# Is Flat Footed Bad?



## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Another thread mentioned flat feet in dogs, so I looked it up.










That is a perfect drawing of Kabota's feet, right down to the permanent splayed toes. Is this just one of those things that's undesirable in a dog, as in you wouldn't show such a dog, or is it a health issue? Does it cause pain? That worries me because I have flat feet and walking too far in the wrong shoes is pain right up past my ankles. Then again, dogs walk on their toes, so . . .

Little help here?



















Note: Kabota is an adult mixed breed, 45 lbs. His right hip was broken into several pieces and then allowed to heal without vet care, which probably also explains the "year, maybe 2" his former owners kept him in a wire crate. I have no way of knowing if he's flat footed due to structural issues he was born with, due to the hip injury or due to the year (maybe 2, because who keeps track of that?) in a crate.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

It might also be a result of having really long nails for a while - at least the splayed toes. 

It can cause, if I remember correctly, weaker elbows and hocks, because the dog's balance is off and weight is being supported incorrectly, but that's just a vague sort of memory. Hopefully someone with better information will chime in.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

It can be a concern for sure. Nikki had a splayed foot and that foot got a lot more arthritis as she aged. 

I know a pap with badly splayed feet from being kept on wire for years. Poor dog.

Now that said, not all breeds have a round 'cat foot'. Paps are supposed to have an elongated 'hare foot'. But the foot shouldn't be flat/splayed, just long and oval shaped instead of round and tight. Kabota's do look flat/splayed though to me. Not teribly bad except for the back left.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Yeah, the back left leg is taking most of his weight. I know he has an increased risk of joint problems because of that injury. It forces him to walk strangely (really pronounced butt wiggle) and that stresses his joints in ways they shouldn't be stressed. Right now, I keep him lean, feed him glucosamine, lots of gentle exercise and hope for the best. (Vet advice, btw. It's the same as the advice my doctor gives me about my bad joints. Develop the muscles around the joints and that helps cushion and support the joints.)

I have no idea if Kabota should have cat or hare foot. He has huge feet even without the splaying.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

My Shih Tzu x Maltese have good feet but they are not like the Doberman pups. Hers are well arched so her toenails hardly come in contact with the ground if she is on a hard surface. It is quite easy to keep Kris' toenails short as you just have to take the little point off. The others, there toenails grow differently and really get long if you are not always cutting them even though the have contact with the ground all the time.


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## RavensShadow (Feb 20, 2013)

Perhaps it was my thread?

Robin's vet told us he had bad conformation and flat feet, and that it wasn't anything to really worry about except that he's more prone to sprains and broken bones. I never noticed the splaying on him, but fur grows between his toes which I..doubt is normal and probably hides the severity of it. I THINK his issue is due to having been in a crate all of his puppyhood, and literally he was crated for about 9 months. The only changes we made is that he's not allowed to jump out of the truck anymore, and now I make sure to keep his claws clipped because they were allowed to get really long and the quicks need to be encouraged to shrink.

He gets along just fine with them though, and since he's not very good at gaining weight and is kept from straining himself too much, it's just sort of something I keep in the back of my mind but don't think about much. That will probably change when he approaches senior age though.


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