The main symptom of rickets in dogs is lameness. The symptoms at the beginning of the disease are generally not very obvious. The dog will become inactive and have developmental delays. As the disease progresses, the dog's lameness problem will gradually worsen, showing persistent lameness, and the body will be swaying and weak when standing. In addition, symptoms such as joint inflexibility after rest or worsening of claudication after exercise may occur, and eventually the patient may become lying on the ground.

1. The cause of rickets in dogs

Cartilage is a bone weakening disease that occurs in developing puppies. It is mainly caused by insufficient or unbalanced intake of calcium and phosphorus, vitamin D It is caused by insufficient ultraviolet rays and hereditary vitamin D metabolism abnormalities. In addition, it may also be caused by increased demand for calcium and vitamin D due to lactation and pregnancy.

2. Treatment of rickets in dogs

If the symptoms of rickets in dogs are not severe, conservative treatment can be used and the dogs can be given joint-specific drugs. During the treatment, the dog needs to be properly rested, but the dog also needs to do some appropriate exercises, so that the diseased area is compressed by the corresponding joints to promote healing. If the dog is in pain, it can also be combined with anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.

If the symptoms of rickets in dogs are severe, the dog needs to be surgically treated as soon as possible to remove the diseased subchondral bone and remove free cartilage bodies.

3. Prevention of rickets in dogs

The key to preventing rickets in dogs is to ensure that dogs can get enough vitamin D. You can usually strengthen the management of dog feeding. It is recommended that you give your dog nutritious dog food. You can also add a certain amount of cod liver oil, vitamin D, fish meal, bone meal, etc. to your dog's daily food. At the same time, you also need to ensure that your dog gets enough sunlight and gets a moderate amount of exercise every day.