question about hip dysplasia

A fellow foster person wrote to me about a friend's dog. I was hoping one of you more knowledgable about this could help me out. This is what she writes:

With a dog that young, surgery is usually the way to go, isn't it?

 

That sounds like what happened to a dog we had a long time ago. But he didn't get it until he was 11 or 12 - ancient for a St. Bernard - so we never looked into surgery. He started out like that, falling every now and then, etc. but then it got to where he couldn't get up and would cry a lot.

For the more severe cases of dysplasia, surgery is really the only way to go. You can do stuff to help the situation, such as taking glucosamine and similar supplements and also pain medicine but it isn't going to fix anything, just make it liveable.

The surgery is VERY expensive. Someone I know had it done on her dog (a young puppy) and it was $4000. And it is very complicated surgery. I guess it depends on the dog but for her dog they had to break his pelvis and do other things. He had grade 4 (i think - the worst kind) dysplasia. He couldn't walk for a long time - my friend had to lift him around with a towel. He also had to be confined for a long time. So it is a lot of work. But she said he is doing great now - so he's a total success story.

Dysplasia is such a nasty thing. I think whoever breeds dogs with it should be arrested. This woman also rescues dogs and she recently rescued a mastiff that has grade 3 dysplasia. This dog was from a litter of puppies that were sold for $1800!!!!!!!!!! I actually saw them in the paper and called ( the price wasn't listed in the ad lol - I hung up immediately after ). It's just such a waste.

 

I really think you should have to have a license to breed dogs, and guidelines to follow with necessary tests, etc.

 

It sounds as though the dog is bad shape with it if its having so much trouble standing.

There are 3 surgical options, a THR (total hip replacemt), a TPO (triple pelvic osteotomy) and an FHO ( femoral head ostectomy), a TPO is generally only done on younger dogs and an FHO is more succesful on smaller dogs and cats though.

Is it in both hips or just one? THR is the more expensive surgery and Id say Eliza is about right with the cost (per hip), and with the recovery time although the dogs seem to recover a lot quicker than humans that have a hip replaced.

If the finances are a real issue and surgery is not possible then a realistic discussion needs to take place with the vet or an orthapedic specialist to see exactly how bad it is and if anything can be given medically to help alleviate the pain and make the dog more comfortable, quality of life is important. Ive lost count of how many dogs Ive seen put to sleep because of severe CHD when the funds are not available for surgery. Its a tough situation to be in

I have seen an entire litter of either 11 or 13 German Shepherd pups euthanized because NONE of them had any hips, they got to 3 weeks old and they couldnt stand....AT ALL.
It is possible though to get a dysplastic dog even when a couple of generations back on both sides have good OFA x-rays.

 

Thats sad. And Hip displaycia is horrible. Its quite painful and if the dog is showing signs that early, then surgery is the way to go. They can have them x-rayed to see how severe it is....and go from there. Some with mild deformation can be treated with supliments, but usually end up needing the surgery.


I agree Jamiya, I think breeders should have to have licences, and Anyone wanting to breed MUST ahve a licence, and the only wayt to get them is to prove all your stock has been tested.

The money I've dished out already on my girls is reaching the thousands... Precious goes in April to have her OFA Cert done.. everything else is good to go...

Oen thing about breeding to make these new "designer dogs" like Labradoodles, and pugiwahwah's, goldendoodles, cockapoos, ect.... is they don't care about the dogs their producing, as long as they turn a dime....

Let me tell ya, I'm fixing to dish out $230 per dog (Buki and Precious) on hip testing, $110 on eye, ear testing, and another $70 some odd dollars on elbow...

Then I've got to have Precious "flushed" to mae sure there's no bacteria or anyting inside the vagina, Pay at least $1000 stud fee and then another $200 to have her Artificially insiminated, and Hopefully it will work on the first try, each try is 200 bucks...

thats not even counting all the vet vistits, sonograms, suplliments, new supplies, ect... then the vaccinations and care and testing of the pups after their born..

So whoever says breeding makes money.... I'd like to knock them in the head....

And those that just pump out puppies without a care in the world... I'd like to do worse to them....

But ya know what, in the end, I'll have the healthiest, most respected dogs and the families that are priilaged to have my pups, will have nothing to worry about genetics wise, and will rest asure their dogs are the best of the best....


Sorry for such a long post, yall know how much that just pisses me off and gets me all tuned up! LOL

 

" pugiwahwah's," :shock: :shock: :shock: what is that!!

 

I just figured it out! It must be a cross between a Pug and a Chihuahua. Took me a while.

Speaking of designer breeds, it looks like I am going to get a Labradoodle to foster. The brindle unknown-breed girl I was going to get came down with the sniffles so her original foster dad kept her. The Labradoodle is in a home with a new baby that broke out in terrible welts when the dog licked him/her (or so they say). I find out tomorrow when I will get her.

 

OH MAN, this crossbreeding has gone too far

as for the laberdoodle, there is probably more to the story I wonder if the parents are just freaking out because the dog licked the baby and they cant handle it. maybe they think the baby will get sick Some peopel area real funny that way. I had to a freind with her first baby that would went nuts and would steralize everything, and I mean everything, vacuum every day, wouldnt let the baby on thefloor due germs etc,

 

Yes honeybears, I know people like that, too. I also know of children who break out when licked by a dog, though. Personally, I would try to work through the problem rather than just booting the dog out the door, but many people won't take the time to do that.

As far as sterilizing everything - they are lucky if that child isn't very sickly now. Exposure to some level of germs is actually good because it strengthens the immune system.