My puppy's front legs are bending outwards. Is it a growth issue?

It is vital to have an active growing puppy on a specialised, large breed puppy food, especially if there is evidence of any growing pains or irregularities. A tight balance of minerals (especially calcium and phosphorous) as well as vitamin d, protein levels and energy levels will promote healthy growth and development. An unbalanced or inappropriate diet can lead to over rapid growth of bone, cartilage or muscle and development of muscle and bone development issues. If there is any pain or discomfort you should have a full vet check arranged as soon as possible to rule out inflammation or injury

It sounds like Scrappy Coco is suffering from an angular limb deformity called values, which is when the legs are bending outwards. This occurs when the growth plate in the one of the long bones of the forelimb (either the radius or ulna) closes and that bone stops growing while the other bones continues to grow. This isn't caused by a calcium deficiency, it's typically caused by trauma but it can be inherited (rarely though). The way to fix this is surgery, which I imagine it would be very difficult for you to find a veterinary surgeon in a remote area of India. This may be something you'd have to travel in order to get fixed, and I would recommend having it fixed as it's a painful condition. You can speak to the visiting vet to see if they can recommend a veterinary surgeon to see Scrappy Coco.

Hi, I am so sorry Luci is in pain. Your veterinarian is correct that calcium imbalances can occur but i would recommend that you have Luci’s legs and joints x-rayed and reviewed by a board certified veterinary surgeon or radiologist to rule out angular limb deformities, elbow dysplasia, or inflammatory disease processes of the bone.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The best thing to do is to have an X-ray of the legs done at your Vet. I would highly recommend a boarded orthopedic surgeon. The cause can be from a nutritional deficiency, genetic malformation or premature closure of the growth plates. There could be options of a brace or surgery to correct the leg. I do not recommend doing anything at home with out the supervision of a Veterinarian as things could worsen. Be sure that Trigger is on a commercial puppy food for large breed dogs. I hope this helps and I wish you and Trigger the best!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Pillow, Lu. Poor boy. Premature closure of the carpal growth plate leads to a shorted bone, which in turn leads to leg deformities and problems with walking. Yes you should definitely have x-rays done as soon as possible. If he does have this problem, surgery is done to correct it. I hope this helps!

This is common in some toy and small breeds and is not treatable but in other cases can be nutritional or due to joint problems. I recommend a full physical check up, acupuncture and chiropractic care may help if no obvious cause is identified

Great Dane puppies, like many of the giant breed dogs, can often grow vary strangely. As long as they are receiving an adequate diet (standard large breed puppy food) and have adequate space in a crate, they shouldn't have any issues growing unless there is an underlying pathology. This is a tough one to assess without not only seeing photographs, but also seeing your puppy in motion. There are certainly orthopedic and congenital conditions that can cause the kind of stance you are describing, but these could not be positively diagnosed without radiographic imaging. If you are concerned about the way she is growing, I would have a vet take a look at her in person to assess her gait, posture, and bony structures. If you have any other questions in more detail, please feel free to consult with me personally. Hope this helps!