Hi to you all,

My 5 months old Choc Brown Lab(male) has been limping for two weeks on his front leg. I took him into the VET and x-rays were taken of his legs and we found out that he has OCD in his front right elbow. I cannot tell you how devastated I was. Simply because the VET told me before we took any x-rays that OCD would mean disaster for us. Worse, was when he was diagnosed with OCD the vet told me that despite having worked as VET for over 6 years she had never seen a case of OCD, and she put it firmly down to over feeding my dog. She blamed the whole episode on me and that OCD is nutrition related. This to me seemed quite bizarre as the previous week when she had seen him for a routine check up she said he was an ideal weight. Now, my puppy, is very big for his age, and i do not mean his weight. His size and his legs are quite big for his age. WE are contantly stopped in the street by people assuming that he must at least be 7 months old etc., Now i have some real concerns and I was wondering if any of you cna help me. Firstly, i am so worried about him, and what will OCD mean for him. He is such a lively, active and boisterous little fellow, who loves to play, and be with other dogs, how will OCD impact on his life?
Secondly, are there things i can give him, besides his medication ( he is on Rimadyl) which can help ease his discomfot?
Thirdly, if any of you, know how to control a fun-loving boisterous, highly energetic puppy , so that he can rest his legs due to OCD, can you please give me some suggestions.

Your help would really be so appreciated, as i feel very bad about this, and i know the little fellow is suffering.

Many thanks

Samantha

Hi Samantha,

I am really sorry about your chocolate lab...I have heard about labs with OCD and they seem to lead a full happy active life.
I am sorry your vet was not supportive either...by the sounds of things, if he is so big for his age, it could very much be genetic, and your vet should have not the blame on you as he has.

I am sure other people would agree with me on this, i am sorry i cannot give you more help regarding your questions, but i am sure others will...lets keep our fingers crossed...

sammy

Hi Samantha. Sorry this is rather long but you did ask! :)

You obviously have a very good vet! Not only can she diagnose a problem which she has never seen but she also knows exactly how it was caused!

Seriously, OCD in Labradors is generally thought of as hereditary but it is not that simple! A few weeks ago a question cropped up on another board which I subscribe to. In this case the dog in question was a Sprocker, (a cross between a Springer and a Cocker) This was a first cross and because the gene responsible for OCD in a Springer is not in the same place in the genome as in a Cocker, in this case it could not possibly have been inherited. It was one of those rare occasions where I was in the right place at the right time and was able to ask questions of the right people and it appears that there is reason to believe that in some cases it could be caused by diet! Not so much the amount the dog eats as what the dog eats! Either way, whether inherited or not, as I understand it, you could make it worse if your dog was already suffering from it but you could not cause it in the first place! Maybe I’ve been right all along by getting my puppies off of puppy food as early as possible. There does seem to me to be so much more OCD around these days than ever in the old days. It seems that almost every week someone tells me about a puppy with it!

OCD is a bone abnormality where a flake of cartilage lifts on the top of the ball which forms the elbow or shoulder joint. These flakes are call mice! Sometimes the mice break away and the problem goes away but in other cases surgical intervention is needed to remove the piece. I must say that in a case like this there would be no way I would allow a vet to operate without an x-ray because there are other things it could be, Panostenitis for one.

Your vet has prescribed Rimadyl which some people swear by, unfortunately others swear at it! It has been known to induce quite serious side effects, a search on here and on the internet in general will bring up any number of dogs, and particularly Labradors who have suffered from it. I’m afraid it is something I would not give to a puppy of mine. An old dog is different, if I could make it’s last few days or months pain free then I would, but not for a puppy. Years ago I had a puppy with OCD and at that time she was prescribed PLT which is still available. The other side of the coin is that it is the pain which tells the dog so slow down. Natures regulator! Rimadyl does not help the condition, it is only a pain killer.

Restriction of exercise is important if permanent damage is to be avoided I’m afraid so running with his friends is out! This is unfortunately likely to mean that later, when better, (Because he WILL get better) the lack of free running will show up as a lack of training! More work to be done later in life!

What can you do? Training! Exercise the brain! These were the things we had to do during the Foot and Mouth outbreak when free running was not allowed. It really matters not what you teach, it is the mental exercise of learning which will tire him in a safe way. It’s not for ever and the quieter you can keep him the sooner and better it will heal.

Regards, John