6 Month old puppy started intermitant limping on alternating legs

[VickyC]

Hi. This is my first post so please bear with me. I have a six month old working cocker who over a week ago randomly started limp on his front left leg. No reason for it so I assumed he'd over done it and rested him for 48 hours. A week on and that leg appeared to be better, but he then started limping on the other front leg, he also kept waking up crying in the night like he had got cramp (rubbing his legs seeming to help this). I booked him in to the vets and in the mean time did alot of research. Everything points to Panosteitis and the vet said the same, however I have never seen this condition before and I am not 100% sure it is presenting the way it should. When I took him into the vets all of his legs where fine but when he is home he will clearly be uncomfortable on all four of his legs at various times.

The bit that is puzzling me is it seems to start on a leg like flicking on a switch and then disappearing on the same leg within a few minutes, to a couple of hours again like flicking a switch off. It will then either subside for a while or switch to a different leg. Also I gave him anti inflammatories last night as directed by the vet and he still seems to be in discomfort. I was wondering if their would be anyone on here that could share there experience with Panosteitis, so I can make sure his symptoms are simular. Also the vet told me to put him on a large breed food as they help with joint growth but to get one with low calcium and phosphate. Are there any recommendations please?

[phoenix]

I had to google this! I hadn’t heard of it and was relieved to read that panosteitis is another name for growing pains, which disappear  by the time they are two.  Some of the websites said to take xrays of the joints, now and later on to compare progress. You could also ask for a second opinion.
Vets aren’t food experts, the market changes all the time. I hope someone can advise you.  I would recommend ringing the customer service advisors of the decent dog food manufacturers that have a wide range of food, eg Millie’s Wolfheart, Nutriment,Royal Canin..  Can he manage to crunch a large dog style big kibble size?
Poor baby, it’s not fair when all he wants to do is run and play. As you say, there may be another reason for this. Keep speaking to the vet. Take videos of pup when he is having a painful episode to show them.

[VickyC]

Thank you for replying. Since I posted this he is now back to normal. He is now in no pain and is making up for lost time on the mischief front. I am waiting for a phone call from someone who does Bowen, they treated my other dog and I think when he has flare up she will be able to help him as well, she will also be able to give me some advice on the food as all the vet want to do is try and get me on Royal Canine despite it having no details of the calcium and phosphate levels on the packaging. The vet also very adament he needs xrays but I do not want him to be sedated/knocked out when looking at everything I have read xrays do not always show that they have panosteitis. And bearing in mind the symptoms are so specific I cannot see why if he has a flare up again in a month and it last 2-3 weeks like it has done this time this would not point to it being panosteitis with out having to subject him to tests that may come back as inconclusive.