hip dysplasia

[toaoemerald]

Has anyone here had a dog that had Hip Dysplasia? I'm pretty sure my black Labrador does(I know it's pretty common in them). I called our vet yesterday after he started limping on his back legs and the vet said it could be from over exercise or it could be the early signs of Hip Dysplasia. I looked up the symptoms and he has all the signs. We're going get x-rays etc. as soon as possible.

I was wondering what to expect in cost/rehabilitation etc.

Oh, and he's a little over 2 years old...

[snapdragen]

It probably will depend on how bad the dysplasia is. Chloe was diagnosed with it a little over a year ago. Initially she was given some antiinflamitories (sp?) to take, for a couple of weeks. Now she gets a glucosamine "snack" after dinner. She's doing great, walks, runs and jumps with no problem.

[newfsmith]

Another common problem in Labs with the hinds is a rupture or partial rupture of the ACL ligament. On physical exam you can usually distinguish hip pain from knee pain, the ROM of the affected joint will be limited. Even if the hips are affected, that can predispose them to ACL rupture so the usual routine is for radiographs (x-rays) under anesthesia to evaluate the hips with the legs fully extended. The standard view includes the knees. If the hips are dysplastic, some doctors also like to take what is called a frog view, with the thighs at 90 degrees to the hip socket and the hocks touching. That gives a better view of the joint space. While anesthetized, the doctor should also manipulate both joints to evaluate for the Ortolani sign in the hip (basically to see if the hip can easily be moved out of the socket) and the Anterior Drawer sign in the knee (to see if the shin can move forward of the femur excessively). Both of these manipulations need to be done under anesthesia in most dogs the size of Labs, their muscle strength is too great to be able to properly evaluate these in an awake animal. They may also look for Tibial Thrust. If it is a knee problem additional lateral views of the knee may be taken. Depending on your location and the type of anesthesia used that evaluation will cost $250 to $650. Some of that variation is due to the region, vet techs and associate vets salaries vary across the country and that will effect costs. Some vets will use a IM sedative that can be reversed for a short procedure like this, others feel safer having the animal catheterized, intubated and on inhalent anesthesia. It is best to ask to have the vet use the method s/he is most familiar with, but it will affect costs.

If your dog is dysplastic, it is best to have the rads reviewed by a certified veterinary orthopedic surgeon. At 2 he is probably too old for some of the procedures used in dogs under a year of age. If there are already moderate joint changes he may need a joint replacement. These run $4000 to $8000. Often if there is bilateral HD only the worst hip is done.

Obviously, for most people the cost of hip replacement is not feasible. That does not mean you have to put your dog down. There are lots of things you can do to help them be comfortable. 1)KEEP THEM SKINNY!! Almost to the point where you can see a hint of ribs. Don't listen to people complain about how thin he is, they aren't carrying the excess weight on his hips for him. 2)Ask about nutraceuticals: glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and antioxidents. Most vets carry flavored products that are quite palatable (to dogs). 3)Avoid lots of running, but swimming is great and Labs love it. So if your dog lives to play fetch try to do it near water, or keep the throws shorter and don't do it for a hour, just 10 minutes, then go for a leash walk to distract them from the interruption. 4)There are now lots of NSAID's available for dogs, discuss the selection and use with your vet. Many young dogs can use them only as needed, but as they age they may need to use them continuously. All NSAID's in both people and dogs can have effects on the kidney and liver, so many vets want to check the blood periodically to catch if any of these side-effects are occurring. As a final note, dogs can be given aspirin, but be sure to check the dose with your vet, only for shorter time periods and never mixed with the Rx NSAID's or prednisone. Ibuprofen should never be given to dogs, they are much more prone to GI bleeding with it than people.

Good Luck. PM me if you have more specific questions.