hip dysplasia

[nellieellie]

Our 6mth puppy just been diagnosed with moderate HD both legs. At moment just meant to manage - careful exercise , hydrotherapy, supplements. Am thinking is it not better for him to have an op once bones mature, rather than spend his youth with him unable to do stuff he wants to do and then only have op when virtually immobile, old and likely to take longer to recover? Do hip ops mean that they are more mobile than before? At mo he is able to move OK but any thing takes it out of him. Today he was walking about like an old man. Breaks my heart.

Mine had elbow dysplasia at 7 months. We tried the enforced rest etc, but he then went on to have both legs operated on.
That was a couple of months ago and the recovery period was.... Trying at times, but he is back to normal again now, no limping, running around and enjoying every moment.
Our Consulatnat said it is a short to medium term solution. He will develop osteoarthritis as he gets older, which can be controlled with drugs, but for now, I have my happy, healthy puppy back again.
I was told that the younger they are, the more successful the outcome, however, complete rest does sometimes work, so worth a try.
Has yours had an MRI? Mine had one after the initial forced rest and chips were clearly floating, so it was an easy choice for us.
Good luck - it feels like forever when the process starts, but it really does pass quickly

My friend has just had her 14 mth Lurcher X mutt. He was diagnosed with Bi-lateral HD at 11 months and it was a case of operate or PTS . He had one hip done 2 months ago and was walking better within a week. Two months on and you wouldn't believe there was anything wrong with him - to the point that the vet has said to wait at least 6 months before the second hip needs doing (he had said 6 weeks originally).

It has cost her a lot. She researched the best vet for the job and found one with a lifetime guarantee and so far a 100% success rate. She was quoted £10k for both hips and is on about £6k so far. The difference is amazing though, so worth it for her. He has weekly hydrotherapy to strengthen his muscles (the wastage was awful, his back end was less that half the width of his shoulders) and is on a special diet for his joints and to build him back up because he barely ate when he was in pain, but apart form that he is a normal happy healthy young dog doing what young dogs do

What surgery he'd need pretty much dictates when it needs to be done...is it an orthopedic specialist you've seen?

The most important thing you can do is manage his weight, you want him as lean as possible, almost underweight tbh.

The primary strategy is to always try conservative (drugs etc) therapy first, if a young dg is struggling with this we try really hard to get them to 1 year old to have total hip replacements ( can't be done till growth plates fuse). Only if they are in real trouble do we resort to salvage surgeries ( this is frankly what they are) before 1 year old.
There are several excellent surgeons who do hip replacements and the vast majority last a lifetime as the metal work is designed to last a minimum of 10 years.

Thanks for all these messages. Yes, the keeping lean is very important and he is probably just under the ideal weight. We've seen a guy who is a sort of halfway house- has expertise in orthopaedics but not technically a specialist. I think when pup is a little older we may seek referral to a specialist who does these ops. Thanks for encouraging remarks about hip ops. I have done some research on good surgeons but if anyone has any names, would be appreciated! Thanks again.

I will msg my friend for you and see who her surgeon was. I know she had wanted to go to the Willows in Solihull (who are fantastic), but they couldn't get her dog in. I know she ended up going down south, I want to say Salisbury or Winchester. I'll ask and get back to you.

Any of the vet schools have top flight orthopaedic surgeons outside of them it is easier if we know where you are in the country to make suggestions.
However, not every orthopaedic specialist will have the equipment for total hip as it is very specialist.
Of the top of my head in the South Fitzpatricks, Anderson Moores, Dick White and Davies would be the obvious places.

Hi Nellie, my friend has got back to me. She used Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists www.scvetspecialists.co.uk. They are in Ringwood which I think is near Bournemouth (so not where I thought!)

You have to be referred to them by your vet and they need to see your dog to see if they could help.

She was raving about them, is overjoyed with the difference they have made to her dog and the service they provided. She is willing to talk with you if you want.

Hope this helps, best of luck to your pooch.

Thanks very much, Lone cat and Eve. I have come across a few that you mention. We are in the SE, so have heard of Fitzpatricks who have been recommended by someone I bumped into who had a dog who'd had surgery for elbow dysplasia (although that is v different). Eve, it would be really helpful to talk to your friend if she really doesn't mind. Could you pm me or shall I pm you with email address?

This is someone who used Fitzpatrick, it might be useful.