Beaus x-ray (sorry it took so long)

[Lucy_Nottingham]

Ok here is the best copy I could make of beaus hip xray.

It doesnt look as drastic I dont think as I thought it was when i first saw it, but if you draw a straight line from the top of the hip socket downwards on the right and left, compare how much of the femoral head is in the joint.
RHS - majority
LHS - about 1/3

As I say not horrendous but noticable!

His lameness is slightly lessening, however I dont think this cold weather is helping much!
He is on glucosamine chondroitin and omega 3 tablets and Iv altered his diet intake and exercise regime (as in 2 shorter walks rather than the usual 1 longer one)

any other suggestions anyone please? Will be trying hydro a) when i have the money and b) hwen its warmer!

Thanks

 

[Charmaine18]

I know nothing about HD (is this what Beau has?), but I can see the difference in the Xray. Hope he's happy and well with your management of it - he's a very lucky dog to have an owner so well-prepared to handle it!

I'm thinking of getting Leah's hips looked at, because after a long walk she often gets very stiff in her back end (and she is almost definitely part GSD, which I believe are prone to HD). Might just be her age though.

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

ye its HD. but only the LHS which is slightly odd, but not totally unusual!

Just wish it hadnt happened now as he is only 19mnths old and its like why?!!! I dont want it to effect his early fun boistrous years (which at present it isnt!) and im worried it will effect him severly later on in life and I will lose him earlier than I should!
argh! stupid genetic deformity!

How old is Leah? That is a sign of HD or arthritis.... beau was just lame after lying on a hard surface for a period of time, thats it!

 

[Spudlet]

Does he wear a rug of any sort? Keeping him a bit warmer might help perhaps?

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

he doesnt have a rug at present. But its only after he lies down not when out on a walk.

Can I ask a question about insurance as well if anyone can help?

I want to start beau on a lifetime insurance but I am not sure if the vets stated the result of the xray on their records as it was done as a favour to me................

Dont know if that would mean Id ahve to state it on application........

dont know what to do about it

 

[Elle123]

Hi,
My lab Mac has had a both hips replaced and is a new born dog! He is 10 now and like a puppy. He had the first done when he was around 7 and the second last year.

We managed it for a year before he had the first one done (don't worry, he had basically no socket so it need to be done, not saying your need a replacement)

What we found helped him was:

1. A good decent bed (his was magnetic aswell), test it, if you can touch the floor basically it needs to be a bit thicker, even putting some cheap duvets underneath helps. But too thick and they struggle to get out.

2. Keeping him warm - i.e on cold days a rug, if he gets wet drying him off and putting thermalux/jumper on

3. Well done on the joint supplement that makes a big difference

4. Magnetic collar

5. Stopping games like fetch and tug of war. He used to play hunt the sausage instead

6. Keeping him out of very cold water, difficult for a lab!

can't think of anything else for now, hope it has helped

and that yours keeps doing well

Elle
x

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

elle thank you.
I am thinking of getting him a new bed when i get back to uni (next week) as the pet shops there are cheaper and i got his latest bed from there and he adores it!

how much did your replacement cost? And who did it?! I know the surgeon at north west surgeons who i would want to do it...... but I think im right in it being about £3000??
It is unfortunatly my only option now apart from a femoral head and neck excision which I dont like!!!

what the heck is hunt the sausage?!!! beau isnt really a hunter though, but unfortuantly loves tug of war and occasionally fetch, although he sometimes looks at you like WTF did you throw that for?!!

 

[Elle123]

hehe hunt the sausage is basically cut up cocktail sausages tiny and spread them around the house/garden. Have to shut Mac out when you place them though otherwise he just follows you round gobbling them up! He is very greedy though so finds it easy. If you let them smell one and throw it first it helps

He had his hips down in devises down here in the south i think. Dr Denny is the surgeon if memory serves and it was around £2500. The first was one insurance, the second wasnt though

It is quite a long rehab and you have to keep them very quiet. We were offered a femoral head and neck excision too but didnt think it was really fair on him, I think in the long run a replacement is the only way to go.

If they have a real thing about fetch (Mac does!) they can still do it in water, so thats a good way of fulfilling that need.

Mac had a lot of hydrotherapy too that helped loads, may be worth getting a lifejacket, really helped, they can just swim without worrying about keeping afloat so much

Hope it helps

Elle
x

 

[MurphysMinder]

I have been sitting here comparing those x rays with my lots. Firstly, and I know this sounds pedantic, I suspect if those x rays were submitted for scoring they would be rejected, because his pelvis and spine is quite tilted. My vet always trys to take x rays absolutely straight as the screening panel say a tilt can affect the score. Beau's hips definitely look nearer to Evies (hs 7 ) than Bufys (hs 38), but of course I am a complete layman when it comes to reading plates.
I have never known a dog who has had the op so can't offer an opinion, but would mention, yet again, my old bitch with a score in the 90s who was active until the day she died, by keeping her slim and well muscled we seemed to keep the problems of arthritis at bay.

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

MM - yey was hoping ud reply.

yes I know that its not an ideal x-ray but it was done as a favour to me whilst on placement and I only had to pay for the anaesthesia

(hehe cheap arse student I know!) and the vet does a lot of hip scoring plates as does many for a breeder (but obv would spend more time etc on his than mine) and said that even that twist (although would make a paying for scoring plate be regected) is not enough to effect the socket position etc that much...... which sucks ass as I would really like to blame the positioning for it!
As I say it doesnt (at present) effect him activity wise, and I am always keen on keeping his weight to a healthy weight etc. I am hoping to go on for some hydrotherapy with him now he has realised how great swimming is..... and getting him a new bed to give added support when lying down etc (although I cant stop the bugger lying on the laminate wood floor!!!)

what did you do MM about insurance btw? are yours all done on lifetime policies? did you do any additional bits on your bitch?

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

elle - ye beau doesnt need the life jacket!

hehe

not sure beau is food orientated enough unfortunatly to play that game!

And that is cheaper than I thought......... hmmm.......
still not sure if my insurance will cover it trying to sort that out at the moment before I need any more doing on it! hopefully its only effected his LHS though so I will only need to pay for 1 side! (prays!)

and ye femoral head and neck does not sound nice at all! and im a vet student, I should be keen on procedures but that one just doesnt sound nice to me!

How long was the rehab for you and what did you have to do?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Agree with MM, not dead on straight so hard to tell definitively, yes, you can see a little on the left hand side but not so bad as I was expecting to be honest!

Agree with keeping him as fit as you can and looking at supplements, all the best.

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

CC - ye did say not as horrednous as I thought when it first came out! (hehe yes I was in a slight panic state! totally not over reactive owner here!

)

I wish it had been straighter so I had a better frame of mind but as I say at least it was a) cheaper for me (hehe) and b) indicative enough so I have an idea of what is wrong.

In terms of me buying a new bed.......... i was looking at the orthopaedic style beds for him but the only one i can find is the wainwrights one at pets at home which is £55ish which is a bit extreme me feels for a dog bed.............. anyone have any other ideas of where i can get a good one? as not sure if regular pet shops will have one and I cant really afford to spend that much on a dog bed right now

 

[MurphysMinder]

Well the bitch with the score in the 90s wasn't insured (we're talking 1970/80s here, not many were) and neither is Buffy, so can't really answer that. Knowing how insurance companies try to wriggle out of things suspect they would exclude as it is a genetic condition

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

bugger, stupid insurance companies!

lol

stupid dog for haivng stupid condition!

good job they are cute hey!

 

[Elle123]

[ QUOTE ]
How long was the rehab for you and what did you have to do

[/ QUOTE ]

It was about 6 weeks lead walking I think. Then gradual increase over a month. Ramp in and out of the car. No playing with other dogs. They have to be on the lead even just going out to the toilet (Mac didnt like this, he's a shy pooer!

)

Oh and as far as insurance goes Mac was with the NFU and we had no problems. He would probably have a better chance as a young dog.

Mac didn't need a lifejacket either, just peace of mind incase he dislocated his hip (this used to happen regularly before the op

Hope all goes well

Elle
x

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

o dear!!!! That doesnt sound good about the dislocation!!!

ye beau is a shy pooer and wee-er unless desperate. And not very calm at the best of times (unless told to be)
But if it made him better then hed have to put up with it!

Ahh, beau is with tesco currently. Im just trying to do all my research to figure out the best way to progress on this front.

still on the bed search, and still not getting very far!