I am looking for some information on OCD surgery and results afterwards, and even years afterwards. I placed a puppy in a pet home at 8 weeks, and he is now 8 months and 80 lbs. At about 6 months he started limping on his back left and they just took him to a very well respected orthopedic and was diagnosed with a "textbook" case of OCD. They are telling them that even if you have OCD surgery, that the dog will never be able to live a normal life, that he may need medication, injections, etc. I was wondering what anyone may have for experience regarding this. The dog wasn't switched to adult food until about 6 1/2 months, where I switch at 4 months. Could it be from rapid growth. Of course the orthopedic was quick to write in his report that it is a genetic condition, but I have read that there are many other ways a dog can get OCD. Thanks for any help you can give. They are considering not keeping the dog and sending him back to me. I have never had someone return a dog for something like this.

Did you see these posts re OCD:

http://pub12.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=976632990&frmid=4&msgid=840460&cmd=show

We just went through the OCD experience this past fall with one of our pups we put in a pet home. This pup developed OCD when he was 5 months old. He slipped on a slippery surface but the Ortho specialist told the family that the OCD was waiting in the lurks and this young dog's injury was enough to break off the cartiledge. They didn't take him in till a few months after his rear legs started going lame. I had them send the digitals to a well known radiologist over here in our region for a 2nd opinion. OCD was the conclusion by both specialist.
It is my belief that if a dog is predisposed to have OCD, it will happen sooner or later and with OCD occurring in such young dogs, it tells me that it is genetic, not to blame on over weight dogs or an injury. The dog wouldn't have OCD from an injury if it had healthy orthopedics.
I ended up giving the family the price of my pups to help cover the surgery on one hock. The other hock is affected to but they wanted to wait to see how his first hock did after surgery. They said his hock healed fine and he is on joint supplment the rest of his life. It would have cost this family $3000.00 or more to have both hocks repaired. I have this boy's litter mate with us here and she is as sound as they make them, as well as the other pups from the litter. If I see too many more pups with OCD out of these lines, I will not breed from them in the future. OCD is not trivial for the families who get stuck with the Orthopedic bill later on.

Years ago when I first started playing this game I had a golden with bi-lateral OCD in his shoulders. From what I learned at the time, I would agree that genetics predispose but it was my first hard lesson about letting young dogs play hard with older dogs.

I had both shoulders repaired and he lived without problems until he succumed to cancer when he was about 10. Never showed any signs of arthritis and never gave him supplements.

Just read a study that shows taking in too much calcium and other minerals between 6 weeks and 6 months will also cause OCD. It says we should be feeding the balanced foods, high quality, with no supplementation. Calcium to phosphorus had no bearing on the matter, that it was calcium itself causing the problem.

Is there a link or journal citation that you could share, please? Don't want OCD!

I lived with an OCD boy for many years. Diagnosed in left rear hock at about 4 months of age. Did not do any surgery since 15 years ago surgery wasn't really an option. His hock became thickened and would inflame regularly. Adequan injection helped along with rimadyl. We were not happy about giving the rimadyl but without it his quality of life would have been nothing. We lost him at 10 1/2 years of age but the life he had was full, active and he was the love of our lives. They are special needs babies but with pain management, weight management and supplements, these kids can do okay. Hope that helps & Good Luck!

My boy developed OCD when he was 5 months old...we had to get three specialist visits to rule it in his left rear hock. While I would have done things differently, I would have still had the surgery, which we did. But I would have immediately put him into hydro-therapy instead of waiting. Waiting allowed his muscle mass to deteriorate and it that was bad. I'm working on taking weight off of him to ease his comfort...and for the most part, the surgery worked. I run hunt tests with him still and he lives a pretty normal life. Though, after hard exercise and play he will still limp or tri-pod his leg...even now, 2 years post surgery.

Produced one pup with OCD of the hock 8 yrs ago. Vet said that surgery outcomes were not the greatest with hocks. She has had issues all of her life. Also bought one that developed OCD in both stifles and one shoulder. Placed him and did fine no limping after he matured, no surgery. Got a replacement pup from same breeding, and he had it in both stifles. He did have an injury to both sides. Came home one day, to find him on 3 legs. He was in a run by himself and must have gotten it cought in the fence??? Then, 2 wks later, as he was now putting wt on it, my well meaning husband was throwing the ball for the dog, and he yiped and pulled up lame on the other hind leg. Had OCD in both stifles. He was placed. He is also fine and does not limp as a middle ager, as far as I know.
My vet feels that it is a genetic predisposition that doesn't always occur. He said that it is like Walter Payton and Jim McMann (Chicago Bears). Payton went out and got clobbered every game and never got hurt. McMann didn't hold up as well. Not scientific but kind of makes sense.

Hazewinkel H, Mott J. Main nutritional imbalances in osteoarticular diseases. In: Pibot P, Biourge V, Elliott D, editors. Encyclopedia of canine clinical nutrition. Aniwa SAS; 2006. p. 348

I have beautiful lab who has OCD in both hocks. Othopedic Specialist diagnosed him with OCD. Vet said it is genetic. Didn't believe that surgery was needed as outcome's are generally unpredictable and not usally hepful. The life expecetency could be normal, coud be shortened - very hard to predict.

Vet gave the following suggestions in our dogs case.

1. Don't breed the dog
2. Daily dosages of Cosequin-DS, his reasearch at a famous university says that Cosequin-DS is absorbed by the lab breed particulaly well.
3. No excessive exersize - swimming and walking
4. Keep the dog light, (don't overfeed)

This dog loves his life, and I show him occasionally and he got a point just recently!

These are very special pets and deserve all we as owners can do for them to make them happy.

I believe that OCD, like elbow and hip dysplasia, effect each individual differently. The severity of pain has much to do with the arthritic conditions (joint, bone, tissue changes) that develop because of abnormality of the cartilage development and the amount of bony surface that is not protected by normal cartilage (and the amount of pain generated by friction caused by the des1ccated tissue over the joint). In race horses, often times, OCD lesions fill in as the young horse matures and do not cause problems. I suspect that there are many horses and dogs that develop OCD (a growth disorder) that go undiagnosed. In horses and, I'm certain, in canines, there is a genetic predisposition for OCD to occur and I am sure that nutrition plays a role in it's development as well(race horses, in particular, are selected for rapid growth, early maturation and fed a diet customized to facilitate those things-sound familiar?). I think the important thing to remember is to be very proactive once lameness occurs and prevent permanent joint changes that can lead to irrevocable damage and cause lifetime pain and disability. In horses that develop an OCD lesion that requires surgery the outcome is generally poor.

Also produced OCD -- my boy had arthroscopic surgery done by Dr Knox, an orthopedic surgeon, at the Animal Clinic Northview Inc., North Ridgeville, Ohio, which is Dr Hutchison's (well known Repo Vet) practice. The result was very positive. My boy, although his show career was over, was able to do field work and earn a title! I am also aware of other dogs that Dr. Knox has done arthroscopic surgery on their OCD hocks with very good outcomes. I would never subject a dog with OCD to conventional surgery when this option is available.

Why would anyone do Field work with a dog
that has bad joints? Even though it was
repaired temp. don't you worry about reinjury?
But you were worried about not showing him?