Hi, on Monday my husband and I found out that our lovely little 10 month old puppy Milly has sever hip dysplasia. She is a beautiful little dog with a wonderful personality and I’m totally dismayed by the diagnosis and really struggling at the moment. She is on pain and anti-inflammation medicine and will be for the next 6 months. She is on total bed rest for 10 days and then can only exercise for 15 mins per day, increasing by 5 mins each week which is really hard for her because she is an active little dog who can’t understand why we won’t let her play anymore.
By the time Milly is 4 years she will need a ,000 – ,000 operation to fix this problem (either a total hip replacement or a Triple Pelvic Osteotomy on both sides.) Both surgeries options are invasive, the recovery time is 6 to 8 weeks and there is no guarantee that she won’t still have problems or develope arthritis or other issues later in life. I really don’t know what to do. We can’t afford the surgery so at the moment Milly is on a management program (managing the pain, not fixing it the hip dysplasia.) The vet is hoping that the pain will decrease when she is 1 and a half and if that happens she may be okay until she is about four. The problem is unless we can get the money for the operation, she will need to be put down when her pain is unable to be managed anymore which will be at about four years old.
Has anyone else had a puppy with this problem? What did you do? How is the dog now? We have brought her an electric blanket because its coming into winter here (in New Zealand.) We are also buying her a second hand orthopedic bed because she struggles to get out of her basket, is there anything else we can do while she is so sore? What are some ways we can keep her occupied while she is on bed rest? She has a kong and a few other treat toys but she has to lose 2 kgs (she is only just average weight but they want her underweight so there isn’t as much pressure on her hips) so most chew things are out. Is there supplements we can give her to help the cartilage keep repairing itself? We are giving her glucosamine and chondroitin as well as green mussel and deer velvet every day.
How can I stop crying every time I look at her knowing that unless we can get the money together she will be put down in about four years? Should we just put her to sleep now rather than dragging it out for the next 4 years?
I’m really gutted that we don’t get to enjoy her as long as other people get to enjoy their dogs but I want to do what’s best for her so any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.
April 27th, 2010 - 12:21 pm
I just wanted to tell you our story. Be have a Bulldog that was diagnosed with severe Hip Dysplasia at SIX months old. With that being said, she didn’t show really any symptoms of discomfort or pain until she was 3. (I do realize that your dog may be worse than ours, or may not be) Anyway, money was of no problem for us for the surgery, but with this breed, surgery is NOT the best option. Our dog has been on Rimadyl and a Glucosamine/MSM supplement for 4 years straght, and is doing VERY well, considering. She just turned 7 in February. Oh, and she can run like the wind when she desires to. (She’s one of those lazy Bulldogs) So, if all bloodwork keeps coming back normal, I would suggest that you DO talk about long term use of medications. While many people believe that long term use of Rimadyl is not good, we really didn’t have any option. I know of at least 10 people that have had dogs on Rimady for years and years, with NO ill effects at all. That’s why blood testing is required for this drug. So, I would discuss this with your Vet and see how the dog is in the future. Nobody has a crystal ball and can tell you how bad she will or won’t be by the time she is 4, just as your financial situations can change in the future, as well. Take each day as it comes. When MY dog is no long enjoying a life of quality, I will have her euthanized. I have said that about every single dog I’ve ever had in the past 45 years (and there’s been a lot) and always will.
Add: Oh, and I did had to euthanize a 9 month old pup 2 years ago, not for HD, but for another serious medical issue. It was very hard, but ya have to do what ya have to do. (as a now 54 year old woman, I believe I am capable of making adult decisions, no matter how hard they may be)
April 27th, 2010 - 12:21 pm
I won’t add to the distress you’re feeling by going into why it is important to buy from a reputable breeder who offers a 26mo. health guarantee.
Advice: wait until she’s a year and a half, as the vet suggests. HD can be managed in many cases by appropriate feeding, keeping the dog lean and very well muscled. Many dogs still need anti-inflams after heavy exercise, but can still function well.
It’s impossible to tell how bad the dysplasia will be until the dog is fully grown. Further, many dogs with terrible xrays don’t show terrible symptoms, and many with bad symptoms have only mildly dysplastic hips- it all depends on the dog.
It’s a tough decision, but if the dog is in a lot of pain, it might be the the most humane course to have the dog put down now rather than have her suffer for the next several years. I have heard of very good results from the surgery, but it is almost prohibitively expensive.
Good Luck!