Has any one got direct experiance of H O D?
A friends puppy was diagonised on Friday after X Rays with this condition, they were told it was a mild type. They are very worried because he seemed a lot better for a few hours but he is now struggling to stand again. They have been in contact with there emergancy vets but there is little help they can offer at this stage because of a conflict in drugs ( meticame and steriods don't mix).
Any information or advice would be gratefuly appreciated.

I've not heard of it before, I hope someone has, hence bumping this up for you :-)

Sorry no experience of it, but when researching it a few years ago (thought it may have been the cause for my giant breed pups intermitant lamness, turned out to be elbow displasia), there seemed to be a common theme of switching pup to an adult food (20%-25% protein).

I don't know if this info & this will be of any help to your friend. They are both about HOD, by a canine nutritional consultant.

Bets of luck for your friend & her pup, it must be hearbreaking to watch him :(

ETA, how long has he been on Metacam? It can take several days for the effects of Metacam to show. Also, other painkillers can be used WITH Metacam.

I work at a vets and we recently had a pointer puppy come in with this. Very swollen wrist joints in both front legs, he has a temperature and was unable to stand. We x-rayed him and sent the x-rays to a specialist who confirmed H O D and we had already put him on steroids and antibiotics so that was the treatment the specialist recomended. He also said to change the puppies food from a puppy to an adult dog food. It is apparently a self limiting condition and once the dog is mature it will not recur but it can recur up until that point.

Thanks any info helps. Will pass on . intresting about food.

Thanks any info helps. Will pass on . intresting about food.

Thank you the links were very helpful. intresting after many years with the breed 1st time they had used R.C.giant puppy food with protein level of 34%!

> intresting after many years with the breed 1st time they had used R.C.giant puppy food with protein level of 34%!

That is interesting. I'm glad the links were helpfull. I hope your friends puppy feels better soon.
What breed is he? (just being nosey :) )

ML,
This was very interesting reading, especially for those with large and giant breeds. It does then question whether the likes of Orijen is good to give a fast growing puppy? Would a raw food diet be better for one predisposed to this I wonder?
Feeding and raising these large breed dogs is not easy is it? Most puppy foods seem to be fairly high in protein too.
Just had a gander at AG and for large breed puppy it is 26%, where normal puppy is 29%.

I think those links should be something that anyone who breeds should have a look at, print off and keep with their files.

> Feeding and raising these large breed dogs is not easy is it? Most puppy foods seem to be fairly high in protein too.
>

I learnt about the high protein bit being a problem before I knew about HOD, as according to many people* (my dogs experienced breeder included) higher levels of protein encourage growth, as we know growth in a giant pup is allready rapid, by encouraging the growth more can cause problems.
I was silly enough to ignore my pups breeders advice (thinking the vet knew best) and changed his food to a puppy version. It wasn't long after that he was nearly completey down on his pasterns, his feet started turning out and we discoved his elbow displasia :(
A low-protein diet (18%) helped the pasterns and his feet a lot but the elbow displasia was obviously irreversable :(

> Would a raw food diet be better for one predisposed to this I wonder?

From the links, it does look like a raw diet would be best. If/when I get another Mastiff/giant breed pup I will be pulled towards the raw feeding route.

For anybody not wanting to read the links but wondering how a raw diet could fit with needing to feed lower protein - the link explains how the quality of the protein is different and the protein in raw foods (as opposed to processed, especially low-quality ones) is being fed at the correct ratio to other vital nutrients/vitamins (the metabolism of protien being effected by different nutrietns).

* Just to add, there are also plenty of people that do not agree that high protein has any detrimental effect

> Just had a gander at AG and for large breed puppy it is 26%

That is quite good then :)