So we took Hilo to the vet today...
We wanted to have Hilo checked out due to his "bunny hopping" and his apparent reluctance to move. This came up because when we boarded him at our vet while we were gone last weekend our vet noticed that he may have a "cologne deficiency".
So today we had him x-rayed to look at his hips, and the GREAT news is his hips look PERFECT! I mean they really looked good. The bad news is that she noticed his Patella (knee cap) moves in and out of its socket on each leg very slightly. She said this could be a cause of his "bunny hop" while running, but she also said that he will probably grow out of it and it will strengthen as he grows.
As for the "cologne deficiency", that basically effects his feet and causes the muscle to not bind as well to his bones. This causes his muscles to not be as "tight" as they should be. She said that some physical therapy would help strengthen it. She also gave us some Adequan injections to give him once a week - this, along with glucosamine supplements, will help to give him the right balance of glucosamine to help build strong muscles and hopefully help with the cologne issue.
So I guess it's kinda good news and bad news. While he doesn't have bad hips, which I was really worried about, he does have some other issues. His ears not standing up yet probably has to do with the cologne issues as well. Hopefully, over time, that will clear up too.
I'm just a bit bummed because I really wanted to mush him when he gets older - but I'm not sure that will ever be possible.
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She said he could grow out of it (or more like into his muscles), or the physical therapy will probably correct the problem. It basically means his muscles are longer than they need to be - or they are not attaching to the bone properly (not enough connective tissue)... So by exercising (physical therapy) the muscle will get stronger and more tense and that will help it to bond it to the bone (via connective tissue). The glucosamine will help to insure he has the proper proteins to build the strong muscles and connective tissue.
It could get severe enough that he would have trouble standing, but she said it's nowhere near that bad on him. Unfortunately, unlike hip dysplasia, there is no surgery that can fix it. If it was the opposite, where the muscle is too tight and there is too much connective tissue, they can surgically "relax" it.
Yea, I will always have Ahi for mushing - but Hilo would be a real power house. Maybe he will be able to do it tho one day, we will see. Speaking of mushing, we were just in Bend, OR looking at houses and I met a lady that raced the Iditarod. I also met a lady that has a Greenland Sled dog! She mushes Siberians too. There is a large community of mushers in that area - pretty cool!
After watching Rakka move and just looking at her, I think shikokus would be really great mushing dogs. Rakka is sooo fast and her legs are just so powerful but the rest of her is nice and lean. She looks like she's built for speed and power.
That is really awesome about the mushing community in Oregon. I haven't found anyone at all in my area intersted, but oh well. Are you and Jen closer to knowing where you will move?
He's young, and until he's about a year and a half, his growth plates won't close. So, the good news is that you have lots of time.
Akitas have always been known to be a bit straight in the hocks, which means there's the always a slight concern of luxating patellas. The good news there is that I've known only a very few Akitas that ever had it, and those stemmed from poor breeding and/or the wrong levels of calcium/phosphorus in their diet as pups. (For those that wonder what I'm talking about, too much can cause skeletal problems and splay feet in large breed pups).
Brad - There is a great physical therapy place called Caring Canine. It's in Stone Mountain and is next to Loving Touch holistic Vet clinic. I highly recommend them. They even have swim tanks!
Brad--
I am sorry to hear about the news but try and think positive. Its better to know now and be able to understand it and try to correct it so he grow out of it. Also when you get your Kai, she or he which every you decide, would make a great mush dog to lead the pack with Ahi. They are very strong like Akitas and love to run just as much, but I wouldnt be too concerned. Puppys have many ups and downs when they arent fully grown yet. I just found out Kenji has round worm (yaa ewww) and the only way he probably got it was from his mom bc he doesnt eat dog poo (the only way to get it). Either way you have a extremely good looking and healthy pup! Think positive Brad!
Awwww...poor guy! I guess that having something that he can grown out of it better than hip problems that usually only get worse.
Brad, when you take him to Stone Mountain for therapy you can visit!!!
Jessica - His floppy ears are cute, but he just is not an Akita without pricked ears (I mean he is an Akita but pricked ears is such an important part of the breed standard). Plus the floppiness of his ears makes them hold dirt more - so it could be a health issue too. We have to clean his ears all the time.
Heidi - I agree, Ahi is an amazing musher - I can't wait to get her to some snow.
Bend is an amazing place, it is the most dog friendly place I have ever been too. We are going to Taos, NM next week - once we visit there we will make a choice between Taos, Bend and Durango. If we choose Taos or Bend we will make an offer on a place and plan to move in November (before all the major snow fall). If we choose Durango we will be looking at places out there in December. Right now, on paper, we are leaning more towards Taos - but that could change once we look at the houses.
Michelle - Our vet said the same thing about the Luxating Patellas, she didn't seem too concerned. We are lucky because she has a good amount of experience with Akita - her sister, who lived with her, even has one.
I was going to ask you about the physical therapy place, I remembered you talking about it. We plan to take him there - but we need to get his teeth looked at first - his cologne issues appears to be the cause of his teeth issue too.
All these visits cost so much $$; we are trying to at least space it out to weekly visits instead of multiple a week. With buying a house, and traveling it's getting crazy. Our boarding bill for last weekend's trip was $1100!!!! That included a bunch of shots, heart worm / flea meds and a microchip for Hilo - but it's still a lot of $$$.
*Interesting point - based on some research our vet did she thinks the cause of these issues are actually due to Hilo's flight and age at the flight time. Since he got an ear infection during the travel he had a higher than normal temperature (a fever). Based on her research these types of issues, with the teeth and cologne, the problems can happen if a puppy gets a fever during a specific age when they are developing the connective tissue and adult teeth. Crazy huh?
Jamie - Yea, we are being positive about it - it's hard tho. It was a big process to get Hilo, and it's just upsetting that even with his AMAZING bloodlines, and all the work to get him, he still has these types of issues. The mushing thing is not that big of a deal - Hilo is such a great guy anyway. I mean I would prefer to have Hilo w/ no mushing abilities then to have another dogs that didn't have Hilo's personality but could mush. Hilo is really just a pleasant pup - he's great. He makes me smile every time I see him.
As for the Kai, if I ever get one, mushing is at the top of my list for him. That and having a packing - (as well as camping / hiking / trekking) - buddy is why I want a Kai.
Rachael - Yep, Hilo Jen and I will have to visit you guys each trip. :c)
I have the feeling that Hilo will grow out of it. My Shiba had the same problem when he was younger, and continuously "bunny-hopped" whenever he was moving faster than a walk. I thought it was very cute at first, but then got worried. It took many x-rays and several overnight visits to determine that he had a "cologne deficiency". Regular excersize and therapy when he was younger corrected the problem. (Sadly, however, he has arthritis in his right hip because my fearless boy decided to climb onto the back of the sofa in a very cat-like manner and then take a flying leap off of the other side...)
Fine...I will wish for pricked ears too. I don't want him to have any extra health issues.
He is almost TOO adorable as it is anyway.
I still have a gut feeling that he will out grow his present issues.
Your mention of his current issues possibly stemming from his flight does it, I had pretty much decided that I was going to fly out to get my shikoku puppy when she was born. I looked into shipping her, and basically the companies that I found that handled animal transport in a manner that I considered adequate for any pet I care for, cost more than a roundtrip plane ticket would cost. But knowing that there is the possibility of health complications due to the flight, there is no way I will let her go in a cargo hold. Plus, I've never been to that part of Canada before!
I hope that Hilo does well. And that your move does too.
Vancouver Island is pretty amazing - you should try to go. It's nice to see Katja and get your pup from her too, tho Ahi was VERY upset when we took her. That was kinda hard to deal with.
Hilo was 3 months when we got him, if he had been younger this issue probably would not of happened. At three months they start to really develop muscle tissue and their adult teeth.
Thanx! We are stoked for our move.
Aww...poor Hilo. I hope all will be well in the long run with all this random issue stuff. At least he is still young, hopefully he'll grow out of that funky adolescent stage and not have anymore issues as an adult.
Only time will tell...I will keep Hilo in my thoughts!
Good Luck on your move as well.
Yea, I'm pretty frustrated with the whole thing, but Hilo is such a great guy he is mos def worth the trouble. I think he will grow out of the cologne issue, but I'm not sure about the teeth issue.