Three Questions - Hip Issues

[Jaime + Oliver]

In short, Oliver, who is barely 2.5, recently hurt his leg/hip. During xrays etc we learned that our sweet little man has CHD.  Hello hip dysplasia :(

My questions are:

1. Supplements. I need some help here. I know it won't fix the skeletal issues, but I'm hoping that some form of glucosamine/MSM and adequan etc. will help. Any advice would help point me in the direction of more research & things to address with the vet.

2. Breeders. We selected based on OFA and Pennhip testing, but still have this issue at a young age. Is there anything we could/should have done differently?

3. Vets.  Does anyone have experience with Orthopedic Vets?  As we search for one is there anything in particular we should be looking for?

Once he heals from the current injury we'll be focused on building muscle (he's already a very athletic dog), and making sure we're always keeping him at a healthy weight. We're hoping surgery & physical therapy are still a ways off but time will tell.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am sorry to hear about Oliver. Testing the parents lowers the risk but does not eliminate it sadly. The only orthopedic vet I've met is in NJ. Good luck.

[charlotte bednarsh]

I don't know when your Oliver was neutered, but there have been several studies which indicate a relationship between early spay/neuter and the development of early hip dysplasia, as well as certain cancers.  My beloved labradoodle Paz, was recently diagnosed with lymphoma at the age of 6; Paz is currently receiving state of the art treatment by a renowned oncologist at Blue Pearl Animal Hospital is NYC and Paz is in remission.   Paz was neutered at 8 weeks and the more I am reading about the relationship between early spay/neuter and hip dysplasia as lymphoma in dogs who were neutered or spayed at 8 weeks of age, the more convinced I am that I would not neuter or spay a dog until at least 8 months of age.  Just wondering when Oliver was neutered?

[Jaime + Oliver]

Interesting to hear.  He was 7 months.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm sorry to hear that Oliver has HD. Here's a link to a discussion about Dasuquin and other joint supplements, lots of good feedback from other members who are using these: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/healthandmedicalissues/forum/topi...

Regarding orthopedic specialists, they are usually veterinary surgeons who specialize in orthopedics. You can find one near you through the American College of Veterinary Surgeons website: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/healthandmedicalissues/forum/topi...

[Jaime + Oliver]

As always, thank you Karen!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I'm sorry to hear about Oliver. It sounds as if the leg injury is a separate issue so the fact that he hasn't shown any symptoms is promising.  Keeping him at a healthy weight and fit will help.  I think swimming would be great but we don't have any therapy pools where we live.  Avoid long walks on hard surfaces like concrete and always vary your pace.  If he likes to play with other dogs and doesn't show any soreness - let him romp, but avoid rough play like body slamming, etc. In other words, let him lead a happy active life but just take extra care.  For some dogs, surgery is an option.  We like  Dasaquin which is supposed to help ward off arthritic changes as a supplement and I keep Rimadyl on hand if FInn shows any soreness or discomfort but we rarely have to use it.  HD can skip generations so you can reduce your risk by selecting a breeder that tests but you can't completely eliminate it.   A good orthopedic vet will give you the best advice. Some dogs with significant skeletal changes show no symptoms while others with mild HD do.  Finn was diagnosed at 22 months but he's doing well (knock on wood) and he's 5 now.  He's also very athletic.  Good luck and keep us posted. 

[Jaime + Oliver]

I like the idea of swimming, but Oliver never enjoyed beach swimming.  I think the water was too unpredictable for him.  Now it's definitely worth trying again to expose it to him in a positive way via a therapy pool.  I'll definitely look in to that.

I appreciate your advice.  As you can imagine hearing the news broke my heart :(

[Stella]

Swimming can be bad for dogs with HD. A dysplastic joint is unstable, and that instability is made worse in the water as it is an 'open chain' activity - the foot isn't planted on the ground. Stabilizing exercises (closed chain) to strengthen the muscles around the joint can help with decreasing joint instability. Walking on an underwater treadmill would be better than swimming if you really want to do a water based exercise.

I would recommend you find a canine rehab practitioner in your area and go for an assessment. They can help with the current injury and the underlying HD. The best thing you can do is get a home exercise programme of strengthening and balance exercises for him, and carry it out regularly. It is important to keep the muscles strong and keep him active. The other very important thing is to keep him really lean, the less weight going through those hips the better.

It would also be good to see an ortho vet surgeon. Many dogs with HD do just fine without surgery, but the specialist will advise you about different options. They also usually recommend a loading dose of glucosamine, then tapering to a daily maintenance dose after a few weeks.

We recently found out that my friends agility dog has HD. He is seven, has never limped, shown signs of pain or had an injury. We had no idea there was anything wrong with his hips. It was found on a routine X-ray. So, while I'm not suggesting you sign your boy up for agility it goes to show that dogs with HD can have a normal life.

[Jaime + Oliver]

Thanks Stella - this is exactly what I was hoping people would share.  It gives me a good starting point for a lot of research and learning we have to do to give Oliver the best life possible!

[Stella]

Find a rehab professional near you:

http://www.caninerehabinstitute.com/Find_A_Therapist.html

http://ccrp.utvetce.com/practitioners.asp

https://www.rehabvets.org/Referrals.lasso

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

I'm sorry about Oliver's diagnosis. I remember my despair when Wally was first diagnosed, but he's nine-years old now, and it really hasn't impacted his life. We saw a canine orthopedist when Wally was a puppy, and he advised a conservative approach without surgery. At his recommendation, we keep Wally lean, give him a glucosamine-condrointen supplement and fish-oil capsule daily, and he sees a chiropractor twice a month. We try to keep him from jumping, so when we are out playing ball, we are sure to throw the ball past him, so that he can retrieve it but isn't tempted to jump up and catch it. So far, he's in good health, and is enjoying life oblivious to the fact that he has HD. I did extensive research into Wally's lineage going back many generations before we decided to put down a deposit on his litter. None of his siblings have hip dysplasia, so go figure.