Rickets is a relatively common disease in young animals.
Bow-legged pups, or even those crawling around on their elbows, are often observed in impoverished communities, though the disease is not limited to poor homes.
Rickets affects the long bone in young animals, that part of the bone that grows during puppy and kittenhood.
Micha with rickets before her diet was changed
Causes
Diet is most often blamed. An insufficiency of phosphorus or vitamin D and calcium deficiencies.
The disease may also be inherited from the pup’s parents, or it may be the result of poor breeding, or of inbreeding.
Collies, Shepherd Dogs, Airedales, English Bulldogs and Pekingese are the breeds most commonly affected.
Symptoms
The disease does not become noticeable until the pup or kitten is at least four weeks old, when you start to observe that he´s not able to support his body on his legs. He or she may even end up crawling on his elbows as the legs invert.
Micha, after a few weeks on a new diet
How to treat
Take your pet to the vet for a thorough examination.
Though a change in diet is probably the answer, if you change your dog’s diet or take any other action before receiving an official diagnosis, you could endanger the animal’s health.
Your vet might test for abnormally low levels of phosphorus, vitamin D and calcium, some of the most common causes of rickets. Your vet might also use x-rays to examine the large bones and joints.
