Hip Dysplasia and your Dog

My dog Buddy has a bad knee (might be both) and we just had to have TPLO surgery on his knee and while taking xrays for that, the vet pointed out that Buddy will also have hip dysplasia.  I've talked to a few vets as well as pet owners and although there is no sure way to avoid having it, I do know that Gluoclosomine and Chondroiton together have helped some animals live years without having to have the surgery.  I now give Buddy his pills everyday.  I've been told conflicting things about the pills too, I've heard that you can just buy them out of the vitamin section at your local Walmart and thats fine, but I've also heard that you should only get the kind that you need a prescription from your vet for.  I don't know which is more accurate, but I am giving him the ones I got from the vet initially for his knee issues. 

 I hope your poor baby starts feeling better.  I'd start giving her the gluoclosomine and chondroiton immediately.  I think that makes a big difference.  Other than that, I don't know cause we haven't reached that point yet.  Good luck.

Talk to the folks who have had this DONE.  Outdoorschik had it done on Oliver and she will tell you what she did and what she wishes she had done. 

SERIOUSLY go to a vet school -- it's worth the hours to get there (and I know whereabouts you are) -- but just a specialty vet, or a vet "whose done a lot of them" is NOT good enough.

Talk to Bevo's mom, Amanda -- she knows the GOOD vets (but more towards Houston I think).  But truly you do NOT want just any vet doing these surgeries.  And a specialist may charge out the ying yang and not necessarily be awesome.  But Amanda can find out the best vet where you are,

I've got an arthritis article (it's not the same but pain management IS pain management) that will help you.  If you do ANY nsaids at all, start milk thistle and use a TON of it. 

glucosamine and chondroitin are not the same thing.  some vets recommend combining them - some say use one or the other.  But understand one thing -- both of them are "hydrators".

That means they "Plump up" (add water to) the cartilage in the joints.  Now -- that's FINE ***if*** there is cartilage still there.  Stop using it and it stops helping.  Adequan is simply the pharmaceutical version of g/c (good company but pricey).

Honestly the first thing I'd tell you to start is Knox Nutra Joint (grocery store -- jello aisle -- likely on the top shelf.  purple/organge can with an orange top) -- get the one with no Nutrasweet in it. 

 NutraJoint is essentially calcium and gelatin (which is ground up bovine cartilage) plus some nutrients/minerals.  It actually puts the "stuff" (precise medical term?) at the body's disposal that it needs to RE-BUILD cartilage.  It actually helps rebuild that cartilage. 

Now -- understanding that hip dysplasia is an acual defect in the joint itself.  The ball and socket don't fit properly together so when the joint moves the ball "rattles around" in the socket so it doesn't operate smoothly.  Essentially the dog uses MUSCLE power to hold the ball in the socket.  This is hard as heck on the joint and on the dog. 

It wears the cartilage seriously because it's so jagged and ill-fitting. 

Pain management is a big frigging deal.  so is understanding how exercise is critical BUT you can't over-do it.  Because it's a fine fine line between exercise to keep the muscles in tone and INFLAMMATION because the joint got too irritated.  I can help you figure out the signs in the dog to watch for. 

I would invest in a wagon -- she's a big girl -- I liked the Child's "Two Step" wagon we had for Muffin cos it had a door in the side so he could step up in rather than having to jump (or be lifted) and I just build a false bottom for it.  The Radio Flyer one has fold down seats and goes flat on the bottom (it's what we use now)

WHY am I going on about this?

Because -- it's critical to STOP when she begins feeling pain.  And if you're 12 blocks from home that's a problem.  so honestly it's better to have the wagon so you can go essentially as far as you want -- but periodically let her ride and rest.  Then ... let her walk a while ... but then ride and rest.  Even if you only have her walk every other block -- it will help immensely.  DON'T let her jump in and out of the wagon -- make some steps (blocks of plastic or hard foam rubber covered with carpet would work GREAT) so she doesn't have to 'jump' unless your'e expert in lifting her butt up in and helping her down out of the wagon.

She WILL learn to ride -- it's pretty easy and they get to really love it because they can 'go' they don't hurt and they are **with you** as far as you go. They don't feel bad because you "stopped" because they were hurting.  (yeah, they get it -- trust me).  Schlep your purse underneath or a bottle of water in the bottle holders and it becomes easy.

Email me and I'll give you that article ok?  I can't pm it because it's a word doc.

I have an HD dog too. We are two years post op THR and doing very well. Teddi was severe on the right, moderate on the left. I want to second Callie about going to a vet school, Michigan State University is not too far from me they did Teddi's surgery and it was "less" then going to a specialist office, yet I had a TOP NOTCH ortho vet. The expense reduction comes in the fact students (not techs) do the pre and post op care. 

HD is a tough pill to swallow at first but there are a LOT of dogs living full productive lives with or with out surgery and HD. I highly recommend joint supplements they absolutely can not hurt. Keeping ALL excess weight off is important. Moderate consistent exercise to maintain muscle strength but like Callie said again do not walk until  your dog becomes sore.  I have heard from many acupuncture can help the pain too. If you want to try to manage without surgery. Swimming is EXCELLENT exercise for an HD dog. Does not put strain on the joint.

My Teddi also had elbow dysplasia diagnosed last winter. We can not do surgery since we did her hip so we are managing that. One thing we did was put her on salmon oil. It has natural anti-inflammatory properties it really has helped her. We also put her on Adequan injections. It is expensive to start, they need one shot every four days for a month then just once a month after that. My vet showed me how to do it so I can give my own injections. (knock on wood) we have not seen Teddi limp since last Feb early. She is loving life, running around having a grand old time. 

I hope you don't need surgery putting it off as long as possible is a good thing too. We had no option. We operated on Teddi's worst side, my surgeon said he has NEVER done a bilateral THR and she should be fine. So far she is, we actually do not have to worry about her right side at all, it will never get arthritic either. 

As far as post op getting around. They do just fine. For 3 months all the "exercise" Teddi was allowed was potty walks. She figured that out really fast, and would REALLY walk around looking for "just the right spot". They really adapt to doing what needs to be done very quickly. I was actually amazed how quickly she "used" her right hip. I honestly think too within one week of surgery she was no longer in "pain" sure she was probably still sore from the surgery but I think her pain was gone. 

Dogs are stoic, and pain is hard to determine. The slow getting up and down are signs, reluctance to climb stairs... You have to watch an assess your own dog for behavior changes. I think Teddi was symptomatic from about 2-3 months of age but we didn't really know what to look for at the time. One thing was she did not like to lay down or get up. I thought she was lazy. My lab does not like to lay down, ultimate in submissive act sort of thing. So when Teddi was reluctant I didn't really think much about it. Now post op she drops like a rock, and leaps back up. I have no regrets making the decisions we did. I wish she did not have to go through it all, but we have committed ourselves to helping her live her life to the fullest. 

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I am no expert but have lived through it. Also there is a yahoo canine HD group that are very nice very helpful and you will hear EVERY version of HD, good bad and ugly. But the support there for me was wonderful. Good people. 

Ann

 Oh Ann,

 Thanks so much for the very informative information.  I really appreciate it.  We have Maggie on a diet to get a few lbs off her and I started supplements a few days ago.  I will check out the yahoo group. Thanks