Hip Dysplasia?

N

noodle_

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 October 2010
Messages
5,083
Location
Earth...
Visit site
I think im overreacting...but id like some opinions?

I have 1 dog who has mild Hip dysplasia, she hops when she runs (which is why i originally got her x-rayed), she was shown with hip dysplasia, which took me two years to get vets to listen to me.

Been a while since we have had a puppy, he's now 6 months old, and he too hops (rather than a proper gaited run) when he chases a ball/on a field etc. He's not lame, he does waddle when he walks, but is that just a spaniel thing? (hes a cocker). Hes 100% fine to run/walk/stairs etc...hence why i think im overeacting!

If im overreacting - i appologise - but other hip dis dog has been in and out of the vets for two years before diagnosis and drove me mad....Im guessing its because he's little and bum high ???

thanks
 
Pups do tend to bunny hop rather than run properly until they have learned how to organise their legs:p. I suspect it is your experience with your previous dog thats making you panic a bit, understandably . If your pups parents both have low scores he will hopefully be fine, although nothing is guaranteed with livestock. I wouldn't let him run up and down stairs, or over exercise too much, its best to let puppy bones and joints fully develop before putting them under too much strain.
 
Wot she said. You'll not know anything for definite until he is old enough to have an accurate x-ray taken and that is a long way off, you could get prelims but whilst the hips are not formed properly, you might end up scaring the wazz out of yourself.

As mentioned, don't overdo the exercise, particularly on concrete or uppy/downy stuff to and from the back of the car, sofa, stairs etc and make sure he is on a good diet, I am sure he will be fine and is just a tad gangly at the mo.

If it makes you feel any better, I read this on FB today:
"Super phone call this morning with great news, (dog's name) Hip Score 2:4 Total 6 Elbow Score 0:0 This excellent score after (owner's) Vet told her they were bad and not to be bred from!!!!!!! "
 
thanks both - been a while since we had a erm...normal puppy!!!
last one is now 5.5 and has HD - so she hopped and waddled from an early age before she was diagnosed...

As it happens....he's a lovely example of his type (Working cocker).... but his little manhood bits are coming off sooner rather than later... as my older bitch is going to be murdering him very soon if he keeps humping her!! (shes spayed!)

But honestly....ive been asked a few times "are you going to stud him"....no... he's not going to be using his manhood on anything living....just his teddy for now lol!

So if there was any doubt i was going to request hip x-rays while he gets his danglys whipped off!?
 
I would usually say the pup is young and they do bound around like bunnies but as MM suggests.
I noted in a cocker x springer I boarded that she severely bunny hopped and did not look right when running and I urged the owner to get her checked and sure enough she has crippling hip dysplasia when they took her to the vet and is now about 18 months old and severely restricted in life and on medication.
Same with a labradoodle I am boarding now (actually finding this very common in doodles) or x breeds of this kind:rolleyes::p we had a 9 months labradoodle in our rescue a few months back with horrendous hips too.
If you are worried get her checked just incase you need to restict her that little more (nightmare in that breed) but they did have to do it with the cocker x springer I mention. Try not to worry though as MM suggests.
 
If you get them done before a year-18 mths old they might still not be perfect (hence the line about scaring yourself) as he is still growing but it would give you an idea. Do make sure he is positioned correctly as that makes all the difference.
 
thanks both

He's absolutely fine in himself (but so's my other dog hence a bit :/ ) I will get a video of his back end hopping... he is bum high though and has a lot of front end weight... so that wont help him much either.

He's from working stock, so no physical health tests (against what i was going to go for)!, but he's happy as larry, but im just paranoid after my eldest bitch - her's is mild and more obvious when shes run around like an idiot and then got up etc....
 
To give you hope, we noticed Zak bunny hopping and holding his hip oddly and at 8 or so months, his X-ray was not good. Saying this, the vet did (imo) appallingly bad plates. We restricted him and still do then had another plate done a few weeks back which looks almost fine. He runs oddly, trots beautifully. He's two and was neutered at the same time.

Your lad might be fine, but do what MM and CC said, careful with puppy exercise, no stairs, don't let him belt round like a mad thing (if you can stop him¡)
 
thanks

Ive stopped him being a tool with my older spaniel as shes getting really naffed off at him - (he's being done at 6 months...i know thats young but my bitch is going to kill him if he carries on humping her, shes getting so annoyed at him)

She will play with him , but has started to pin him down a hell of a lot (today she lay on his head growling)...they do have crates they have "time out" in when they are playing too rough (she flips and pins him and he fights back..)! but i refuse to lock them up several hours im teaching them (slowly) "enough" which is working gradually.
 
Must say I made the bad error of defending the pups when IG dog got annoyed and snapped/growled. I should have left them to it so they could learn manners. Zak just thinks it's hilarious to wind up the big one now although Brig's always been a very tolerant dog. I'm not saying let your bitch go nuts, but the pup needs telling.
 
i agree - i never tell her off...shes left alone to let them get on with it (under supervision)!, they have crates when we go out etc... they go in, or for "time out".

But shes literally sitting on him and he goes back for more!he's really stupid! lol

so the knackers are coming off a little early as he's driving himself batty, everytime he mounts anything he gets told off.!
 
Does he bunny hop all the time?
My lab is 10months and he bunny hops if he is just frolicing i think its cause his bum has too much power and he doesn't no how to slow it down yet. If he is retrieving at training or on a full pelt run he runs beautifully. He also trots fine. And doesn't always bunny hop when he is just going slow i would say 50% of time he does and the other he is fine.
Sure you are panicing over nothing.
 
he only bunny hops in his "canter" gait if that makes sense !! :D


my other dog walk/trots fine - full pelt she bunny hops... little un scrambles so cant really tell with his running as im too busy laughing at him ! but will have a look!

i just spent 3 years from vets being fobbed off with my older dog and i insisted she had dysplasia - they finally listend and x-rayed. - hence why im so paranoid!
 
My border terrier was lame in canter and diagnosed with v bad HD at 6 months (via X rays, which were bad even I could see that) and they wanted to chop both her hip joints off. We refused and 6 months later after a lot of hydrotherapy and MSM/glucosamine, X rays showed the joints now supported by non bone muscles and structures and fuunctioning normally

She is now rising 9 and while we dont overdo the exercise, she has not had a lame day and is not on medication.

So it CAN be worthwhile to see the x rays, if only because therapeutic work like hydro during the growth stage can produce some extra good results.

I wouldnt discount HD just because of statistical factors, my dogs parents were low but she still had horrid hips.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top