Growing Pains in Larger Doodles: Understanding Panosteitis

Growing Pains in Doodles: Understanding Panosteitis

If your Doodle puppy suddenly slows down, starts limping, or simply seems "off," one possibility — especially in our larger lines — is Panosteitis, often called "growing pains," or simply "pano."

It can be alarming the first time you see it. The reassuring part: Pano is self-limiting, and in the great majority of cases, it resolves on its own without lasting joint damage.

This guide covers what Pano is, why it occasionally appears in our retriever- and Bernese-influenced lines, how to support your puppy through it, and the steps that appear to reduce the risk in the first place.

What Pano Is, and Why Some Doodles Are More Prone to It

Panosteitis typically affects dogs between 5 and 18 months old, during active growth. It causes inflammation within the marrow of the long bones, producing sudden, shifting lameness that usually resolves on its own by the time a dog reaches 18 to 24 months of age.

Doodle crosses with Golden Retriever, Labrador, or Bernese Mountain Dog lineage tend to grow quickly through adolescence, and rapid growth is one of the recognized contributors to Pano. That is part of why the condition appears more often in retriever- and Bernese-influenced crosses than in smaller doodles.

Genetics, though, do not act alone. The exact cause of Pano is not fully established in the veterinary literature, but the recognized associations include rapid growth and diet — particularly energy and calcium intake — during the growth window. In other words, predisposition and environment interact.

What We Have Observed at Stokeshire

We have placed hundreds of puppies, and we have seen only isolated cases of Pano in our retriever- and Bernese-influenced lines. In the cases we have tracked, the affected puppy was being fed a Large Breed Puppy formula or another high-calorie diet during the growth window.

We want to be precise about what this is, and what it is not. This is a small number of cases, observed within our own program. It is a pattern we take seriously — but it is not a controlled study, and it is not proof of cause. We are experienced breeders, not veterinary nutritionists.

What we take from it is a working principle we share with every family: Pano is not entirely preventable, but the risk appears lower when puppies are fed for their actual projected adult size — and kept lean — through the critical 5-to-18-month window.

Why a Large Breed Puppy Formula May Not Suit a Medium Doodle

This is the part owners most often misunderstand, so it is worth slowing down on.

Large Breed Puppy formulas are built for dogs that will mature at roughly 70 pounds or more — Bernese Mountain Dogs, Great Pyrenees, Labradors, and similar breeds. They are designed to support a slow, prolonged growth curve, using controlled calcium and controlled energy to keep large dogs from growing too quickly.

Most Stokeshire doodles mature at 35 to 55 pounds. They follow a faster, shorter growth curve. Our concern with a generic Large Breed Puppy formula for a medium doodle is less about any single nutrient and more about the outcome we want during development: steady, lean growth rather than rapid weight gain while the skeleton is still maturing.

In practice, most generalist veterinarians reach for Large Breed Puppy formula for any doodle that looks like it might pass 30 pounds. That recommendation is well-intentioned, and in the small set of Pano cases we have tracked, it was also the common factor. We are not suggesting your veterinarian is wrong. We are asking you to bring our observation into the conversation before changing food — because we know these specific lines, and the two perspectives together serve your puppy better than either one alone.

What We Recommend

Every Stokeshire puppy goes home on Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Real Salmon and Potato Formula. We recommend continuing this food through the growth window and into adulthood.

Why this specific formula:

It is AAFCO-approved for All Life Stages, including the growth of large-size dogs — meaning its calcium content sits within the ceiling established to protect growing puppies.
Real salmon is the first ingredient, providing sustained omega-3 intake that supports doodle coat condition.
The All Life Stages designation means no food transition is required as your puppy matures.
It is produced by a long-established, family-owned American manufacturer.

We have no financial relationship with Diamond. We do not earn affiliate revenue or sponsorship. We recommend it because it has performed consistently across hundreds of puppies in our program.

For the full reasoning on why we recommend this food and how to evaluate alternatives, see our complete nutrition guide: Why Your Vet's Food Recommendation May Be Wrong for Your Doodle Puppy

Symptoms of Panosteitis

If your puppy is between 5 and 18 months old and you notice any of the following, Pano is one possibility worth raising with your veterinarian:

Limping that shifts from leg to leg over days or weeks
Pain when limbs are touched, especially near the long bones
Decreased activity, or reluctance to walk or play
Appetite loss or behavioral changes
Becoming more clingy or seeking comfort more than usual

Symptoms often come and go over weeks, which is part of what makes Pano confusing for both owners and veterinarians. Track changes over time, and bring your notes to the appointment.

Because some signs of discomfort can be subtle, understanding behaviors that indicate pain in dogs can help owners recognize potential issues earlier.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian may:

Perform a physical exam to locate the source of pain
Use radiographs (X-rays) to detect increased bone density, a hallmark sign of Pano
Rule out other conditions, such as hip dysplasia, fractures, or developmental orthopedic disease, through imaging

Pano is sometimes a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning your vet may want to rule out more serious conditions first. That is appropriate, and we always recommend following your veterinarian's diagnostic protocol.

Treatment

Pano resolves on its own, but managing pain and limiting activity during flare-ups matters:

Pain relief. Your vet may prescribe an NSAID such as Carprofen or Meloxicam during active flare-ups.
Rest. Avoid jumping, running, and long walks during periods of active pain.
Comfort. Orthopedic beds and warm compresses help ease discomfort.
Nutrition. Stay on the diet matched to your puppy's projected adult size — for Stokeshire puppies, that means continuing Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat. In our experience, switching to a Large Breed formula in response to a Pano diagnosis has not helped and may be counterproductive. We would encourage you to discuss our observations with your vet before changing food.

What You Can Do to Reduce the Risk

Based on what we have observed across our program:

Stay on the food your puppy comes home with through at least 18 months of age.
Avoid Large Breed Puppy formulas unless your puppy is intentionally on track to mature at 70 pounds or more.
Avoid calcium supplements of any kind — including bone meal, eggshell powder, multivitamins containing calcium, and any product marketed for "bone health" or "joint support" in puppies. Excess calcium during growth is one of the better-supported dietary risk factors for developmental orthopedic problems.
Maintain a lean body condition throughout the growth window. Target a body condition score of about 4 out of 9: visible waist, ribs palpable under light pressure, and a visible abdominal tuck.
Match exercise to skeletal readiness, not energy level. Free play on soft surfaces is appropriate; sustained running on pavement, repetitive jumping, and long-distance hiking should wait until growth plates close.
Stay consistent with veterinary checkups so any developing concern is caught early.

A Note on Pano and Hip Dysplasia

In some cases, inflammation from Pano can mimic the early signs of mild hip dysplasia on imaging. Seeing that on a radiograph report can be alarming. It does not necessarily mean a long-term joint issue is developing.

As your puppy's growth stabilizes and the inflammation resolves, these signs typically subside. We recommend reassessment over time before drawing conclusions about a permanent condition. If you receive a hip dysplasia mention on a radiograph during a suspected Pano flare-up, contact us before making any major decisions about your puppy's care or future.

Why Pano Is Not Covered Under Our Health Guarantee

At Stokeshire, we are committed to breeding healthy, structurally sound dogs — and we are equally committed to being transparent about where our guarantee applies and where it does not.

Panosteitis is a self-limiting developmental condition. It resolves without long-term joint damage or impact on life expectancy. Because it does not materially affect a dog's long-term quality of life — the threshold for coverage under our 3-Year Health and Wellness Partnership — Pano is not a covered condition for refund, replacement, or veterinary reimbursement.

Nutrition and growth management are also relevant to how orthopedic concerns are evaluated during the first 18 months. The specific terms — including how feeding and body condition during the growth window relate to orthopedic coverage — are defined in your signed Health and Wellness Partnership agreement. This guide explains the reasoning; your signed agreement is the controlling document. If anything here ever appears to differ from your agreement, your agreement governs.

This reflects our broader philosophy: the guarantee exists to support families through serious, life-affecting conditions. Pano — uncomfortable for the puppy, stressful for the family — calls for a different response: rest, appropriate nutrition, pain management during flare-ups, and time.

The Stokeshire Framing

Our position on this is straightforward.

Genetics loads the gun. The environment pulls the trigger.

Stokeshire manages the upstream genetic variables we can influence: structural screening of parents, multi-breed crossbreeding to broaden the genetic foundation, coefficient-of-inbreeding management, and controlled neonatal nutrition during the first eight weeks.

The downstream environmental variables — the ones that largely determine whether a predisposition ever becomes a clinical Pano episode — are mostly controlled in the home: nutrition, body condition, and exercise during growth.

Both matter. Neither alone is sufficient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Panosteitis genetic? There appears to be a genetic predisposition — Pano is more common in fast-growing, retriever- and Bernese-influenced dogs — but its exact cause is not fully established. The current understanding is that predisposition and environment (particularly growth rate and diet) interact. Genetics alone do not appear to determine whether a puppy develops it.

Will my puppy recover from Pano? In nearly all cases, yes. Pano is self-limiting and typically resolves by 18 to 24 months of age, without lasting joint damage or effect on life expectancy. The goal during flare-ups is to keep your puppy comfortable with rest and veterinarian-directed pain relief. Always follow your vet's treatment plan.

What food do you recommend, and why? We send every puppy home on Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Real Salmon and Potato Formula, and recommend continuing it through the growth window and into adulthood. The priority during development is steady, lean growth for your puppy's projected adult size — not rapid weight gain. Bring us into any conversation about changing food, alongside your veterinarian.

Should I switch to a Large Breed Puppy formula if my puppy is diagnosed with Pano? In our experience, switching to a Large Breed Puppy formula in response to Pano has not helped and may be counterproductive for a medium-sized doodle. Please discuss our observations with your veterinarian before changing food, and avoid calcium and "joint support" supplements during the growth window.

Is Pano covered under the Stokeshire Health Guarantee? No. Because Pano is self-limiting and does not affect a dog's long-term quality of life, it falls outside our 3-Year Health and Wellness Partnership, which is designed to protect families through serious, life-affecting conditions. The specific terms are defined in your signed agreement.

Conclusion

Pano can be a difficult phase, but it is temporary. With rest, appropriate nutrition, and supportive care, your Doodle will move through this season and into a healthy adulthood without lasting effects.

We share what we have learned because we want every Stokeshire puppy to thrive across the full arc of their life — not just the first few weeks at home. If you have questions about your puppy's food, weight, exercise, or any sign of orthopedic discomfort during the first 18 months, please reach out. We would always rather have that conversation early than try to solve something later.

Warmly, James & Katie Stokeshire Designer Doodles

Reference: Weir, M., Hunter, T., & Yuill, C. (n.d.). Panosteitis in Dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/panosteitis-in-dogs

Breeding, Education, HealthJames StokesJune 23, 2026