Specialist advises TPO surgery for UnWiseDog's hip

[NunTheWiser]

Saw the specialist vet today and UnWiseDog (9 months) has moderate to severe hip dysplacia. On the x-rays there are already signs of osteoarthritis developing in the ball of the hip joint. He recommended TPO surgery and fast - within the next 2 weeks. He says that our alternative is to leave it and see what happens but that he thinks UWD would develop severe arthritis within the next 18 months and end up needing a complete hip replacement.
It sounds like such a major op but if it goes well, it could sort out the issue completely. Does anyone have any experience with hip dysplacia in dogs and what did you do? Anyone have a dog that has had this surgery?
BTW, am completely hacked off with the breeder who, when we contacted her to let her know, replied with, "Well, what have you been feeding her?" Specialist assures us that this is almost entirely a genetic predisposition in labradors and that even if her parents are physically perfect, they may carry the gene for dodgy hips.
Am feeling very wobbly. I bloody love that dog and hate to think of her in pain and distressed.

It's bollocks all to do with food! Bloody breeder!

And poor, poor you and poor poor Pooch. I have no personal experience of hip dysplacia in a dog so young and nothing to offer to help but my positive thoughts and good wishes I'm afraid.

It may be worth posting on a breed forum - or on BigGSD's busy forum as they are another breed which can suffer the problem (and we don't just talk about GSD nor do we cold-shoulder Lab owners on there, honest!).

It is a big op, but I have seen plenty of dogs come through it very well. I worked at a vets and we had a vet there who specialised in orthopedics. It did make a huge difference to the dogs.

As for the breeder, what a joke!

Aren't breeders supposed to screen for hip problems?

Thanks for that, Val and Eglu. I will have a look at more specific breed forums. I have decided to go for the surgery. The alternative is that I knowingly let her condition worsen and have her in increasing pain just to end up needing another form of major surgical intervention. Will come back for hand holding keep you posted on how she goes.

NL - Screening just means that they give the dog a physical to score their hips and elbows. A dog can be physically perfect, never develop any problems and still carry the genetic predisposition to have loose hips. A pup or a grandpup of a dog like this can go on to have problems while their litter mates appear to be perfect.

Our dog has had hip dysplasia since she was 2, she's now 8. She has been on metacam since she was 3 or so, and we give her glucosamine daily. She is a bouvier x collie.

You would never know it to look at her! We take her to the dog park and she runs around like a puppy. If she overdoes it then she suffers for a bit afterwards (just a bit stiff) but for the most part her problem is invisible. She struggles with stairs (has to take a run at them - this is how we first knew there was something wrong with her) and if you watch her walk you can tell her back end is a bit stiff. She is reluctant to sit as well - she either stands or lies.

I hope things work out well for your dog!

Has anyone had this operation done on their dog recently , if so how much did it cost ? My 6 month old german shepherd was diagnosed yesterday .
And we are so heartbroken , and hope we can help her .

I work at a specialist hospital and I must say I have never heard of a TPO. We do hip replacements though and they do amazingly well afterwards. They are often in so much pain before the surgery that post op they are bouncing around and it's difficult to keep them quiet! Best of luck with the surgery.

TPO triple pelvic osteotomy is a salvage procedure used in dogs whom we are unable to control pain sufficiently to get dogs to one year old to have hip replacement. It really is a last resort salvage procedure when there really is no way to control pain to get to that one year point.