Hello, 5 months old royal canin feed from 8 weeks very light exercise,I'm a bit concerned anyone had any experience with easty westy feet,hes booked in for x-rays next month. [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG]
They don't look too bad. My dog's feet turn out slighty too and he has no joint or leg issues. If your dog can walk and run just fine then I wouldn't worry
It can be a symptom of joint problems, if the dog is holding his elbows into his body, causing his feet to turn out, but I also read (and saw on a gait analysis machine) that dogs who do have feet that turn out slightly, can also have a very good movement with one author arguing that feet turned out slightly is actually necessary for a perfect straight gait. So, it might be nothing to worry about. If you are worried though, it's sensible to get it checked out, it's worth it to stop worrying!
Snowie has easty-westy toes. I've also heard it described as ballerina toes. Caused no end to my anxiety when he was a puppy when he limped three times in a year, twice on the right front leg, once on the left front leg. At 4 years old we x-rayed him (for a back problem, but included the elbows and hips), and his elbows came back within normal range, as did the hips (he has a bulging lumbar disc). So it appears that the easty-westy toes have not affected his elbows, or perhaps vice versa, that there were no bad elbows causing them to point out. One front foot turns out more than the other. And the inside toe on each front foot kind of rolls in. The vet said this was probably caused from the easty-westy toes which he swivels when he walks, rubbing the inside toe into the new form it takes. I see your pup has all four toes pointing forward, which is the norm. Snowie's back feet are perfect, nice cat-like paws and all toes pointing forwards. He is a clumsy galoomper, definitely not built for athletics! Although he can run fast when he wants to (but not as fast as his slinky non-Labrador friends). Notwithstanding he is powerfully built. I have spent countless hours poring over the right Labrador build, trying to fit Snowie into the picture. And then I look at humans and there is so much variety. So I suppose dogs also come with variations even in the same breed, and I try to remember that when my worries get the better of me! One last thing: when I told the breeder about Snowie's easty-westy toes, she said that when puppies grow and their chests widen, the front feet straighten out. Well, Snowie never really got the broad chest I thought he'd have, so perhaps that is why his toes point out?
