Panostetitis
Also known as Shifting Leg Lameness or Pano. This is a spontaneous, self-limiting inflammatory disease of the long bones in the legs of young, fast-growing breeds. Most dogs are diagnosed between 5 and 12 months but pano can occur as early as 2 months and as late as 7 years. The vast majority of pano cases are resolved by by the age of 2 years. The cause of the disease is unknown but it has been associated with reactions following viral or bacterial infections, von Willebrand's disease and hyperestrogenism in females in association with the first estrus. Clinical signs are persistent or intermittent lameness that may shift from leg to leg, hence the term -shifting leg lameness. Deep palpation of the affected bone will ellicit a painful response. X-rays may demonstrate an increased patchy density of the bone cavity with a roughened surface. Diagnosis of pano is very important as acute lameness may signal any of several orthopedic conditions such as OCD or elbow dysplasia. There is no cure for pano because the disease is self-limiting and hence research on the condition is almost non-existent. Treatment consists of alleviating the pain with analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs and plenty of rest as restricted activity can prevent more severe pain from developing. Because this disease is self-limiting and causes and heredity are not fully understood, most Swissy breeders do not consider it as breeding excluding condition.
Also known as Shifting Leg Lameness or Pano. This is a spontaneous, self-limiting inflammatory disease of the long bones in the legs of young, fast-growing breeds. Most dogs are diagnosed between 5 and 12 months but pano can occur as early as 2 months and as late as 7 years. The vast majority of pano cases are resolved by by the age of 2 years. The cause of the disease is unknown but it has been associated with reactions following viral or bacterial infections, von Willebrand's disease and hyperestrogenism in females in association with the first estrus. Clinical signs are persistent or intermittent lameness that may shift from leg to leg, hence the term -shifting leg lameness. Deep palpation of the affected bone will ellicit a painful response. X-rays may demonstrate an increased patchy density of the bone cavity with a roughened surface. Diagnosis of pano is very important as acute lameness may signal any of several orthopedic conditions such as OCD or elbow dysplasia. There is no cure for pano because the disease is self-limiting and hence research on the condition is almost non-existent. Treatment consists of alleviating the pain with analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs and plenty of rest as restricted activity can prevent more severe pain from developing. Because this disease is self-limiting and causes and heredity are not fully understood, most Swissy breeders do not consider it as breeding excluding condition.
