HOD question

Duchess · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject: HOD question

Our male, Beau, had HOD as a puppy. We just found this out. So, my son, who is VERY attached to Beau, they sleep together and Beau is attached to him, anyway, my son has been reading online about HOD and found somewhere that the life span of an HOD weim is only 6 years. Beau will be 4 years old in October of this year. My son is pretty upset.

Does anyone know if this is true? I told him that I would ask here and surely someone would know and if there is anything that we should be doing to help him have a looong happy life.

I got Beau from my sister and I remember him being pretty sick, but never found out what was really going on with him. He is here with us and will not give up on him, just need to help re- assure my son as well as myself.
I did not find the same info on line, but, really didn't look to far as I know I can ask here!

Thanks guys for any info you can give us.

weimdawgs · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject:

I have an HOD pup that will be 5 years old on the 25th. I heard the same thing. Scout had acute onset HOD and was very sick for a very long time. He has some bone deformities as a result.

Here is the hard part. I asked the same question as you about a year ago. Both here and on the weim list.

NO ONE knows of an HOD pup that is older than 6. I didn't get any negative responses, i.e. "oh, I know so and so had a pup with HOD and he/she died at..." I got no responses at all. I was very distressed.

I plan on being able to tell everyone I had an HOD pup that lived to be old. Except for the joint issues, Scout is healthy.

Keep Beau as light as possible and don't overtax his joints. I give Scout a joint supplement and he has his own heating pad. I am very careful with him in the cold weather. Watch him for pain. If he seems stiff or painful, ask the vet about an NSAID.

Keep the faith...if Beau is healthy and happy just believe he will be with you and he will.

Duchess · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject:

"I plan on being able to tell everyone I had an HOD pup that lived to be old. "

Thanks for the response. I hope that we can do the same thing. Beau is not over weight and his feet are a bit "spayed" kind of like he walks with his feet turned outward and his "ankles" seem to be crooked (lack of abetter word). He kind of runs funny and he is shorter than my females. But has a great personality and we love him so much.
Should he be on a special diet? If so, what kind? I just want him to be o.k. for his sake and my sons sake and mine too. I want to make things good, really good for Beau.
He seems happy and healthy and playful. He loves to play ball, Is this too much for him?? He has been hard to train, is that part of the HOD or just Beau? When we ask him to sit, he acts like it hurts him, now that I am thinking about it. He will NOT sit for us. If he does (rarely) his sits over on his hip, kind of....
Anyway, I'll stop rambling, Just really concerned.

Thanks agagin for your response.

weimdawgs · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:

I just typed you a whole long response and lost it!!!! ARGHHHH.

What you tell me about Beau sounds like Scout. When Scout sits, his hiney does not touch the ground. Beau sitting on his hip is probably how he resolves that.

Scoutie's legs are short and he is cowhocked in the rear. Kind of frog legged. His hips go in and his feet splay out.

He was very sick during his crucial training period and once he started to get better we were just so happy we didn't really try very hard. Scout could not stand or walk on his own from mid June until sometime in August of his first year. So he is harder to train. He pulls terrible on a lead because he was never leash trained as a young pup. He couldn't walk enough for us to worry about him getting away from us.

He runs and plays with the other dogs. When he's tired, he rests. Beau will do the same.

I do give him pain meds if the temperature drops below 35 deg. 25 mg of Derramaxx every 12 hours. He weights about 70 lbs. That is a small dose but keeps him comfortable. He hardly ever needs it in the warmer months.

Scout is my love and my very special boy. He is stubborn but very, very smart. I swear he understands every word we say.

Scout and Beau will live to be very old men.......

Give him a hug for me.

Lynn

Duchess · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 5:12 pm Post subject:

These 2 boys sound just alike. Their weight is the same too. I will ask the vet for the meds that you mentioned and see if I can just have some just in case. We live in Georgia and do not have alot of cold days, a few nights, but he lives inside, and cuddles with my son. Sometimes I wonder whose bedroom it really belong to, Beau or my son. They are inseparable.
Thanks so much for talking with me. I feel like we are going to be o.k.
I have let my son read these posts, he feels better. It makes alot of difference when there is someone that knows what you are going thru and has been there.

Yes, Scout and Beau will live to be old men. We call Baeu our goofy boy!! He is so cute.

Give Scout kisses from me and Kerry (son)!! and again, Thank you. I may need to ask questions again!! If that's o.k.

weimdawgs · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject:

Anytime....while I would never want another baby to have this, it is good not to be alone with it.

I didn't answer the diet part. Scoutie is on a partial raw diet. Raw at night and kibble in the AM. I think it is what helps keep him lean. He also gets a Nupro Joint Supplement as do the other two younger dogs. Jake gets an anti cancer supplement.

AmyB · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:03 am Post subject:

Duchess, is there any way that you could find the article or website that you read this on? "life span of an HOD weim is only 6 years."

Holly has HOD and I have read alot on it. I haven't come across anything about their life span being shortened and now I'm really concerned. I thought that since Holly has gone through this with very little symptoms and does not show any lasting effect (so far) that she would be fine. I thought the "danger zone" was over when they stopped growing and if they didn't have any deformities and/or other "side effects" as a result of the disease. So far Holly has none and you would not even think she has HOD by the way she runs around, wrestles with us and other dogs, plays fetch, and the other activities she does daily.

weim2mom · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:12 am Post subject:

ok... feel stupid here. What is HOD?

weimdawgs · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:12 am Post subject:

Amy,

I was kind of hoping you wouldn't see this thread...fat chance, huh. Don't worry about Holly. She had a very mild case of HOD and she will be fine. I don't think it was an article. It was a question from someone else that came up on here. I am going to try to find that thread. I was NEVER able to find anything anywhere that stated HOD pups have a shorter life expectancy.

I am so glad Holly is doing so well!!!

weimdawgs · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:14 am Post subject:

weimdawgs · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:17 am Post subject:

Here is the original thread where I heard it.

http://www.weimaraneraddict.com/discussion/hypertrophic-osteodystrophy-and-life-expectancy-vt4977.html?highlight=hod

Duchess · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject:

weimdawgs · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:07 pm Post subject:

Wow, Beau's case does sound just like Scout's......

Rosko · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject:

On a side note...

I'm actually quite curious at what age you guys/gals started to notice the HOD symptoms in your dogs?

weimdawgs · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject:

Scout was born on Feb. 25th. His first symptoms appeared on June 9th. The first symptoms were misdiagnosed as a virus. I guess that would make him about 14 - 15 weeks old.