Might be adopting lab with hip dysplasia. Advice welcome!

[Babadookinthewardrobe]

Hello wise Mumsnetters.

I’ve longed for dog for years, a Labrador in particular. I love labs. I have experience of dog sitting them for friends and family for years but have never been in a position to give a dog the life that it needs. Until now. I now have the time at home and the environment to give a dog a lovely life.

I have found a gorgeous year old lab in a rescue centre. He’s had a tough start in life bless him. I am going to meet him tomorrow. I’m excited! He suffers from hip displaysia. That doesn’t really put me off. I know a lab with the same living a happy life.

I’d love to hear any advice from those whose dogs suffer from hip displaysia please. Is it always painful for them? Does it mean they have to be on drugs all their lives? Does it shorten their lives significantly? I am Googling too, but any advice would be welcome as he looks like just what I need, and me him. Thank you.

They all get it imo. You can’t avoid it if you get a lab or any large breed- it’s coming for them no matter what if they live long enough. Other things can happen- broken legs etc which bring arthritis on. Over exercising as a puppy will cause hip dysplasia.

I have a lab, tore his cruciate age 7. Arthritis had already set in, he hadn’t shown any symptoms. There are probably loads of dogs in rescue who have it in mild form- unless they x ray them. Or cancer. Or lumps that need investigating.

I don’t feed a special diet as such, no prescription food. He gets fresh meat, fish, cod liver oil, bone broth, fruit and veg, a raw diet would be better but he has IBS.
He takes galliprant, 3 human paracetamol a day - as per the vet. He’s 14 now has Librela and Gabapentin. Euthanasia was discussed when he was 12- and which is why he had Librela. He just potters in the garden and had for the last 18 months.

If you want to hike up mountains then it won’t be a good fit. If you just want to walk to the park and take the dog out for a coffee or a pint and live chatting it’s fine.

Limit steps, jumping, get a good orthopaedic dog bed. Rugs and runners.

No dog is going to be cheap these days, they’re a luxury item. Plenty of threads on it. They bring so much joy, I look at it as a hobby- like golf or horse riding (I don’t have any other hobbies). I don’t begrudge him a penny. But it’s not cheap.

HD is variable. It can be severely life limiting or can be managed well with medication and complimentary therapy. It’s a bigger deal than other joint issues (LP, ED etc).

He won’t be insurable for it or things that are associated with it so you need to bear that in mind.

I’d want to know more about the severity and how it affects him. I’ve had quite a few dogs with this start agility with me and then it’s become apparent there is an issue. Some have had to stop all activity other than lead walks. Some have just had to stop agility and have gone on to do hoopers or Rally etc. it really varies.

You won't be able to insure him. His condition is preexisting.

It will all be out of pocket and expensive.

It's sad but I would just move on.

I would echo what others have said - I wouldn’t do it. It’s not just the insurance issues you’ll face - it’s being able to appropriately manage it.

If you’re doing it properly - to ensure the dog is as comfortable as possible with no risk of hurting himself - you’ll carpet all your floors, not let him on any furniture, not let him up stairs, do short walks (little but often), hydrotherapy, top of the range beds that are designed for dogs with dysplasia or arthritis, medication, special diet etc.

Labs go to fat easily - honestly, I rarely see a lab that isn’t at least chronically overweight (tbh most are obese) - and a fat lab with hip dysplasia is going to make it worse.

Having a young dog with hip dysplasia is very different to having an old one - tbh it would likely be kinder to put the poor thing to sleep.

I don't know that any insurance will cover a known condition like hip dysplasia, unfortunately.

When companies talk about pre-existing conditions, they generally mean ones that haven't had symptoms for x amount of time, not on-going ones that are never going to go away.

@biscuitsandbooks my insurance covers my dog for an ongoing autoimmune condition. It won't cover the cost of current medication (steroids) but will cover new medication for the same condition.

@CandyLeBonBon which company? I have a cat with pre-existing conditions who currently isn't insured...

@biscuitsandbooks I've used Petsure. I juggled a bit with excesses etc and where I draw the line at treatments/values etc so it's not extortionate, but I've got it to £25 a month cheaper that my existing Tesco bank insurance and it's a reasonable compromise should anything big come up- her meds cost 25 every 3 months so I can absorb that but if she needs a new treatment protocol, insurance will cover her.

https://www.petsure.com/pre-existing-conditions-pet-insurance?gl=114pgmrhrhupMQ...gaaNjMyMzI4Nzg5LjE3Mzg1MDQ0MjU.U.ga_FV4QB3VP4FMTczODUwNDQyNS4xLjAuMTczODUwNDQyNS4wLjAuMA..

As well as the insurance not covering it, which is a biggy, I'd also consider some practical things like stairs - do you live in a house with step free access or a flat, do you have a bedroom downstairs if the dog is unhappy sleeping on a different floor to you, what's your car like - could you get a ramp so the dog doesn't have to jump in, do you have carpets (good) or laminate (the dog may struggle), what's your lifestyle like - are you happy going for shorter sniffy walks rather than big hikes. I'd also ask about behavioural issues, the poor pup has had a bad start and a while in kennels. Young labs would normally be rehomed incredibly quickly. It's really hard to walk away when you're looking for a dog, but sometimes that's the best thing for you and the dog. That said I'd of done what you did and talk to the rescue to get as much info as I could before I made a decision.

@CandyLeBonBon thank you! I'll take a look :)

It’s fairly likely given his age and that he’s in a rescue that it’s not going to be a mild case… because he must be showing signs if it to have been diagnosed.

So it’s pretty likely that you’d be dealing with a young active dog that you’d be the one having to limit what he does, because he’s used to chronic pain and won’t limit himself.

You’ll also have to keep a very close eye on his weight, which impacts what you can give as enrichment activities and training.

Reactivity from pain is also a common issue.

So on top of the financial implications other people have already gone over it ups the odds of behavioural issues from both boredom and pain.

All in, it’s a pretty big gamble for a first dog tbh.

How's it going, have you made a decision?

Don't go to see him first. He'll be lovely, and heartbreaking.
If a rescue / "rescue" organization have decided that this dog is worth a go, they need to put their money where their mouth is help you out a lot in funding the next decade of care and pain management.
He must already be struggling; someone noticed a gait abnormality and sent him for radiographs.

My 7 year old Lab has the same and is now in the early stages of arthritis. He costs us around £250 a month in total for food, insurance and painkillers. I absolutely adore him and would do it all over again for him, but it is hard and expensive. It also makes me sad sometimes seeing him when he's a bit stiff, knowing that he can't tell me if he's in pain