swolen joints tips and help

[bokobuva]

Today I noticed my pup is walking strange , I got suspicious and called the vet , he says this is perfectly normal since it grows so fast and that I should keep walking him about a kilometer daily divided in 2 walks morning and evening , he only told me to give him more calcium in his diet , I'm not quite sure if this should be it so I'm asking you guys who had this problem with almost 3 months old pup and what to do and what not to do tnx

 

[Iymala]

What is your pup currently eating?

Do not increase the calcium. That can cause issues with the pups growth and exacerbate the problem. You should be feeding between 1.2 to 1.6% calcium ideally in his kibble. If it's higher or lower I would suggest switching kibble.

I would also cut out walks all together. Let the Puppy free play on a soft surface like grass. Walks so young for a giant.breed can cause.additional stress to the joints and hurt the Puppy as they grow.if you are determined to walk then find a trail or a place with soft ground and limit it to no more than 5 minutes after the swelling had subsided.

Ester C is what is recommended for joint issues. 1500mg a day. Ester C is vitamin C but a variation that is easier on a dogs stomach.

 

[musicdeb]

I feed Titan raw chicken feet which is a natural source of glucosamine. I agree with Iymala, reduce his exercise. Mastiff pups need to have limited hard exercise (jumping, running, walking) until at least after age 1 yr to reduce injury to hips and joints.

Hope he's ok...

 

[Iymala]

Like Deb, I also feed raw chicken feet. My guys love them and they are great for their health.

 

[DennasMom]

We do raw duck feet here (we avoid chicken due to allergies).

I'd also reduce the walks to a minimum until he looks comfortable again. Denna and I did some 'exploratory' walks at that age, but no focused, repetitive walking... I just followed her lead at that point - so walks were pretty short and sporadic. We did a lot more play in the back yard - and a lot of naps.

And I wouldn't increase calcium either (especially if you don't increase phosphorus in like quantities to keep the ratio balanced). But, that's without knowing what you're feeding now... so may or may not apply.

Hope it's just a short phase and he's all better soon!

 

[bokobuva]

I'm feeding royal canin twice a day and once raw beef

took him to the breeder yesterday he said it's cool not a biggie just to mind on the excersises

 

[SavingGrace]

If you notice any fever associated with this - go to the vet immediately. If not, could just be the pup over did it during play time. I would avoid adding calcium as well. From what I understand dogs don't expel excess calcium easily and it can build up in their joints.

You could try vitamin C - there's lots of good info about vitamin C and dogs out there showing the benefits in joints