Paneosteitis, or pano, is a condition in which a growing puppy suddenly becomes lame. This lameness may be mild to severe and may affect different parts of the puppy at different times. The onset of pano is somewhere around five to twelve months of age and usually affects males more than females. Large and giant breeds such as the rottweiler are more often affected by pano. It may or may not have a genetic component.

If your puppy has pano, your veterinarian may prescribe analgesics and rest. He may ask you to limit exercise. Eventually, as the puppy gets older, the pain subsides and the puppy grows out of it.

Pano is painful, but in the long term this disease is not detrimental to your rottie's health. Some breeders believe that pano is caused when the dog grows too fast in some places for other parts of him to catch up, causing pain. Since this is not a permanent condition, it does not affect the dog once he is fully grown. Most rottie owners are glad to know that their pups will outgrow their “growing pains.”