Redkop

My poor pup has just been diagnosed with being displastic in one hip despite both her parents having very low hip scores.

My vet has suggested that she has a Treble Pelvic Osteotomy, has anyone had this procedure done on their dog?

PG

Lab ? German Shep ?

Luke

How the hell did you find out your dog cant read ...???

PG

lol but

Redkop

German Shepherd 7½ months old

PG

My Cousins Hubbys old man breeds them very successfully in NZ I will mail him and see what info I can get if you like.

Redkop

Thanks PG - I just want to know if I am doing the right thing in going ahead with this op. and also it's success rate in helping the dysplasia

BOB.T

Luke, there's a specialist centre for such problems, the National Asociation for Dysplasia , or DNA for short

PG

B0ll0x
I have misplaced his addy so it may take a couple of days but I will get his opinion.
Hope someone else can give an opinion too.

Luke

Bob

Thats why most criminals are not educated... they always have that DNA test...when they are arrested Maybe they cant read the warning signs " CCTV in Operation" could they sue...??

[Edited by Luke - 10/17/2003 11:55:07 PM]

Redkop

Don't take this off topic please Luke.

Luke

Mr.Cookie

Lyn

Have texted a friend who's uncle breeds them will let you know, have you tried any dog owner forums.

All the best
Si

Redkop

I have read loads about the op TPO, but not any actual dog forums which have discussed the merits or success rates of having it done.

This is what the op. entails

CLICK HERE

ajm

From a laymans perspective, the op looks like a slight reshaping of the pelvis to fit the femur, but in the X rays both the pelvis and the femur look perfectly formed. If it were mine I would want to ask what actually causes the femur to be misaligned? Is there any physio or operation to the tendons that can bring the femur into line? Can the femur be operated on instead of the pelvis?

Ok, maybe a stupid questions but maybe one worth asking a vet...?

Redkop

Have asked those questions, apparently a wedge can be cut out of the femur, but causes it to weaken and is not as successful. The pelvis is rotated so that the ball of the hip fits into the socket better. There is complete hip replacement for very severe cases and dogs that are over the recommended age for TPO.

The max age limit is around 9-10 months for TPO

MooseRacer

Redkop, sorry to hear about your pup. None of ours have had operations like these, but our last one suffered horribly with his hips later in life - again despite low scores in the parents, and careful exercising when he was younger.

I'd be very tempted to go for the operation, if you're unsure maybe get a second opinion from another vet?


Edit: how is the monster pup doing apart from this?

[Edited by MooseRacer - 10/18/2003 8:25:25 AM]

Redkop

It's not really a case of getting an opinion from another Vet, the x-ray speaks for itself, the dysplasia shows clearly on it. I am faced with 3 options that my Vet suggested to me. The choice of which one to take is up to me

1. Conservative Management which means frequent short walks on the leash, hydrotherapy and no free running at all to try and build up the muscle and stop the hip joint luxating so much, but this does not stop boney growths or arthritis is later life.

2. The Triple Pelvic Osteotomy - [which is the one I think will be most successful - given the dogs age] this from what I have read, significantly reduces arthritis, but doesn't eliminate it completely. This operation cannot be performed on dogs who already show signs of bone abnormality, therefore they recommend that it is not carried out after 9-10 months of age.

3. Intertrochanteric Osteotomy - from the clinical results I have read up on this, it did not prevent arthritis occuring in later life and many of the dogs still suffered pain.
CLICK HERE

[Edited by Redkop - 10/21/2003 9:39:49 AM]

Redkop

bttt

2wdcossie

tough break lynne, when it rains it pours !!!! feel for you mate

matt

Scooby96

Input "Treble Pelvic Osteotomy" into Google - interesting result!

Edited to say I hope you have Pet Plan or something as you're probably looking at £1,000 for TPO and upto c.£1,500 for THR.

I presume your pup doesnt have arthritis in the joint? If so then TPO will not usually be considered.

[Edited by Scooby96 - 10/21/2003 10:19:09 AM]

Diablo

Really sorry to hear that

I'm so paranoid about our 6 month old - although in Rotties Elbow displacia is more common.

Its a very difficult call, but regadless of what the xrays show I'd seek a second opinion just so that you are sure in your mind of what action to take.

If its of any interest, there was a GSD pup near us that had bad displacia in both hips. Not sure of the particulars of the case, but the Vet recommended basically zero free exercise for 8 months, but with lots of, effectively. physiotherapy to strengthen the muscle structure around the joint.

As the dog developed, the displacia reduced dramatically and she is now pretty good. Never going to get a great hip score, but nothing to worry about. May not work in your case though.

What were the symptoms?

Redkop

Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover her, as it was first noticed, albeit not as hip dysplasia, in the time that I changed over from the free Pet Plan [via KC] to another Ins Co. So it was already on her case notes during the interim change over period and for the insurance to take place.

Although I never over-exercised her [as advised] I noticed that she would occasionally lay down while out for a walk, as if she was tired. [I know now that she was probably in some sort of pain]. She has never shown any outward signs of limping and the only thing that gave the Vet a clue was that she started to 'bunny hop' on her hind legs, so hence an x-ray taken which showed dysplasia.

By reading lots of info on dysplasia, I have found that a contributing factor can be diet. The high protein/calcium puppy foods can promote the rapid skeletal and skeletal muscle growth in puppies, but can be detrimental to dogs who grow fast.

Redkop

Diablo..... regards the exercise method called The Conservative Method, although this will build muscle up round the hip area - it does not prevent the femur from getting abnormal bony growths/spurs and degenerative changes can occur on an xray in as little as one week! My main fear with this method is that if the dysplasia should get too bad - the opportunity window ie. age for having TPO will be closed.

The TPO procedure, although it doesn't eliminate arthritis completely, certainly reduces it for the animal in later life.

I have found an excellent message forum site on Yahoo, specifically for owners of dogs who have had TPO done or are comtemplating having it done.

There is everything on there that I need to know from diagnosis to operation to after care and the success stories of dogs having had the operation.

I am definitely going ahead and booking Kira in for the operation.

Diablo

Best of luck with it and lets hope for a speedy recovery

Keep us updated with how she gets on

Cheers

D

POC

Sorry but ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Class Luke

Spoon

From the breeder you should receive an A.K.C. registration(or form for the registration of the puppy)signed by the breeder; a pedigree of at least three generations; and a guarantee that the ears will come up, the *********(if a male)will come down(if they are already not down)and that the pup will not develop hip dysplasia. This last guarantee IS NOT a commitment that means a great deal, unless the dysplasia is severe and crippling in it's effects, because by the time you can be certain through x-rays that the youngster does or does not have hip dysplasia, it is no longer a puppy and you have given it your heart and would not part with it for any reason. The breeder could, though, be inveigled into making some concession if the contract was valid.

Redkop

As far as 3 generations back for Kira, on both sides of parents, the highest hip score is a combined total of 12.

The sire of Kira is 2/5
The dam is 3/6

They don't come much lower than that, so irrespective of breeders trying to eliminate dysplasia by using low hip scored parents, it is still possible for a dog to still get hip dysplasia.

Spoon

That was the point of the posting, nothing else if you followed the correct procedure in buying a puppy, particularly a GSD.

Redkop

Cheers Spoon, the Breeder came highly recommended from the Breeder that I got a previous GSD from as he didn't have a litter at the time.

I checked out everything beforehand before I bought her. The Breeder has been very supportive and has offered me another pup FOC from his next litter. He was going to do a 4th mating between Kira's parents, but in light of this, he is being responsible and has decided not to.

Out of the 26 progeny from the 3 matings, Kira is the only one to have dysplasia. She was actually chosen as the best bitch from the litter by a Cruft's Judge. The Breeder had kept back the best dog and best bitch until he decided which one he wanted to keep to carry on the strain. I wasn't fussed at the time whether I had a dog or a bitch, he chose to keep the dog, so I had the bitch.

It's just one of those **** things than can happen unfortunately