My dog has bowed paws. How to prevent future pain or arthritis?

At his age, Danny is likely done growing. Having a valgas deformity will predispose him to developing arthritis or other joint issues later in life, but should not affect his lifespan. There are treatment options you can discuss with your veterinarian or a veterinary orthopedic specialist.

I won't be able to tell you if it was a genetic condition or nutrition at this point. At almost 3 years old, Danny is done growing, the limb deformity shouldn't get worse but it won't get better. It does predispose him to develop arthritis in his front legs. It is not related to tile flooring, but in dogs that are still growing, non-slip floor may prevent it from being too bad. Truth is, we just don't have enough information on the cause, prevention, or treatment to say with any certainty. If Danny is on a good quality dog food, he should not need extra supplements. Some large breed dogs could actually be harmed by changing the minerals in their diet since it can negatively affect bone growth. Any dog breed could develop it, including labradors.

Danny does appear to have an angular limb deformity, valgus refers to the toes pointing out rather than in. It can be caused by individual genetics or inappropriate nutrition. Nutritional causes can happen in any breed. It is important to look at a puppy's parents to see if they have good conformation since this condition is heritable. Once a puppy is fully grown, it is unlikely that we can try to correct this defect without surgery.

[Osteoarthritis](https://www.petcoach.co/article/arthritis-in-dogs-101-what-you-should-know/) is a common condition in dogs. Under normal circumstances, cartilage lines the ends of bones in a joint to allow the joint to glide smoothly with motion. Osteoarthritis occurs when this articular cartilage wears down, resulting in painful bone-on-bone rubbing as the joint moves. Arthritis often occurs as a degenerative change as dogs age but is more common in dogs with existing or previous joint problems, such as hip dysplasia, luxating patella or cruciate ligament rupture. Osteoarthritis affects approximately one in five dogs over one year of age in the U.S. and is the number one cause of chronic pain in this population. Although arthritis cannot be definitively prevented, keeping your dog at a healthy body weight and maintaining a consistent [low-impact exercise routine](https://www.petcoach.co/article/is-it-ok-to-walk-a-dog-with-arthritis/) are the best ways to keep your dog’s joints healthy. ### Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates. Galliprant is a registered trademark of Aratana Therapeutics, Inc.

From the pictures, it looks like Bruno is suffering from valgus deformity of his front legs. This is when there is a lateral (outward) turn of the feet. It occurs when the ulna stops growing while the radius continues to grow, causing the radius to begin bowing at the top and rotating outward. This is can cause discomfort to Bruno and it is something that can be fixed surgically. You can speak to your vet about surgical treatment of this deformity.

If it doesn't seem to get any worse I wouldn't worry about it too much, it's probably going to stay the same way for life. The only advise I have is to be careful with him exercise wise as it can over time affect his joints in a negative way. Continue with the joint supplement as well.

It looks to me like Chelsea might have carpal valgus, or a deviation of her foot to the side below her wrist joint, on the left side. I suppose it's also possible that she has some kind of muscle contracture if she has an unusual way of walking. You may want to look into scheduling an appointment with an orthopedic specialist in your area - they may be able to give a firm diagnosis and talk about medications or supplements like glucosamine that might help.