overtired or my female GSDs neck looks tasty to him.


----------



## Dee Phillips (Nov 29, 2008)

I wont worry for awhile she is 9mths and they are not mature till 2 so get advise do alot of work,food and excerise,Keep nails short.They can be babies if you baby them, you will know when you have a problem but they will play you ,if its gets them what they want.To smart for there own good.You can have all the x-rays and tests, so your sure but give her some work and she may stop.


----------



## gmcenroe (Oct 23, 2007)

Our dog Juli had some limping and pain at around 10 months that lasted about a week. I gave her 2 82mg aspirin the nonenteric coated tablets for pain. It seemed to work for her even though she doesn't usually show any pain.

If limping transfers from leg to leg it could be pano. 

Good luck with her getting better soon. I am sick when my dog is sick.

Glenn


----------



## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Any chance of her or the mother being exposed to ticks? Has the lyme vaccine ever been given?


----------



## roxykong (Dec 27, 2008)

Roxy received the lyme vaccine when she was about 4 months old.


----------



## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I am sorry to hear that. My girl has been battling with an immune complex disease induced by the lyme vaccine all her life (since about the time she was your dog's age). She is now 11 1/2.

If she received the lyme vaccine, that must mean that you have ticks in the area. I think I would want to rule out the chance of a tick disease causing this problem as a first step.

p.s. welcome to the board -- sorry your pup's pain had to bring you here.


----------



## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Perhaps I should just add a few words to my last post...

What concerns me is the progression that you are seeing -- there isn't a shifting or waxing and waning of symptoms, but a clear progression of something, whatever it is, getting worse. 

I would like to hear from the pano people if this progression is typical? I've never had to deal with pano outside of what I have read on this board.

With tick diseases that the immune system can't keep in check, you will see a progression, and very likely accompanies aggression. The only way to address the aggression, is to treat whatever is causing the pain.

With lyme-vaccine induced disease, you will see the symptoms of lyme disease, but not the actual disease.

I would rule out tick diseases, then do the xrays for pano, and if neither of these point conclusively, I would consider the lyme vaccine, the timing of symptoms is right, but the timing of pano would be right, if it also is somehow tied to the distemper vax.


----------



## roxykong (Dec 27, 2008)

Wow, I wish the vet would have told me about the risks of the lyme vaccine. We do live in an area where ticks exist, but we got the vaccine because we were traveling to an area where they were even more prevalent (We take Roxy pretty much everywhere with us). 

But to be more specific about her pain, it has been off and on, and since she was about 5 months old, it has shifted from her left leg to her right, and then back and forth again. There were times when she was fine, and then the limp would return. This time it seems to be in both front legs.
She has also been bounding through the snow with typical energy, and then her back legs seem to be tired afterwards.

Is there any relation to her heat cycle and agression? She just finished her first, and during that time she began to get defensive about some of her toys and her space. Maybe she still has some hormones in her system that are making her defensive? I'm sure it partly has to do with the pain. Is it possible this might go away once she is spayed?

Thanks so much.


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: LisaT there isn't a shifting or waxing and waning of symptoms, but a clear progression of something, whatever it is, getting worse.
> 
> I would like to hear from the pano people if this progression is typical?


waxing and waning is exactly how it is with my pup. He hasn't been bobbling or lifting his front legs for a few days. He's gone a month or so with out any symptoms. I watch his growth spurts becuase every time he gets taller, he starts bobbling.


----------



## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

roxykong said:


> Wow, I wish the vet would have told me about the risks of the lyme vaccine. We do live in an area where ticks exist, but we got the vaccine because we were traveling to an area where they were even more prevalent (We take Roxy pretty much everywhere with us). ...../quote]
> 
> Most vets don't acknowledge the risks, and don't recognize them. Can't tell you how many specialists told me that my dog's problems couldn't possibly be caused by the vaccine. Luckily, I ran into the right person at Cornell and she was diagnosed through her serology lab, where the director knew quite a bit about the lyme vaccine and its issues.
> 
> ...


----------



## marbeen (Dec 16, 2011)

I know this is an old thread, but my 9 month old GSD, Maxie, is having severe Pano. He did hurt his right front paw trying to jump over a barrier in the house, but during the x-rays, the doctor noticed the lesions in the upper bone (therefore Pano). He is 86 lbs and still growing. We took him off puppy food a couple of months ago and now on adult food. However, we went away this past weekend and left him at the kennel. He limped, but played hard with the other dogs and had a great time. I think he overworked his legs. Also, he escaped, twice (both nights), from his crate at the kennel and they found him in the middle of the storefront, just sitting, wagging his tail (this has happened before and the same outcome). He is safe there, so I wasn't worried about that portion. However, I noticed his limping has increased. Anyone have recommendations to get him back to his usual active self? Rest?? Pain reliever???


----------

