Is your bulldog puppy limping ?
As a breeder I am seeing more bulldog puppies between 3 and 9 months old that start limping
for no reason. Panosteitis is the long form for what breeders call “pano”. It is more of a growth
problem than anything, but it is very painful for young dogs.
No one knows what causes pano, there are a lot of theories, genetics ( certain breeds and
families of dogs are more prone than others ) nutrition ( particularly protein and fat) Pano is
common in fast growing dogs that carry a few extra pounds. It starts with a sudden lameness
that can last 2 to 5 months, sometimes even longer, and can shift from leg to leg. Pano can
affect the front or back legs. Some dogs will have pano in more than one leg at a time. Pano
is diagnosed by x-rays and symptoms, and x-rays don’t always show an increase in bone density,
and can be easily missed.
There really is no treatment, but since it is very painful there are a few things you can do.
If your bulldog puppy is on puppy food take them off, and put them on adult food, you must
slow down their growth. Puppy food causes them to grow too fast. Start them on a
glucosamine/chondroition supplement ( I buy the human version spring valley brand ) Start
them out slowly and work up to the correct dose
- Under 25# give 500 milligrams
- 25# - 50 # give 1000 milligrams
- Over 50# give 1500 milligrams
You can also start them out on a fish oil supplement, 1000 milligrams for an adult dog ( for a puppy
I poke a hole in the capsule, and squeeze about 7 or 8 drops on their food ) To much will make their
stools loose, so you may have to adjust the dose. Fish oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties .
If your puppy is still limping after a few weeks, ask your veterinarian about using rimadyl for a short
time to get them through until it runs its course.
