Operate or not? Huge dilema with our little rescue

[TheFlyingFauxPas]

Many may remember my previous thread about ddog. He is a rescue, roughly 2 years old. Probably Yorkshire Terrier / Jack Russell cross. Weighs about 5kg. We got him in Jan. This year. Going to save this now but there's more. Bare with...

I'm in Lincolnshire- kind of Lincoln/Nottingham area. What also concerns me is the disagreement over diagnosis. Vet who diagnosed (who recommends surgery) tried to explain ALD to me. There's kind of differing opinions on it confusing/overlapping with dysplasia. It was hard to understand. Pdsa vet didn't know what I was talking about and other vet called it Short Ulna Syndrome. If all these things mean different treatment/outcomes etc then I was given details of 2 referrals places but any more recommendations appreciated. Anything to help me make a more informed decision.

Anyone who sounds like they know what they're talking about wins me over. I'm a politician's dream! Problem here is 2 vets had me convinced. Shame opposing opinions 😞 I get it now though. I think. Weigh up who has best credentials and go with them. I had no idea it was so complicated 😞

"She's 4 now, and the vet says she's probably got another 2/3 years before hard decisions have to be made."

The problem is that those sorts of estimates are based on averages of outcomes...my dog has elbow dysplasia and even after surgery at 6 months I was told he would at some point have arthritic changes, but hopefully he'd get a good few years before that happened, 6 + was what we were going for (large breed so average lifespans shorter anyway)

Both elbows have now deteriorated so badly that it's a case of elbow replacements (which he's not for other reasons a good candidate for) or just pain management until that doesn't work, he's 3...

I mean obviously the OP can only go on averages as no-one is psychic, but I would advise adding in that if you end up looking at no longer being able to do anything because it's too late and it could happen much younger...would you regret not having tried the surgery? Or would you be happy that you went for your dog not having to go through surgery recovery?

Both are fine IMO, but it is worth having a wee think about that.

Flying from where you are the obvious choice would be Dr Sandra Corr at Pride in Nottingham she is associate professor of surgery (ortho) at Nottingham Vet School which Pride is the teaching hospital. She is an RCVS and ECVS specialist. Prior to working at Nottingham she lectured in orthopaedics at the RVC.

Sorry I always get this wrong Pride is in Derby, but is the Nottingham vet school teaching hospital.