My 6 month old Labrador has been diagnosed with OCD, does anyone know if this is curable long term, what are the dogs chances of leading a normal life and what could have caused this?

OCD is something we are hearing more and more about.

Very simply, a flake of cartilage becomes partially detached in a joint, normally the shoulder or elbow. Sometimes the flake, called a mouse, breaks right away and, effectively the problem goes away, but sometimes surgical intervention is needed. Usually the first step taken when OCD is diagnosed is rest. Long term enforced rest, often in a cage for much of the time to prevent making the situation worse.

Almost all dogs suffering from OCD will get better, (Whether with surgery or hopefully without) and lead a full complete life. Realistically, dogs who have suffered from OCD should not be bred from.

The above is fact, this bit is only my thoughts!!! Many years ago we almost never heard of OCD yet now we hear it every day! Why? What's changed? I personally don't think there is any one reason. We know there has always been a few cases so, suppose there was a very highly thought of dog who was a carrier? Possibly not even showing any signs him/herself. Plenty of people wanting puppies.
Because to line breed it would be usual to allow three generations to go by before lining back to the original dog it would be some time and numerous puppies later before the problem would come out.

That was one thought. Another is, many years ago we fed our dogs on whatever we had available. Then came the days of the pet food manufacturers. When the first foods appeared on the market there was only one kind and all dogs got it no matter what the age. Then, moving more up to date, the manufacturers started bringing out any number of foods Puppy foods, junior foods, adult foods, older dog foods diet foods, you name it and some manufacture makes it! Years ago a six month old puppy entering the show ring for the first time looking still the baby it was. Now, at six months old there is precious little difference between it and a mature dog! My thoughts are that we are pushing the puppies too hard, that we are not giving them time to grow at a natural rate. For my part, I get my dogs off of puppy feeds just as soon as I can. My Labradors are never full size until around two years old and that is time enough for me.

That's it. No facts to back it up! Just my thoughts for what they are worth.

Regards, John

Its an inherited condition.  Treatment varies, some Vets will opt for rest and time, some if serious will go for surgery.  OCD is when pieces of bone or cartiledge breaks away from the joint surface, causing pain and friction when the dog moves.  These pieces are called "joint mice"  They float about in the synovial fluid and can be removed by flushing out the joint.  Some pieces are removed if they are loose but still attached.  In most dogs the prognosis is good.  Many lead normal lives, but some do not.  You should tell your puppies breeder your dog has this condition.
Hope he is ok.
Dawn.

Dawn, please, here you have another view on the issue:
http://www.filadog.com/BookReview.htm

Makes you think, right?

Mmm! Interesting that somone else is linking it to food as well! All I know is that over the last 30 to 40 years I've seen and heard of far more problems than we saw before those days. (Of course, improved diagnosis would account in part I suppose.)

Regards, John

Thanks for that link, it is interesting.  I don't think we can discount food as being a part of anything these days.  These diseases are certainly on the increase.  Good read that Northern pack.
Dawn.

I posted that link a couple yrs ago but noone was interested in it then ;) :)

Christine, Spain.

I never saw it C! Food linkage to hips and elbows has long been one of my hobby horses. As you know, I've been worrying about "Puppy" foods for years. When any problem is getting worst there MUST be a reason in there somewhere!

J

Well it wasn`t to that exact same link J but to another 1 with the same aricle :)
I`ve since put it up a couple of times but nobodies mentioned it, I think you know what I think about the correlation between commercial food & bone diseases ;)

Christine, Spain.

It's interesting, but saying that "CHD is not heritable" does not explain breed differences in OCD/HD. Why for instance are HD and OCD close to unknown in the deerhound while both are common in the IW? Granted the IW is heavier then the deerhound but the deerhound is heavier and grows more rapidly than many breeds where joint problems are common. So why the difference especially when the modern IW has a large infusion of deerhound blood? The difference is unlikely to be due to nutrition. We can fairly assume that both breeds are fed the same way over time and a large number of individuals. It seems to me more likely that the liability of IWs to OCD/HD is at least partly genetic and was either introduced  by one or more the other breeds used by Capt Graham et al or by heavilily used IW individuals.

I don't think there is any doubt that both HD and OCD have a degree of inheritability. My argument is not that food is the cause as much as foods which promote faster than average growth increase the risks and the degree of effect.

It is interesting to note that at the 2004 health seminar held by the American Border Terrier Club it was stated by one of the vets speaking that a geneticist in America was within a few years if determining the genes responsible for HD!

Regards, John

I'd certainly agree with that, though I wouldn't blame any particular food type. IMHO the problem is simply too much food. I wince every time I'm asked how to put weight on a puppy or youngster for the show ring or see a post here asking the same. Let the poor little devils mature at their own rate! Despite all the discussion here and elsewhere about the supposed benefits of this or that food or diet almost the only thing we know for absolute certain about feeding is that being overweight decreases longevity significantly and causes many problems yet according to my vets 50%+ of the non-working dogs they see are overweight.

Obesity is the scourge of modern dogs and I don't doubt it plays its part but I don't believe that's the whole story. We are seeing an exponential growth in cases in working dogs! Dogs who are, more times than not kept quite slim. Of course, over exercise could be a contributing cause in some cases.

As I said in my first post, I don't believe there is any single cause either in OCD, or widening the net a bit, HD.

Regards, John