Some advice re limping please

[firstofallimadelight]

DDog is a bouncy lab/german shepherd cross, he’s five years old with zero health issues until recently. In Jan he started limping intermittently, when he had been sat for a while. If he was on the setee he would jump down onto 3 legs holding his right back leg up then limping for a minute or so. Same if he’s getting up off the floor, it doesn’t last it’s just that initial movement.
Vet said torn ligament in right knee, they prescribed anti inflammatorys and told us to reduce walks (2x 15 min as opposed to 2x 1 hour walks) give him paracetamol and start joint supplements. It eased off but started up again shortly after dh started to increase his walks again (after 4 weeks), so dh reduced walks again and it seemed to help but then a couple weeks after anti inflammatorys stopped it started again. So we got him back in vets and he is back on anti inflammatorys and being referred for X-ray they are now saying possibly hip dysplasia (sp?) . He’s still on reduced walks.

Any advice please and long term outcomes?

I'd get a referral to an orthopaedic specialist.

I don't understand why your vet is treating a suspected torn ligament with pain relief and reduced exercise. In most case (especially large breeds) it needs surgery. My spaniel is currently on crate rest, having had TPLO surgery three weeks ago for her ruptured ligament.

Hers didn't show as a limp. She stood wih her leg slightly out of line and only put her toes on the floor.

I have no experience of HD, so can't comment on that. But if he's limping mainly after sitting or lying down for a while, it could be a touch of arthritis.

Ask the vet about hydrotherapy. I don’t know if it would be covered on insurance.
Our rescue collie cross had joint problems and he loved his hydrotherapy. Initially we travelled to an animal hospital for it. Think at first it was covered on our insurance as recovery from an operation.
We then found somewhere local and paid to continue. It helped him so much.
Hope you find something that helps.

Thanks that’s great

Hip dysplasia usually shows as a bunny hop type of movement, so I think you would have noticed that. I was at the vet's with one of my Labs and this poor Lab came in with it. It's quite distinctive.

Ok that’s reassuring thanks