Great Dane puppy seems a bit gimpy, doesn't want to stand up after naps.. Normal? x-post to r/greatdanes

[ladykay]

Hey guys, my 4 month old female pup seems to have a hard time getting her hind end up in the morning. She also seems a bit limpy when we walk on cement. She shows no tenderness on palpation, and as soon as she hits the grass or carpet she wants to run. Growing pains? Should I worry? I've had puppies before, but never a giant breed and I'm a bit paranoid :/

edit: Video!

 

[patriarch28]

@ladykay Call your vet, we aren't the ones who can give advice on this.

 

[ladykay]

@patriarch28 I will when they open. They don't have any experience with danes either, and so far everything I've been worried about is normal. I'm hoping to hear from other large/giant breed owners.

 

[justanewkid]

@ladykay Great danes have a tendency to develop hip dysplasia. Has your vet checked for this?

 

[richardson217]

@ladykay Poor girl. Limping in dane pups immediately makes me think of pano (I'm not a vet!), but she's on the younger side for pano. It's certainly possible, though. The good news with pano is it's very treatable with medication and sometimes a change in diet.

Limping in adult dogs after rest is often a sign of arthritis or ligament involvement (pulled, or torn) but she's also on the young side for the latter kind of injury. She could have subluxed a toe.

Hope it turns out to be nothing more than a stubbed toe. She's a beautiful girl.

 

[ladykay]

@richardson217 Thanks for the info on pano. It may have been that- found out later she had eaten a bunch of cat food while she was playing at a friend's house and they didn't think to tell me. She may have had a growth spurt! Forced her to rest for a week and she is all better now. (she also had a foxtail under her paw pad)

 

[richardson217]

@ladykay Those foxtails are so hard on their feet. If you're in an area that has a lot of them, it won't hurt to check her nostrils and ears now and then too. Dastardly little things get lodged everywhere.

I'm really, really glad she's better now. I've never owned a giant breed pup, but I think I'd be on pins and needles over every limp and reluctancy until they became an adult.

 

[scottd]

@ladykay My 3yo lab still hates walking on hard surfaces! I'd suggest asking the vet to take a look at her hips now and again at 12-18 months to rule out dysplasia, but chances are her coordination isn't quite keeping up with how fast she's growing.

 

[chrissyboy]

@ladykay Needs a vet, Danes are very sensitive to hip issues. Friend of mines torn her ACL as a puppy (6-7 mo) and it ended up going downhill incredibly fast.