ball when a dog touches it bounces around

If you notice a difference in your dog’s gait or resistance to climbing stairs, it may be a good idea to have a certified veterinarian check your pup out. These bent legs could point toward one of many health problems, one of which is hip dysplasia. Along these same lines, a sloping back causes hindquarters to become more angulate and, thus, prone to lower back pain. The exaggerated hind leg angulation is often bred into the dog because of standards that dictate rear legs (upper and lower thighs) should come as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Canine Hip Dysplasia: How to Tellĭo your German shepherd’s hind legs appear bent? If so, it maybe be because of breeding. After exploring the signs of canine hip dysplasia in German shepherds, let’s look at treatment options and other hip and joint problems. Instead of sliding smoothly and creating fluid motion, this “loose” hip rubs on the socket resulting in painful bone spurs that can cause pain in the hip joint, lameness, or even degenerative joint disease. Veterinarians will diagnose canine hip dysplasia after X-rays of the hips and pelvis reveal that the ball (head of the femur) and hip socket (in the pelvis) don’t fit perfectly together. CHD occurs from malformation of the ball and joint socket of one or both hips (the hip joint is called the coxofemoral joint). They are susceptible, however, to challenging hip and joint issues like hip dysplasia any time from puppyhood all the way through maturation.Īs with many large breed dogs, German shepherds are prone to canine hip dysplasia (CHD), a dog skeletal condition that can be inherited or caused by a traumatic fracture or other environmental factors. Exuding confidence, this breed is royalty of the dog family. Highly trainable and obedient, German shepherds provide a range of services-excelling as show dogs and household companions, as well as military and search and rescue animals.

Muscular, intelligent, and loyal, German shepherds are steadfast guardians and all-purpose workers.

Ball when a dog touches it bounces around