HIP DYSPLASIA IN 8 MONTH OLD NEWFIE

[oil711]

Our 8 month old newfie has sever hip dysphasia in both hips. Vet recommends doing hip replacement. We need to know all the good and bad points about recovery etc - no holds barred, looking for someone that has went through the same. Both hips will have to be done at different times. We would not like him to suffer unduly by putting him through surgery. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

[newflvr]

I had a Landseer who went through the total hip replacement at a year.  Where are you located?  Is an orthopedist going to do the surgery?  I think it is absolutely essential that you have it done at either a major surgery center with an orthopedist who has done LOTS of these surgeries or at a VET training university...a gain by someone who has done many many of these procedures.

Otis had no hip socket on one side and very little on the other side.  We did the worst one first and he spent the night in the hospital and I brought him home the next day.  The recovery is really tough!  He had a morphine patch for the first week which made him quite agitated.  I slept next to him for three weeks so I could give him ice chips and take him out to go to the bathroom.  At three weeks, he was fairly good and could walk on his own.  By six weeks he was excellent and at 3 months he was running and playing and back to normal.  We never did his second hip because he was functioning normally. 

In conversation with the various vet techs who took care of him and in the follow-up visits, the consensus was that he was really lucky that it went so smoothly and that he had SUCH a good result.  Otis was an exceptionally big newf (tall....about 35 inches at the shoulder) and there was some thought that could have been the reason for his bad hips.  He also had a very bad spine...and that's a whole other story.

I'm happy to share the names of the Doctors who worked on him so maybe you could check with them for referals if you'd like...

[paharts]

i think you need another opinion, preferably from a specialist that has LOTS of experience with giant breeds.  here's my story:

many years ago, my mother and many other mastiff breeders [mainly in CA] voluntarily took their very young dogs to UC Davis to participate in a study on HD. after x-raying 1 of our 8 month old males, they said he had such SEVERE hd that he should be euthanized right away or, at the very least, absolutely never bred and they didn't think he'd continue walking for very long. luckily, mom listened to her gut and continued to show him while watching him closely for any problems. he won a LOT and finished to CH quickly. when this dog was older, they took him back to Davis for a follow-up and they determined that he had 'very good' hips. he went on to take many BOBs and sired many beautiful babies, and i don't think any were diagnosed with hd.

during this study, they determined that the manner in which giant dogs breeds grow can cause hd false positives.

I found some sites at mastiff.org that you might be interested in checking out.
Diagnosis
The Importance of Good Positioning on Canine Hip X-Rays
Treatment and Care
Hip Dysplasia Treatment Options
Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Dr. Henry De Boer Jr. on Canine Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia & Spondylosis - Alternative Treatments >www.holisticve tconsult.com/dysplasia.htm<
Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine
The Senior Dogs Project
Adequan Canine for Degenerative Joint Disease
Ester-C: Miracle Cure for Hip Dysplasia???

i hope this information helps you in this very difficult situation.
best wishes, katy

[megaburn]

Please get a second opinion before surgery.  Have you seen the xrays yourself?   Did you know that large breeds take anywhere from 1.5 - 3 years to fully mature in their body and mind?  I am the mother of Katy.  What she wrote was true.  My male did come out with 'GOOD" HIPS and continued his life til almost 12.  Hope you do not jump at just one vets opinions.  Good luck.

[Nicole]

Hi.

My SIL had her Yellow Lab's hips done at Purdue University. One of the best in the country. Here is a THR Fact sheet from their website. They do MANY MANY THR Surgeries. They are wonderful. My SIL and Vinny, her Yellow Lab, had a very good experience, and I'm sure that Purdue's Vets would be more than willing to answer questions for you.

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/hospital/faq_hip_replacement.pdf

Here is the evaluation form, so you can see what kinds of things they look at:

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/hospital/hip_owner_eval.pdf

And finally, the link to their homepage:

http://www.vet.purdue.edu/hospital/

Good luck! There are tons of knowledgeable people her at Big Paws Only and you should be able to find a wealth of information and support!

[Dracosmom]

Hi, I am new here and was emailed the topic of your post since I too had a newfie diaganosed with severe hip dysplasia at six mos in both hips.  We opted for not getting the total hip replacement so I cannot help you with what that entails, I only know it was very expensive (ten yrs ago) I am thinking in the 30xxx range for one hip (but might have been total both hips, its been a long while so my memory isnt sharp on the amount) Remember it was 10 yrs ago and medical science I am sure had improved since. But I believe there were no guarantees ten yrs ago that the hip replacement would be 100 percent guarantee.
We opted for a surgical procedure (cant remember what its called) where they scraped the loose particles of bone tissue/cartilage etc which was about three grand. She also had OCD in all her limbs (knees, elbows, shoulders you name it) She was taken to the very best animal hosp in my state and after looking at exrays, was suprised when they opened her up how bad it really was.
She was never able to go on walks but could tolerate walking on flat surfaces. The only walks she had was around our culdesac, of course in the yard, and visits to petco. So she wasnt completely lame. But very limited.
She had a wonderful quality of life despite that, we had meds for her on days that she needed them more than others. And I believe a shot (cosequin??) that would last a few mos. It was a shot they give horses I am probably wrong on the name of it. We did have to choose to put her down humanely at two yrs of age but REMEMBER, I did not have the hip replacement so pls listen to someone who had gone thru that procedure and not take just my story as it is different and was ten yrs ago.
Anyway, one thing I can tell you is being a puppy, it is hard to control them to not jump and romp. Even as I picked her up from the hospital a few days after surgery, she immedialtely jumped on me like she had NO pain. We were crating her alot since she was supposed to not run or jump.  Young puppies want to run, jump and tend to get excited. So that in itself is a tremedous feat to try to keep them in a calm state.
If you can afford the hip replacement, I would definitly get your questions answered and pursue that! Looking back, I do not regret prolonging my babies life.  It was a wonderful 2 years I would not trade.  You probably with medical science today and if you are able to afford it, can prolong your babies life probably far longer than mine. But again, pls dont take my experience or opinion as mine is far outdated and our choice was not in regards to the total hip replacement.  I am just sharing with you, that I do indeed understand what you are going thru.
I would go with what the vets say is expected and listen to people who did this procedure within a time frame more up to date then when I had the experience
I am very sorry! And i wish you and your baby perfect results!!

[newflvr]

I agree about the second opinion and third and fourth, if necessary to get a consensus about the best method of treatment.  Dracosmom, I think Otis' surgery was $5000 five years ago...it seems to be pretty standard.  I'm so sorry that you had such a tough time with your baby!  How awful!  I completely understand the pain of losing such a young dog. Otis only made it to 3 1/2....but they were very good years.  He seemed to be pain free and enjoyed every minute of life.  There was not a time he didn't INSIST on riding shotgun next to me!  His spine just couldn't handle his size...but even at the end, his hip was fine.  We did keep him very thin and he took all sorts of joint support meds, but sometimes you are just dealt a bad hand!

[Dracosmom]

$5000 that is way lower than what we were told that long ago.  That is amazing!  I am sure the prognosis is way better too now days!
Pls keep us posted, I am really trying to figure out this board and how to keep on top of topics so I just now found my way back here! And I would love to hear how your baby comes along!!!!!!!!!

[maggieb]

I have been thru this and my dog Cooper had triple pelvic osteotomy on both hips last summer.  He was about 8 months old.  My husband and I really struggled with the decision and heard the stories about dogs who "grew out of it" but the doctor didn't think he had a good chance b/c arthritis had already started in one hip. His surgery totaled about $6000 for both hips.

It is now about 9 months later and he is doing wonderfully. We just had some x-rays last week b/c his hips were making a clicking noise, but they looked great! No arthritis showing and full joint coverage.  We don't regret it for a minute and feel fortunate that we had the resources to do it.  It was a very hard recovery, though.

let me know if you want anymore info..
Good luck!