Great Danes, due to their size and rapid growth, often face bone and joint issues during puberty. Many of these issues disappear once the puppy is one year of age, but others can be deadly or cost thousands of dollars in vet bills.
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Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy
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Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD), or "swollen joints," can be a very common disease found in Great Danes. While it is a common illness, it is very difficult for vets to diagnose, as there are many less traumatic and more common problems that can show similar symptoms including blood diseases, overfeeding and allergic reactions to certain antibiotics and vaccines. If your dog's joints are swelling, take it to the vet and have the blood tests run to ensure this is not the problem, and then treat the HOD if that is the diagnosis. This disease is generally treated as having a favorable outcome.
Bowing or Knuckling-over
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Bowing or knuckling-over, a problem in young puppies that can be corrected, tends to happen when a pup is allowed to play and remain on hard, slick surfaces such as concrete during its formative stages. This surface issue causes uneven growth of ligaments, muscles and tendons. If this issue arises, you will notice your pet's legs begin to resemble those of a bow-legged infant. See your vet for help, but this problem can generally be solved by bandaging the legs while they heal and changing a puppy's diet.
Hip Dysplasia
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Hip dysplasia is a genetic disorder in which the soft tissue around the joint disintegrates. This is a common issue and the best way to avoid thousands in vet bills to attempt to fix the problem is to do research in a family line prior to choosing your new puppy. If a dog's family is clean of hip dysplasia symptoms, chances are your Great Dane will be fine, as well.
Wobbler's Syndrome (Cervical Vertebral Instability)
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Wobbler's Syndrome, a disease generally specific to the Great Dane breed, can be a common issue that creates an unstable or "wobbly" gait. The wobble is created by pressure on the spine from a malformed neck vertebrae. This disease is thought to be a hereditary issue, although recent studies show a link between the disease and deficiencies and malnutrition.
Panosteitis
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Panosteitis, or pano, is a disease caused by the rapid growth of the giant Great Dane breed. Lumps generally occur as the inflammation grows. This condition disappears when the puppy reaches one year old and growth slows.
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