Can dogs get growing pains?

Im asking because since Chance ripped his dew claw, he seems to limp on and off

Mostly if he has been asleep for a while and wakes up, he limps and sometimes he can be playing in the garden and start limping. It doesnt last long, once he has been walking about for a few minutes he is fine again.
The vets have checked his leg and says they cant find anything wrong and the only way of knowing for sure is to do an xray which she seems to think would be a waste of time because it doesnt seem to bother him and it only happens occasionally

Im forever checking his pads etc, but never find anything.
So im wondering if it could be growing pains

I've not heard of growing pains in dogs Sarah, but I guess it isn't impossible.

It could be that he may of pulled a ligament/muscle when he tore his dew claw. If that's the case, it'll take a while to heal fully.

Just checked on the thread i started about him ripping his dew claw and that was on the 6th of february. Would it still not be healed if its a muscle/ligament?

I would of thought so if it was that long ago.

Hopefully someone will be able to help a bit more Sara, but in the meantime, give that gorgeous boy a big hug from me anyway

When you manipulate his leg does he whimper as if in pain? i'm sorry i dont know how old he is and i know pano affects our breed(intermitten limping or wandering lameness as its called ) i wouldnt have thought it would affect a bully tho..

A worry arent they... Have you tried to rest him for a few days and then see how he is on it?

Yes dogs can get growing pains, some breeds more than others, and some effects more serious than others - some resulting conditions may need surgery, some are not serious and resolve naturally with no lasting problems at all, just a bit of discomfort while its happening.


Some info for you [ dont panic and assume any problematic conditions definately apply to your doglet, the following is general reading to show some of the effects which sometimes occur in some dogs ]

http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=466

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/bone.html

http://rdu.news14.com/content/Living...5469&SecID=287

http://www.artreality.com/portfolio/...owingpains.htm

http://www.emmathevet.co.uk/pettalk.asp?id=37

http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/lpano.htm

http://www.labbies.com/dysplasa.htm

Hope some of that helps explain things on a general level :smt001

I was wondering about pano,one of my shepherds had this & the vet described it as sort of growing pains. It wasn't always the same leg that he limped on though,it moved around all 4.The vet said if it continued after 18 months they would do tests but it stopped at about 16 months.

That does sound very much like the description given in the first link, and the various sites do suggest that Alsatians are particularly prone to it.

This is from the first link, [ in case anyone wants a quick rference without plodding through all the links in one go ]

"What is panosteitis?
Panosteitis is a bone disease of dogs that is characterized by bone proliferation and remodeling. It is often painful and can last as long as 18 months, though more commonly it lasts from 2 to 5 months. It is characterized by lameness that often comes and goes and changes from leg to leg. It is a common problem in several large breeds and the cause is currently unknown. The treatment is symptomatic but the outcome is usually very good.

Who gets panosteitis?


Panosteitis is most common in large breed dogs between 6 and 18 months of age. Occasionally, middle-aged German Shepherds will have a bout of panosteitis. It affects dogs worldwide and has been recognized and studied since the 1950's. Male dogs are much more likely to get panosteitis then females. There is a higher incidence in several breeds including German Shepherds, Great Danes, Doberman Pinschers, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, and Basset Hounds."

But we are talking a smaller breed than gsds and danes i wouldnt think they would have the major growth spurts as our breeds do to envisage growing pains....

True but basset hounds are on the list & it does say other breeds may be affected.