# Stretching indicates hip problems, Is it true?



## Acejin (Jul 22, 2011)

Hi,

I opened a thread on the "pictures!" sub forum with a picture of my dog stretching after he got up from sleep because I thought it was a nice picture, but I didn`t expect to get a response of one of the users who wrote:
"i was told by a vet once that stretching like that meant hip problems. not sure i believed him."

My puppy is four months old, completely healthy. I think he looks very enjoyed when he stretches but it is really indicates hip problems? It`s the first time I hear about it and frankly I'm a little worried .
He always stretches himself when he gets up, even though he's got an hour's sleep - He stretches out for two seconds and that's it.

I really thought it was a natural action like animals do when they get up in the wild, at least from what I saw at the national geographic.

I'd really appreciate to get your opinion..


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

i was told by a vet *once* that stretching like that meant hip problems. not sure i believed him. I know how a good stretch always makes me feel. Seems that would be the case with animals too. Plus sleeping in the same position for a while.... ya gotta stretch! Looks like he's thoroughly enjoying that stretch though! 

how old is your pup? I'm not trying to worry you. *I had ONE vet tell me that but i've not heard it since. Like i said, everyone likes a good stretch, why not animals too? If he only does it after he wakes up, i really wouldnt be worried. He's stretching out the stiffness that comes from sleeping in the same position for a lengthy period of time. people do the same thing.*


Please read VERY carefully the highlighted portion. The above is BOTH comments i stated from your other thread. 

I said i had ONE (1) vet tell me that. Not that they ALL told me that and i also said i've not heard it since! I did also say i was not sure i believed that theory. EVERYONE stretches, especially after they've been asleep in the same position for a prolonged period of time. I really think you're overreacting by freaking out about it. As i said in your other thread, i'm not trying to worry you and be mean so please dont take it as such. 

The one vet that told me that was also the vet who enjoyed talking down to customers. He was 100% convinced my two dogs were related and therefore both automatically had hip problems in his eyes. I left and took my business elsewhere and never once heard another vet tell me that stretching indictated hip problems. My one dog who DID have hip problems stretched more often and my current dog who was there is perfectly healthy and no hip problems and he stretches when the mood strikes him. I've seen NOTHING to indicate personally, stretching equals hip problems. Now if my male started stretching more often than he usually does, then i might be concerned but considering he's almost 7, for him i'd be more concerned with artritis (sp?). Make sense?


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## Acejin (Jul 22, 2011)

KZoppa - I think you misunderstand me, i'm truly grateful for your comment even if the vet was right or wrong I think it's worth checking.

You right, I'm a bit exaggerating my response but I really just cares about my pup and want him to be healthy.
Thank you for your honest opinion, it's really important to me


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## wolfman (Mar 24, 2011)

KZoppa said:


> how old is your pup? I'm not trying to worry you. *I had ONE vet tell me that but i've not heard it since. Like i said, everyone likes a good stretch, why not animals too? If he only does it after he wakes up, i really wouldnt be worried. He's stretching out the stiffness that comes from sleeping in the same position for a lengthy period of time. people do the same thing.*
> 
> 
> Please read VERY carefully the highlighted portion. The above is BOTH comments i stated from your other thread.
> ...


Thanks very much for elaborating KZoopa. My GS stretches after sleeping also and she's 4 years old. I've never thought that this might be a hip problem..


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

I would say stretching your hips liek that might be painful for a GSD with hip problems


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

My 8 year old OFA good GSD stretches like that and can still crawl under things very nicely. My dysplastic female has a very limited range of motion.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Dogs stretch when they have been laying for a while. Why? Because they have muscles that need to be limbered up for action. I know that I stretch more when I have been exercising in order to keep from tightening up. Stretching wakes up the muscles and gets the blood flowing a little better.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Bruiser, 6-1/2, often stretches like that ... never had him x-rayed but he's never given any indication that he is having any type of problems with his hips.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

My boy stretches like that, and I found out last month he has bad hips.

But I don't think it is an indication.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

I have a 10yo male who has excellent hips who is the stretchingist dog I've ever seen. When I go to let the dogs out of their crates I always do him first since he has to do a VERY long stretch getting out of the crate.
A client of ours is a chiropractor and was mentioning one day that people should pay more attention to animals and their habits. He said they even discussed in school how dogs pretty much always have a good stretch when getting up and we should do the same!

Annette


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

my 6 year old Max stretchs like that, having GSD in the past with bad hips, he never stretched


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## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

We had two dogs that were OFA excellent hips (one done at 25 months and one done at 5.5 years after multiple national and world events).

Both were very flexible and loved to lay splayed out on the ground, Baer especially. I had people tell me when he was younger that was an indication of bad hips. The ortho vet that did all the xrays for k9s did Baer's and they were beautiful.


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## Acejin (Jul 22, 2011)

Thank you all, what a releaf! 

I guess stretching isn`t related to hip problems and it's just a coincidence that some dogs stretch with hip problems.

BTW, Hip problems are created only as a result of bad genetics or there are other reasons? Also, Can something be done to prevent hip problems or you can`t beat genetics?


Thanks All!


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

Acejin said:


> Thank you all, what a releaf!
> 
> I guess stretching isn`t related to hip problems and it's just a coincidence that some dogs stretch with hip problems.
> 
> ...


It is primarily genetic, with some dietary/growth related influences. Some studies have indicated that dogs that were feed a lot had higher incidence of HD. Presumably because the hip joints were allowed to grow too quickly.

Most here will tell you that you need to watch the calcium intake of young puppies for this reason. You also want to make sure you are not letting them overfeed or carry too much weight.


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## Acejin (Jul 22, 2011)

BR870 said:


> It is primarily genetic, with some dietary/growth related influences. Some studies have indicated that dogs that were feed a lot had higher incidence of HD. Presumably because the hip joints were allowed to grow too quickly.
> 
> Most here will tell you that you need to watch the calcium intake of young puppies for this reason. You also want to make sure you are not letting them overfeed or carry too much weight.


I`m really curious if my dog weight is normal, I came across this table that calculates the weight depending on the dog's age. Can I rely on this table?
German Shepherd Weight Chart and Height

I feed my pup ​​three times a day with Acana large breed puppy , A total of 450 grams per day. I'll never know what the correct amount because no one has an answer which is more depending on the dog.


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

Acejin said:


> Hi,
> 
> I opened a thread on the "pictures!" sub forum with a picture of my dog stretching after he got up from sleep because I thought it was a nice picture, but I didn`t expect to get a response of one of the users who wrote:
> "i was told by a vet once that stretching like that meant hip problems. not sure i believed him."


I've actually been told the opposite of that by many people. In fact, to be able to bend or stretch like that seems to me to say the hips/joints/etc are healthy because of the 'comfortable' range of motion. A dysplasiac animal would be in pain! 

Anyway, very cute picture


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

Acejin said:


> BTW, Hip problems are created only as a result of bad genetics or there are other reasons? Also, Can something be done to prevent hip problems or you can`t beat genetics?


I would say hip problems are primarily genetic... but in Border Collies, those that fence run while young high a high rate of having problems later on. (at least that's why my herding instructor told me)


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

My OFA Excellent girl stretches like that.


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

Acejin said:


> I`m really curious if my dog weight is normal, I came across this table that calculates the weight depending on the dog's age. Can I rely on this table?
> German Shepherd Weight Chart and Height


These are _averages_. Not all dogs grow at the same rate, and if you look at the adult male and female weights shown, there's a 22 pound range. If your pup is going to be on the lower end of the spectrum as an adult, he's probably going to be on the lower end of the spectrum as a puppy, and vice versa. Or he could do most of his growing early and then slow down, or start slow and do a lot of growing later. There's just no way to tell at this age. Dena & Keefer were half siblings. At 6 months old she outweighed him by 7 pounds, but as adults he ended up being around 10 pounds more. She just grew more early and he developed more slowly. Nothing to be concerned about.



> I feed my pup ​​three times a day with Acana large breed puppy , A total of 450 grams per day. I'll never know what the correct amount because no one has an answer which is more depending on the dog.


Nobody is giving you an exact amount because that DOES depend on the dog! The absolutely best indication that he's getting the right amount of food is to look at his condition. Run your hand down his side and feel his ribs. Can you see a tuck up at the abdomen? Can you see a distinct waist when viewed from above? If so, he's perfect. If you can see every rib he's probably a little thin and you may want to up his food a little. If you can't easily feel the ribs and maybe see the last one or two, you might want to cut back a little. As he grows he's going to need more food, so at his age you want to check his condition often and make adjustments as necessary. But since he may be growing at a different rate than another puppy of the same age, his caloric needs are not necessarily going to be exactly the same, which is why you're getting the "depends on the dog" answer.


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## 4TheDawgies (Apr 2, 2011)

unfortunately people let confirmation biases rule their thoughts. Vets are not immune to this.

Its simply a coincidence


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## dogsnkiddos (Jul 22, 2008)

Beast loves to stretch like that- and especially loves to stretch like that on you (dragging his legs OVER and Across your slumbering body just for fun)


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## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> Nobody is giving you an exact amount because that DOES depend on the dog! The absolutely best indication that he's getting the right amount of food is to look at his condition. Run your hand down his side and feel his ribs. Can you see a tuck up at the abdomen? Can you see a distinct waist when viewed from above? If so, he's perfect. If you can see every rib he's probably a little thin and you may want to up his food a little. If you can't easily feel the ribs and maybe see the last one or two, you might want to cut back a little. As he grows he's going to need more food, so at his age you want to check his condition often and make adjustments as necessary. But since he may be growing at a different rate than another puppy of the same age, his caloric needs are not necessarily going to be exactly the same, which is why you're getting the "depends on the dog" answer.


You can, and should, also look at the amount of calories you are feeding him and estimate, using one of the online metabolic calculators, how much your dog is likely to need--I like this one: Metabolic Energy Requirements For Dogs

But, as this quote indicates, the actual, current condition of the dog trumps any outside "should feed" amounts.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

this is the first i've heard of a dog
stretching like your dog is a sign
of hip problems. my dog stretches like yours.
he also stretches his front legs. in Yoga it's called
a "downward dog" when they stretch the front legs.
dogs will also stretch one rear leg at a time.

"hello, my name is doggiedad and i worry
about my dog". does anyone else want to join??? :crazy:


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> this is the first i've heard of a dog
> stretching like your dog is a sign
> of hip problems. my dog stretches like yours.
> he also stretches his front legs. in Yoga it's called
> ...


:crazy:I do!:crazy:


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## Ava (Mar 18, 2011)

Lately every time I say "Ava come" or something similar when she's asleep I get that stretch or one of 5 or 6 other stretches as she drags her butt along. From all the stretching comments here I guess its normal. I just thought it was a little bit of teenage defiance - "yea, yea, yea dad I'm coming..."


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