May 03, 2011
I have never had my 5 year old GSD's hips X rayed because I have been told there are risks to anesthesia. Should I bite the bullet and get it done anyway?
Full Question:
I have a German Shep. that is 5 years in Oct. I have not had his hips x-rayed because all my friends in training class say anesthetics have risk! He runs agility, I keep jumps low most of the time (18 to 20) inches. He has never shown any sign of a problem, all of the dogs in his pedigree for 5 generations, are breed surveyed except 1. I give a very good Glucosamine supplement. The A frame is 5ft. 6 in., and I think pushing 93 lbs. up that is a pretty good test. The vet says if there is a problem it doesn't mean he can't do agility, but we would just have to watch him closely. During one exam, when the vet pulled his hip out he yelped. Do you think I should go on and bite the bullet and have it done? My dog eats EVO, and loves it, To help him trim down, how can I do it so he is not hungry all the time.Roz
Cindy's Answer:
Our vet does not use anesthesia to do hip x-rays. I would look around for a vet EXPERIENCED in x-rays without sedating or anesthetizing his or her patients.
Having a pedigree clear of dysplastic dogs is great but it is no guarantee that your dog will not have hip problems. We x-ray every dog we own when it's between 5 and 8 months old and then again at age 2.
With all that said, fear of anesthesia is not a good reason to put off x-raying your dog's hips if you are working the dog or suspicious of a problem. Anesthesia has risks but so does crossing the street.
We don't feed kibble, so I can't advise you on that. Read this article on feeding a raw diet. It’s a work in progress but there is a lot of good information there.
I would also recommend these books, Natural Nutrition for Dogs & Cats and Raw Dog Food.
You can also go to our Feeding Dogs Page for a list of articles and books that will be helpful to you.
Having a pedigree clear of dysplastic dogs is great but it is no guarantee that your dog will not have hip problems. We x-ray every dog we own when it's between 5 and 8 months old and then again at age 2.
With all that said, fear of anesthesia is not a good reason to put off x-raying your dog's hips if you are working the dog or suspicious of a problem. Anesthesia has risks but so does crossing the street.
We don't feed kibble, so I can't advise you on that. Read this article on feeding a raw diet. It’s a work in progress but there is a lot of good information there.
I would also recommend these books, Natural Nutrition for Dogs & Cats and Raw Dog Food.
You can also go to our Feeding Dogs Page for a list of articles and books that will be helpful to you.
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