and he said that doing the x ray with his legs fully extended like that would cause him too much pain so he would have to be under Anesthesia to do it. and that is probably why the first ones weren't perfect. I have a list of organizations to contact that could possibly help or completely pay for surgery(Thank you Jodi!!!) for him so he said to contact them first because they may want to do their own set of x-rays, then we put Capone through the 2nd set for no reason.

He also said that to get the OFA hip x-rays they use anesthesia to get them that perfect. Which I don't think is correct. He did say I can start swimming him, but right when he came in and saw him walk for a second he said he is still significantly limping. So we are re filling his anti inflammatory, which he said he will be on for the rest of his life.

I asked about his weight and he said he looks really good but for HD we can err on the side of a little under weight (which I already knew thanks to you guys =) so he said we can lean him out a little bit. He is at 92 pounds today so he said maybe back down to high 80s.

Right now he gets a little less than 2 pounds of food a day. So I guess well have to take it down even more. He LOVES his meals, I don't want him to feel hungry =( Will it help if I reduce it really slowly instead of all at once? and How much should I lower it to? 90lbs * .02 is 1.8 pounds of food. So maybe 1.5?

He's still growing, so if you keep the food amount the same, he should get thinner.

We generally sedate suspected HD for xrays, and OFA xrays too. It is VERY difficult to get them into the perfect position for OFA while awake, and with HD, it is too painful.
I personally wouldn't have done any pictures of my last dog without sedation, in his condition.
We also wouldn't let a client be in during an xray, because everyone is required to wear protective gear (some clinics have a limited number of gowns) and a dosimeter (measures how much radiation you have been exposed to). I guess every place is different, but any clinic I've worked at wouldn't break that rule.
I hope you get the funding you need for Capone to get some answers and solutions soon!

Thanks Betty and Phaedra! He was sedated for his last ones, but not under anesthesia. I thought there was a difference? Am I confused?

ETA: I was thinking sedated just meant a heavy medication, plus he had a pain shot as well. and Anesthesia was where they were completely under. I have probably been mixed up this whole time.

That's kind of a long answer. But really, I suppose there's a line drawn between just IV sedation and intubation. Using IV sedation like Domitor allows you to do pretty painful things to the dog, but you only have a short window. When the dog is intubated, they are constantly breathing in Isoflurane, which keeps them unconscious for as long as you like, you can also adjust the level of the gas easily.

Oh ok, so then originally when asked if he was sedated while those first x rays were taken, he was not. They gave him something that did leave him a little drowsy when I picked him up and a pain injection but not any type of anesthesia. Thanks for clarifying.

Kristi - in order to keep Capone feeling full you can always give him cooked veggies or canned veggies. They are high in fiber and make them feel fuller but don't make them gain weight - we actually recommended using them for dogs we wanted to lose weight. So maybe if you continue giving him his meals - but break them up into smaller portions more often and add green beans or carrots along with, he will feel full longer and be more satisfied.

I assumed, also, that he was "sedated" when he was xrayed - under anesthesia - since they do have to plave them directly on their backs and spread their legs down.

If you can, try to avoid drugs like rimadyl. If your vet will prescribe metacam - it is much safer over long periods of time and not near the amount of side effects. This is a pain med and works great for my 9 yo rottie.

So sorry you are having to deal with this at such an early age. Big Hug to you.

 Quote: Kristi Molina

Oh ok, so then originally when asked if he was sedated while those first x rays were taken, he was not. They gave him something that did leave him a little drowsy when I picked him up and a pain injection but not any type of anesthesia. Thanks for clarifying.

They could have give him Domitor IV and then reversed it, which would have left him a bit drowsy, and maybe given him a shot of Hydromorphone, that would be adequate sedation for an xray I believe.