Greetings! to my Hive pet family. Vet Ahmad Here.
Today we will discuss a case presented in our university veterinary hospital UAF.
Today we are discussing a common case i.s.rickets (bow bones) in young animals. We have presented with a puppy with bow legs. Lets discuss
What is Rickets?
Rickets is a common disease of young, growing animals that causes soft and deformed bones. It is commonly caused by insufficient phosphorus or vitamin D in the diet. More rarely, calcium deficiency is to blame. An excess of calcium has caused rickets-like signs in some dogs. As in most diets causing defective bone formation (osteodystrophies), the cause is typically an imbalance in the ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the diet. Animals fed all-meat diets commonly develop rickets.
Sign and symptoms
Bone pain and swelling
A stiff gait or limp
Difficulty in rising
bowed limbs as seen in picture
Affected puppies may become quiet and reluctant to play. Touching the bones will cause pain, and folding fractures of long bones and vertebrae are common.
In folding fractures, pressure on the bones causes them to slowly “fold” over and deform instead of fracturing. X-rays will show distortions in the bone.
Treatment
The primary treatment is to correct
- The diet
- Exposure to sunlight (ultraviolet radiation) it will also increase the production of vitamin D.
- Calcium phosphorus supplements are also available but consult your vet first.
What should we do to avoid rickets?
As we know homemade diets for dogs are deficient in minerals and lack a proper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. Therefore a high-quality commercial food, or food designed by a Veterinary Nutritionist is recommended.
Reference
Merk's veterinary Manual
Thanks for reading.