1. Symptoms

Rib valgus is a very common condition in dogs, and its most obvious symptom is the protrusion of the ribs. You can also feel a raised hard lump on both sides of the dog's chest, and this hard lump will rise and fall when the dog breathes. In addition, the dog's chest may be relatively flat, which may even lead to deterioration of cardiopulmonary function and insufficient blood oxygen, leading to widespread death.

2. Causes of symptoms

Dogs’ sternum is relatively short and their ribs are relatively narrow, resulting in a small chest capacity. When the dog breathes, the pressure generated in the body is too high, causing the ribs to protrude. , which is the cause of rib valgus. In addition, regular weakening of the dog's skeletal system may also trigger this condition. For example, malnutrition, lack of nutrients, and long-term inactivity can also lead to defects in bone development and ectropion.

3. Treatment methods

To treat rib valgus, a suitable treatment plan needs to be determined based on the dog’s symptoms and severity. Mild and moderate valgus can be prevented and treated through reasonable adjustment of diet, strengthening of exercise, and manual massage. But if the dog's condition is more serious, surgery will be needed. Surgery is the most common method to treat this disease. Generally, the surgical plan should be formulated based on the dog's physique, age, symptoms, etc.

4. Preventive measures

In a word, to prevent rib valgus, the most important thing is to strengthen exercise, maintain a good posture of the dog, and avoid being too fat or too thin . You should also prevent your dog from having some abnormal habits, such as biting hard bones, sucking sewage, jumping high, etc., and provide timely guidance based on your findings. In addition, it is necessary to understand some dietary knowledge and reasonably match the diet and nutrition according to the different development stages of dogs to fully prevent bone development defects.