Quote: Sally Krasevic

My one year old Golden Retriever, Jake, just reced a diagnosis of hip dysplasia. He seemed a little stiff after walks and slow to get up so I thought I would check.

The stiffness does not improve over the course of the day?

I have a dog on Deramaxx.

Were you fully advised about what to watch for with NSAIDs for dogs? And were liver and kidney values recorded before the protocol started?

(Deramaxx is one of the two best-safety-record-for-dogs NSAIDs, but it's still an NSAID and all the appropriate precautions should be taken.)

Sarah and others who mention the support you can provide without or prior to surgery are so right .... of course, you cannot change the physical malformation, but whether you decide on surgery or not, there is a lot you can do to both help stave off OA changes and to minimize discomfort. (One thing that I hope you are stringent about is weight management.)

When do you see the second doctor? If at all possible, I'd like to see another ortho specialist. And if you could get a visit with a holistic DMV, that would give you another POV too.

Have you seen the list that Cindy has compiled of holistic vets across the country?

He is not really that stiff in the morning! I see it more if we have been hiking and then he moves slower. I am so paranoid right now, if he looks at me strange I think its his hips!! Nothing was explained to me about the medication. What should I look for? I am not aware of any liver and kidney values being recorded.
I am seeing another vet on the 19th and am in the process of scheduling a 3rd vet.
I will look at the list of holistic vets. After reading the site regarding x-rays, maybe its not even a good xray!
Can anyone explain the bunny hop to me? When Jake runs, I do see that both of his back legs are together, but Im not sure if thats normal. How would I know if he is in pain?

I really appreciate all the advice I am getting here. Thank you!!

Sorry for all the questions, but I just need to do whats right for my dog.

The back legs moving together is a bunny hop and I guess you could say it's a sign of HD and it's the dog's way of compensating for HD. My dog has always bunny hopped and he can still run full-out. My dog also has a funny gait when he walks, which is a little more pronounced after a big workout, and he can be a little stiff in the morning or on very cold days. Stiffness seems to go with the territory and I've never gotten the impression it bothers my dog very much.

This illustrates it very well:
http://accad.osu.edu/~hcaprett/COTA_741_sp04/CanineLO_090504.html

Dogs can hide pain really well. Beyond the obvious stuff like whimpering, limping, snapping if touched you might see lethargy, lack of interest in something you know he usually goes bonkers for, decreased appetite, unwillingness to get up and do the things he normally would....those signs would be a red-flag for me that he's in pain.

 Quote: Sally Krasevic

How would I know if he is in pain?

If you're not already, you may want to start massaging him. It's nice time together, helps with any aches and pains he might have, but I find it's also a good way to figure out how the dog is feeling, if he's sensitive or in pain.

....I massage the hips as well as the shoulders. A vet tech at my vets who does animal massage told me not to neglect the shoulders as they can overcompensate for weaker hips and get sore as a result.

Am I the only one who thinks those are pretty crappy xrays? Not saying the dog doesn't have HD, b/c it is apparent,but the degree would be easier to ascertain if the films were shot properly.

If you are willing to travel...and I would, if it were my dog, see Dr. Bernard Pare at Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove IL. I would hold off on surgery, personally, until I had been to a few specialists...bad surgery is worse than no surgery.

Try emailing VSC and Dr. Pare or Dr. Gendreau (both actually specialize in and PATENT orthopedic implants and new techniques). Dr.Pare has been a lifesaver for me twice, and has helped me out on price, too. See if they will give you a referral to someone in your area who knows what they're doing.

 Quote: Jenni Williams

Am I the only one who thinks those are pretty crappy xrays?

No, I think they're bad, too. That's why I posted the LB link to proper hip positioning.

Hi Sally - my 8 yr old GSD was diagnosed with HD when he was almost 2 yrs old. I decided to get xrays since we were going to start working on our CDX and wanted to make sure his hip were good to go for jumping and they definitely werent. Otherwise I wouldnt have thought he had any problems but someone in my dog club did say it looked like he would sit slowly so that made me kinda wonder. Anyway, we had a total hip replacement done on his left leg and he is still doing fine with it. I do get nervous sometimes when hes playing because I'm sure there is a chance the cement in there could come loose- His right leg is bad and has a bone chip in it - I'm divorced now and dont have the money to consider a hip replacment for his right leg but with supplements and an occassional NSAID(ugh) he is doing really good-walking is good for a dog with hip problems (on grass or softer surface is good) as it makes them use their leg muscles compared to running or playing where they can bunny hop,etc and not use the bad legs(JMO) swimming is awesome too and massage is good -I just bought the TTouch massage book for dogs and have been reading it and will try that soon. I would do what Jenni said and check into someone who is really good and specializes in ortho- you don't have to jump into anything, unless you are really considering the TPO which there is a time frame because of age- if you dont have the money now for a surgery or you decide against it for whatever reason you could always start a savings for one that may have to be done down the road - alot of dogs have HD and do well for years and sometimes all their lives with lean weight, good supplements, appropriate exercise and lots of love I know its a panic attack when you first hear bad news like that but try to relax and weigh all your options. -keep us posted - good luck -

Also, just to add there is a new procedure out there where they use gold bead implants injected into the bad hip joint- I dont know much about it but have thought if it ever came down to Major not being able to function with bad right leg that could be an option. Maybe google it for research?? just thinking....