Cow hocks in GSD’s

[Petnanny]

My 7 1/2 month old GSD is badly cow hocked and I am receiving conflicting advice from two different vets within my surgery.

Does anyone have any experience of a cow hocked dog, and if so I would appreciate any advice.

I just want my pup to enjoy good health and do not want to put him through surgery for cosmetic reasons.  However, we have been told to keep his walks to a minimum which we are doing and he is receiving hydrotherapy each week.  Is there anymore that we should be doing?

[SuzAndTheDiva]

hello and welcome. Can i suggest you pop some photos up so we can see how bad it is.

[.dodger.]

hi and welcome from me and dodger! ;D yup posting up some picture’s will help :yes:

[Anonymous]

Cow hocks are from breeding pics would be good.
Can’t understand why a vet would want to operate on a cow hocked dog  :nono: without pics I can’t help but my first concern would be hips and he’s too young to have anything done whatever the problem
Val

[Sweetypye]

Cow hocks are common in GSD and in many pastoral breeds, they need them for cornering………..  ;D

However the degree of cow hocks will determine how steady they are etc etc.

Like Val I cannot understand why anyone would suggest surgery!
Unless of course the problem originates elsewhere and the dog has diabolical hips……..

[GSPmad]

[quote author=Sweetypye link=topic=12857.msg247348#msg247348 date=1225117308]
Cow hocks are common in GSD and in many pastoral breeds, they need them for cornering………..  ;D
[/quote]

I can’t find anything about cow hocks in the breed standard.  ???

Hindquarters
Overall strong, broad and well muscled, enabling effortless forward propulsion of whole body. Upper thighbone, viewed from side, sloping to slightly longer lower thighbone. Hind angulation sufficient if imaginary line dropped from point of buttocks cuts through lower thigh just in front of hock, continuing down slightly in front of hindfeet. Angulations corresponding approximately with front angulation, without over-angulation, hock strong. Any tendency towards over-angulation of hindquarters reduces firmness and endurance.

Did you mean common rather than desirable?  ??? I know you write cmmon but I wasn’t sure if you meant it happens a lot but shouldn’t or if it is actually supposed to happen….  :-\

[Anonymous]

SP
I agree with the first part but not the second
GSP
You won’t find it in the standard as believe it or not they should not be cow hocked, being cow hocked takes the strength out of the backend
Val

Cow hocks are common in GSD and in many pastoral breeds, they need them for cornering……….. 

[Sweetypye]

Have a look at a lot of BCs and WSD and ASD etc etc

No cow hocks are NOT in any of the standards, as I said before it is a question of degree………..

There are millions of horses that have cow hocks too, many of them top show jumpers, racehorses etc…………….

[GSPmad]

Glad you said that Val – I know some breeds like pugs & akitas have fairly straight hocks, but couldn’t think of anything that should be cow hocked except a cow.  ;D

[**Woofums**]

Weight also has an immense affect on the hocks in a young dogs, I like to see youngsters a bit on the light side.
Are the feet turning out ? or are they in line.
More & more of the “show line” Dogs turning up at our club are like this nowdays….most of them when scored have excellent hips.
Are the vets advising ligament tightening ( I know of one that had this done)
To be honest I wouldn’t go down that route if there are no adverse effects

[*Nick*]

what are cow hocks?

[GSPmad]

[quote author=*Nick* link=topic=12857.msg247828#msg247828 date=1225284041]
what are cow hocks?
[/quote]

Scroll down to fig 19 – that shows cow hocks.  🙂

http://www.shawlein.com/The_Standard/05_The_Hindquarters/The_Hindquarters.html

[GSPmad]

Thought I would just explain too – it’s basically where the hocks (or ankles) point towards each other when you look from directly behind instead of being straight. If they point outwards it’s pigeon toed.  🙂 Straight is what’s wanted (from behind – different from the side obviously  😀 ).

[*Nick*]

thx terry.

[GSPmad]

you’re more than welcome nick.  :-*

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