# Bunny hopping / lazy sit?



## yuriy (Dec 23, 2012)

My GSD is just over nine months now. She had a visible limp earlier (haven't noticed it lately), and we went through rounds of X-Rays. I had her X-Rayed at a different vet (local specialist) once more (a few months ago), and this is the X-Ray I got back: imgur: the simple image sharer . They told me that her hips aren't great, but it's not HD.

Anyways, lately I've been noticing that she never sits straight, and does the lazy/frog sit instead. Additionally, she seems to bunny hop whereas other dogs don't (at least as much). Perhaps I'm overly paranoid... 

There are a few videos of her running around at a local trainer, could you guys take a look and let me know what you think of the way she moves? She's the smaller of the two GSDs in the vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2QMG3rDpYw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IKNodQ7IJk

Both of our dogs are actually from the same mother, but different litters (about 1 - 1.5 years apart).

This trainer mentioned she has a couple other GSDs from the same breeder ** name removed by ADMIN** and all display signs of hips with issues, sitting, etc.

Some other info:
- 9 months
- about 85lbs
- loves exercising (recently did a 23km day hike and she loved it)
- plays fetch in a large field every morning
- goes for a run with me (~4km of walking/running) 3-4 times per week


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I think it could be too much exercise - too long of distances at once -- especially if her soreness was worse after the 23km day hike and after your 3-4 times per week of 4km walking/running.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i don't know for sure but i don't think she's coordinated.
my dog was sloppy at 9 months old.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Loved the videos - what a cute girl, and she sure can move!

Something does look off in her stride, the bunny hopping, the clamped tail, but it does not seem to be slowing her down any, LOL. I'm no expert, but the hip x-rays look fine.

Not sure what to suggest - but from the x-rays, and her willingness to run and hike and no sign of pain, I don't know if it would be HD, or something else.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Pano? 

Panosteitis in Young Dogs

Panosteitis in the GSD - Panosteitis and Your German Shepherd Dog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5iSOficzso&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## kjdreyer (Feb 7, 2013)

This definitely isn't my area of expertise, but it looks like she's not extending her back legs when she's running, they stay a bit curled up or tucked in - is that what you meant by bunny hopping? It looks as if she doesn't have quite a normal range of motion in her stride, because her legs seem to max out at or less than 90 degrees in relation to her pelvis. Have you showed these videos to your vet? I would imaging this wouldn't be very evident on XR's if she was anesthetized. Good luck


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## yuriy (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I don't think it's too much exercise. We didn't do any hiking or running while she was little, and that's when she had the limp (while chasing other dogs, balls, etc.) which caused me to do the first round of X-Rays. And she's more than happy to exercise way beyond my own abilities. I'm always exhausted while she's begging for more.

Coordination issues is definitely something I've thought about - she's clumsy. Hopefully this will improve itself over time.

I'm no expert, but I don't think this is Pano. From my understanding, when dogs go through Pano they do not want to move around too much or exercise, which would be the opposite of how Liza behaves.



kjdreyer said:


> This definitely isn't my area of expertise, but it looks like she's not extending her back legs when she's running, they stay a bit curled up or tucked in - is that what you meant by bunny hopping? It looks as if she doesn't have quite a normal range of motion in her stride, because her legs seem to max out at or less than 90 degrees in relation to her pelvis. Have you showed these videos to your vet? I would imaging this wouldn't be very evident on XR's if she was anesthetized. Good luck


I guess that's what I mean, yes. It seems like she's moving both hind legs at once (and "together"), but perhaps that's the limited range of motion you're talking about. 

I haven't shown the vids to the vet - these vids were just taken yesterday by the trainer. I'll make a note to do so.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Maybe it is her tendon? I just remembered when my Sting was a pup, I met someone walking a tall golden with a shaved hip area - I asked if the dog had surgery for HD. The owner told me that no, it was a tendon or something like that. The first vet he went to - said HD - was real negative and won't even look or do xrays- the dog was not even a year-old - had been limping a bit - limited motion - sorta of like yours, he went to a second vet and that is when he got the diagnosis - and had the surgey for it . Hope that helps.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Isn't this the typical movement of the show dogs with the more extreme gaits and angulation?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

yuriy said:


> I guess that's what I mean, yes. It seems like she's moving both hind legs at once (and "together"), but perhaps that's the limited range of motion you're talking about.
> 
> I haven't shown the vids to the vet - these vids were just taken yesterday by the trainer. I'll make a note to do so.



She is not moving her hind legs independently of one another. For Jax, that is a function of mild HD. Taking her to a chiropractor helped quite a bit but structure is structure.

I would consult with an ortho and I would take her to a chiropractor. The issue could be in her back and not her hips at all.


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## Myah's Mom (Mar 25, 2013)

Please listen and know, if I am reading the pups age at nine months, that is way too young for 23 km hike and running everyday. Any ortho vet will advise you strongly on that, and it's a recipe for serious trouble. Big dogs are awesome for going with us on adventures and keeping us fit, but no jumping or running on hard pavement for the first 18 mo. 

Please seek the advice of an ortho vet. If the the one you saw knew a pup that age was lead to be that active and took X-rays without advising you, run.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Did you send the video to your breeder to get their feedback?


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