I adopted a street pup at the age of about 20 days. She is now two months old and having bowing of front legs with inversion at ankles. She has been diagnosed with rickets and given calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D. But no improvement is seen. Please help.

Rickets is a disease of young, growing animals and most common causes are dietary insufficiencies of vitamin D or phosphorus. It is becoming uncommon due to availability of balanced pet foods. Calcium deficiencies can also cause rickets, and while this rarely occurs naturally, poor balanced diets that are deficient in calcium have been said to cause the disease. Feeding high-quality commercial food or a homemade diet is recommended. However, the bowing of legs cannot reverse with food or medications, including supplements. In this, I suggest you to contact a veterinary orthopaedic surgeon who can help to correct the deformity to some extent.

Question by – Vikrant, Bhopal