Physical problems related to east-west front legs

[mnp13]

Ruby is extremely east-west, and her shoulders are starting to 'sag' so she is standing with her front feet closer and closer together. I've caught her standing with her front feet touching more than once.

Her legs are turned out beginning at the shoulder and elbow, but most of the turn out comes at her pasterns.

What medical problems can I expect to see with her?

Her right left toes out farther than her left due to a shoulder injury at 6 months (before I got her)

What exercise should I do to help offset the poor structure?

A picture from last year

[Maryellen]

i have no answer, but i would put her on a joint medicine to help alleviate now the pains she might get later on in life....

[Patch O' Pits]

Have you had her elbows checked???

[mnp13]

Have you had her elbows checked???

nope, but she't going under to get her teeth cleaned on Wednesday so should I have them x-rayed?

[babyreba]

i would. she has a posture in that picture not unlike reba's. the reason reba stood that way, i found out a few years ago, is because she's got dysplatic elbows.

if i'd known sooner, i probably could have eliminated some activities that probably didn't do her much good (jumping on and off furniture and on and off anything tall she could climb up on--she's always been a climber) and introduced muscle building low-impact exercises like swimming.

so if she's going under anyway, it can't hurt to pay the extra $100 or whatever for the elbow films.

hopefully they will be clean and clear and will show no problems, though!

[mnp13]

And the source of Ruby's "lovely" conformation...

[pocketpit]

She's almost "fiddle" fronted. I would have the elbow x-rays done, keep her lean and give her joint supplements.
Swimming is a great non weight bearing exercise. It would keep her trim and fit without as much added stress on her joints. Other than that I don't know if there is much else you can do short of limiting the amount of jumping that she does.

[mnp13]

fiddle fronted?

[pocketpit]

Think of a fiddle upside down. The shape is bowed at the top and narrows down. Don't ask me who decided on that term That's what you would call a dog that was both out at the elbows and east west in the pasterns.

[pocketpit]

Or even a fiddle right side up. Bows a little, then narrows then bows again. Out at elbows, in at the pasterns, out at the feet.

[turtle]

And the source of Ruby's "lovely" conformation...

Oh my! That dog's got one huge chest on him... and he's out at the elbows too. Is he a pit bull X English bulldog mix? He's enormous!

[SisMorphine]

Straight shark cartilage is all that's been working for Wally. He has an on and off limp from arthritis . . . well . . . everywhere. I've found that as long as I keep him on shark cartilage everyday (powder form) he doesn't limp.

And that dog, ummm . . . ummm . . .

[mnp13]

And that dog, ummm . . . ummm . . .

Yeah... no kidding...