# My baby has Hip Dysplasia



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

Please excuse that the xray pic is sideways.


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

The good news is it appears to be just the one hip that requires surgery. I do believe he needs surgery though... if not now, than at some point, so I'd probably start saving up. 

No forced exercise. Absolutely no running. Let him play - generally, he will self-moderate or should. The hobbling and adjusting his gait is what he's doing to avoid pain.


----------



## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

Which country are you in--military as well & have dealt w/ health crises in South Korea with my goldens. Any chance you could send him home to family for surgery/recovery?


----------



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

SheetsSM said:


> Which country are you in--military as well & have dealt w/ health crises in South Korea with my goldens. Any chance you could send him home to family for surgery/recovery?


Yep, South Korea it is. No chance of being able to send him home for surgery.
Any suggestions on how to get help in this country?


----------



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

Megora said:


> The good news is it appears to be just the one hip that requires surgery. I do believe he needs surgery though... if not now, than at some point, so I'd probably start saving up.
> 
> No forced exercise. Absolutely no running. Let him play - generally, he will self-moderate or should. The hobbling and adjusting his gait is what he's doing to avoid pain.



I figured as much. Vet said no running too. So hard to stop a 7 month old from running and being himself. 
He has no osteophytes or arthritis yet. Vet said arthritis is just beginning.


----------



## 2tired (Oct 19, 2011)

My golden was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at age 14 months. He receives a cartrophen injection every two months as well as omega 3 and glucosamine/chondroiten. Is cartrophen available to your vet? We found it greatly helped our senior golden with arthritis, and are using it with our now 4 year old golden in addition to the supplements.

Arthropharm Services Inc. ? Ontario, Canada - Home


----------



## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Definitely see if you can get him on gabapentin 3x per day. It is such a helpful drug for chronic pain with minimal side effects. If he can swim and do some exercise to keep the muscle awesome around the hip joints. Get him on high quality fish oil too. So sorry about this.


----------



## LUCKYme (Mar 29, 2015)

I am so sorry you received this news. I do know how scary it is! My golden was diagnosed with end stage hip dysplasia when he was two. With that being said, he did not have his total hip replacement until he was eight as we were able to manage his pain medically. I hope that brings you some comfort. Its important to realize that the entire picture needs to be looked at. Yes the radiographs indicate severe HD but as most surgeons would probably advise... you should try medical management first. At least till your pup is done growing. You have some options. Do limit the type of exercise you do. Try not to encourage rough playing and absolutely no fetch. Other than that he can be a normal dog! The change in gate will stay regardless of pain. Throughout the progression of HD dogs will frequently change there gate to adjust to the arthritic changes. I see you are in South Korea- My dogs surgeon lectures internationally and may have contacts over there. Ill see if I can find out anything for you!


----------



## anamcouto (Aug 15, 2015)

*My baby also has HD*

Not sure if you can follow my tread on link below:

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...ift-hip-dysplasia-torn-crutiate-ligament.html

I try to keep posting the developments on her condition but without overloading with grief because she was meant to be with us.

She turns 1 year today so she was diagnosed 7 months ago, quick notes on her for your reference:
- our vet wants us to wait until she has her first heat before spaying to avoid affecting anyway her growth and add any further disadvantage to her bone condition (there are several studies about the age of spaying and neutering) if we couldn't wait any longer out of concern to spay as close as possible to 1 year, coincidently she just went into season last week so surgery is already scheduled for 3 months from now
- don't let him run, try your best but don't "destroy" his puppyhood and by this I mean don't jog or play fetch in a way that your puppy will get overly excited and run but if he runs a bit with other puppies it won't kill him, just be aware that a great hour of fun with his buddies will mean an end of the day with some pain
- swim plus swim plus swim, build up his muscles so that he can have good bone support when you feel his moving ok you start training some small walks that you can with time make longer
- get to know your dog, they are masters pretending they are fine but they are in discomfort, each dog is different but there's always signs that you learn to identify when they are not so well
- get a good dog bed, he may not use it now, Ella always sleeps on the floor but you will thank when they get old. By good bed I don't mean expensive, I mean a big size high density foam (I bought at a shop where they do reupholster services on sofas and used an old IKEA sofa cover) for you to have an idea of the size we are using, it's around 90cmx150cm with 15cm thickness it's heaven and I'm jealous of her bed. In time they learn that is more comfortable for them to sleep there. Ella sleeps entire afternoons there and now takes her toys to play there also.
- SUPPLEMENTS: I've learnt that human grade supplements are better quality, cheaper and easier to find and order in Asia, (we live in Macau - China) glucosamine will be your best friend. I've also started to give a teaspoon of golden paste aka turmeric with her meals, it's a great anti-inflammatory and will avoid making you so dependable on drugs, so less side effects and when you really need
- keep your dog as skinny as possible it will help him so much. Another important reference Ella has a massive paw the normal vet and the ortho calculated she would easily be a 30+kg female dog we aimed to keep her around 26kg, she's now 1year and she ways those 26kg both vet are very happy and still amazed how we did it without starving her.

Keep in mind that a very bad X-ray on hip displaisia doesn't mean necessarily a suffering dog.

Keep in touch if you think it would help you


----------



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

Thank you everyone for your messages and support.

@2tired, I'll definitely ask my vet about cartrophen injections. We are doing the cosequin DS supplements right now. It has been about a week since we started. I think it takes a couple of weeks before we start seeing the effect.

@Ljilly28. I will look into gabapentin as well. I heard fish oil and vitamin C are also good. I'll see that he gets these in his diet.

@luckyme Thank You so much for your kind words. It is comforting to know that I can possibly prolong his life through pain management even though it is severe HD. Also thank you for the info about the gait. That was my biggest question. I didn't know what to expect with the pain meds and the supplements- if it would rectify his gait. I guess not. I at least know now not to expect it. I have become an obsessive observer now. I watch his every step and move. Thank you for checking with your surgeon about any leads here in SK. I really appreciate that.

@anamcouto Thank You so much! Your message is SO encouraging. I somehow missed your thread. Will be going through it in a minute. I also remember reading that neutering/spaying can make HD worse. I am going to hold off on that. No major concerns with that right now.We used to walk a lot and go to the park almost every other day. He loved to just mosey around and chase leaves. I've cut that out since his diagnosis. We are back to 15 min walk in the morning and 15 min walk in the evening like when he was a puppy. He used to be off leash most of the time but I am doing only leashed walks now. I have to find a swimming facility for him. We found one that is 40 min away but is not great at all. Hopefully we can find something better. Korea is still getting accustomed to the idea of pets. (They mostly keep their dogs chained outside. It is horrible)
You are SO right about the bed. He loves to sleep on the cold floor. He gets hot very easily I guess. He does not like even a thin rug on the floor. I will try and get him used to a bed. Thankfully, here, we have heated floors during the winter. 
Right now he ways 68 lbs at 7 months. I asked vet if he is overweight and she said no. He is actually very lean. (He loves exercise) Even then, I've cut back on his food and treats. I hope to keep him between 60 and 65 lbs. I definitely want to keep in touch.

All of you, your messages are so supportive. Thank You so much. I have good and bad days. I feel better after reading your responses and am going to try pain management. Also thank you for being supportive even when I said surgery is not an option for us right now.


----------



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

anamcouto said:


> Not sure if you can follow my tread on link below:
> 
> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...ift-hip-dysplasia-torn-crutiate-ligament.html


I just read your entire thread! Oh my goodness, You definitely understand my situation! The whole challenge of raising a large breed in Asia and not having any resources such as a swimming pool etc to help with rehab.
It seems like your Ella could be a twin to my Trevor! Trevor also has huge paws. Like HUGE. He also likes to sleep on the floor. Their xrays: the right hip looks so similar.I wish they could meet 
Your thread seriously helped me a lot. Especially to know that it is doable. 
He has a best friend too. A female lab named Gravy. They usually play 2-3 times a week. I haven't done any play dates since the diagnosis. I think I will let him play once in a while. 

Below is a picture of the rascal from two days ago when I caught him digging up the backyard.


----------



## anamcouto (Aug 15, 2015)

goldiegold said:


> I just read your entire thread! Oh my goodness, You definitely understand my situation! The whole challenge of raising a large breed in Asia and not having any resources such as a swimming pool etc to help with rehab.
> It seems like your Ella could be a twin to my Trevor! Trevor also has huge paws. Like HUGE. He also likes to sleep on the floor. Their xrays: the right hip looks so similar.I wish they could meet
> Your thread seriously helped me a lot. Especially to know that it is doable.
> He has a best friend too. A female lab named Gravy. They usually play 2-3 times a week. I haven't done any play dates since the diagnosis. I think I will let him play once in a while.
> ...


The big reason behind my post, besides venting out because my boyfriend not always understands me (he has his kid teenager I only have Ella) is because I think other people might be going through the same and is always good to read a full story I guess.

Trust me it is totally doable even with surgery, my only dog that I didn't had from my family (they are breeders in total 5 different ones divided by the several people) was a huge cocker spaniel pure breed that I rescued from neglect at the age of 7. He had a total hip replacement done after a hit and run accident around 3-4 years old when he was with his first family. If anyone would see him running at the beach you would never guess but at night and specially in winter the consequences were there. He lived to 14-15, very happy very active.

I think they find us, we were meant to be the moms and dads of these dogs, no one else. They make our hearts better eventhough sometimes it hurt us to see them.
Trust me that will be probably the dog that will most love you because of the love you put in him.


PS- I like to think that I have a Senior trapped in a Teenager body

Keep strong, if anything you can PM me or post on my thread :wavey:


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Your pup*



goldiegold said:


> I write this with a heavy heart. My puppy who just turned 7 months has been diagnosed with severe Hip Dysplasia.
> He was doing just fine. After a run over the weekend, we noticed that he was walking ever so slightly funny. It seemed like he was trying to not put weight on his right rear leg. The change was so small that you could easily miss it. He happened to have a wellness exam that week (which we requested for) at his new vet and we mentioned the problem. She checked for laxity and said right leg was stiff. Got radiographs immediately and he has severe dysplasia. More severe in the right one. The socket is very shallow and the femur is partially luxated. The left one is not that bad but short femur head.
> History about our pup: We are a military family and live overseas. We got him from a local family whose golden had puppies. (I should have done my research) He had no issues these past 7 months. Loves to play, run, and jump.
> Since we got the diagnosis, I've been on this site every single day reading about hip dysplasia. I've also read numerous websites, watched videos, you name it. (That is how I deal with grief- overload my brain with info)
> ...


Your Pup is beyond adorable. I am so sorry he and you are going through this.
I don't have any detailed knowledge of hip dysplasia, other than adopting a female named Munchkin, and her having hip dysplasia. The vet said she had the worst hips he had ever seen. We had him do FHO surgery on her worst hip, and she was SO MUCH Better after that surgery. Praying you find the answer, but sounds like surgery would be needed.


----------



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

Karen519 said:


> Your Pup is beyond adorable. I am so sorry he and you are going through this.
> I don't have any detailed knowledge of hip dysplasia, other than adopting a female named Munchkin, and her having hip dysplasia. The vet said she had the worst hips he had ever seen. We had him do FHO surgery on her worst hip, and she was SO MUCH Better after that surgery. Praying you find the answer, but sounds like surgery would be needed.



Thank you Karen for your kind words. What is your dog's pain level after FHO surgery? How is her mobility: is she able to run and play like normal?


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Munchkin*

Her name was Munchkin, and she was a female Samoyed. Munchkin had the surgery about 20 years ago. It took her about a month or so to put full weight on her leg, vet said she was being a baby and that some dogs walk out of vet after surgery, in no pain. She went through about a week of pain after FHO surgery, but all in all she walked, played and ran, too. Our vet had said she had the worst hips he'd ever seen, so we felt it was her only option. If I remember correctly our vet had Care Credit, and we financed it that way.

I believe that Munchkin also took Rimadyl or another pain pill before she had surgery.


----------



## Powerbooter (Feb 17, 2016)

I am very sorry to hear this, and I definitely understand how stressful this is, but I also know from experience that Goldens can live long, happy, active lives with even very severe hip dysplasia. 

I went through nearly the same as you when Bart was about 5 months old. After a long hike he was limping badly and it turned out his dysplasia was so severe that they felt all of the various surgeries were off the table. Save up for a hip replacement for when he was fully grown. So I did that, and it was stressful for a while. And then I made sure he got lots of exercise, including a lot of swimming, and never allowed him to be overweight. He never ended up needing to get that hip replacement, he just seemed to adapt and it really barely slowed him down. 

Bart lived to be 13 1/2 and was an extremely happy and active dog for most of that. We went on 5 mile hikes nearly every day until he was almost 13. I gave him Dasuquin or Cosequin for most of his life and when he was about 10 he started needing Carprofen.


----------



## mm2k14 (Feb 16, 2016)

Assuming you/your sponsor is AD, you should look into Dogs on Deployment. If you've never heard of them, they are a non-profit whose main focus is boarding dogs in foster homes while their AD owners are deployed, on TDY, etc. They also offer scholarships for medical assistance, and various other circumstances. 

Someone mentioned South Korea, I think. Are you towards the beginning or end of your tour? It might be a good idea to wait until you get your next duty station, and move forward if it's stateside. In my day tours to South Korea were unaccompanied, so I'm assuming there is a change in how long the assignment is. I have zero idea about the quality of care in your area, but Europe (if you happen to head there) is a safe option, too. You'll probably have to do it on the economy, though. 

Sorry to hear about your pup. He's beautiful!


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Goldie*



Karen519 said:


> Her name was Munchkin, and she was a female Samoyed. Munchkin had the surgery about 20 years ago. It took her about a month or so to put full weight on her leg, vet said she was being a baby and that some dogs walk out of vet after surgery, in no pain. She went through about a week of pain after FHO surgery, but all in all she walked, played and ran, too. Our vet had said she had the worst hips he'd ever seen, so we felt it was her only option. If I remember correctly our vet had Care Credit, and we financed it that way.
> 
> I believe that Munchkin also took Rimadyl or another pain pill before she had surgery.


It took Munchkin a month or two to walk on her leg after the FHO surgery, but vet said she seemed to be a baby compared to other dogs he operated on. The way Ken and I looked at it, she was in much less pain after the surgery than before and long term, she would have less pain. She had the surgery at age of 5 or 6, when we adopted her and lived to about 11 or 12, and walked all that time.


----------



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

Powerbooter said:


> I am very sorry to hear this, and I definitely understand how stressful this is, but I also know from experience that Goldens can live long, happy, active lives with even very severe hip dysplasia.
> .


Thank you SO MUCH for your message. You have no idea how much it has given me to read about your experience with Bart. I am glad that Bart got to live a long and happy life. I only hope Trevor gets to do the same. I have some questions about your experiences with Bart if you don't mind answering. Please let me know. Thank You.


----------



## goldiegold (Feb 27, 2016)

mm2k14 said:


> Assuming you/your sponsor is AD, you should look into Dogs on Deployment. If you've never heard of them, they are a non-profit whose main focus is boarding dogs in foster homes while their AD owners are deployed, on TDY, etc. They also offer scholarships for medical assistance, and various other circumstances.


I never heard of this non profit and will definitely look in to it. Thank you so much! Unfortunately we are here for a while, sponsored tours are long now. Thank you again for the info.


----------



## goldy1 (Aug 5, 2012)

My heart breaks for you. I know there are many members who can give you good solid advice based on their first-hand experience. I know through a friend with a 4 y.o. Great Pyrenees that Dasuquin with MSM has helped his dog. The dogs was previously refusing to go down stairs and after 1 month on the Dasuquin was doing stairs again.
I will say prayers for you and your sweet puppy that a miracle solution comes to you.

Just one other thing - these are some of the sacrifices the military people endure.


----------



## LUCKYme (Mar 29, 2015)

goldiegold said:


> Thank you everyone for your messages and support.
> 
> @luckyme Thank You so much for your kind words. It is comforting to know that I can possibly prolong his life through pain management even though it is severe HD. Also thank you for the info about the gait. That was my biggest question. I didn't know what to expect with the pain meds and the supplements- if it would rectify his gait. I guess not. I at least know now not to expect it. I have become an obsessive observer now. I watch his every step and move. Thank you for checking with your surgeon about any leads here in SK. I really appreciate that.


I haven't forgotten about you! I have been speaking to my surgeon about ortho people in SK but no luck thus far. He will continue to ask around and if a reputable name comes up then he will pass it along. He did however suggest you getting in touch with a surgeon in the U.S and having your vet there send radiographs. This way you can have a surgeon tracking your case and suggest medical management until you can get to a surgeon. I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to message me at any time if you need contacts or just general questions.


----------



## Powerbooter (Feb 17, 2016)

goldiegold said:


> Thank you SO MUCH for your message. You have no idea how much it has given me to read about your experience with Bart. I am glad that Bart got to live a long and happy life. I only hope Trevor gets to do the same. I have some questions about your experiences with Bart if you don't mind answering. Please let me know. Thank You.


Anyung haseo.....Yes, feel free to ask me any questions you may have, I will never get tired of talking about Bart! It may take me a few days to respond though. 

I always believed that learning about this problem when he saw young was really a blessing (though a rather painful one for us both) as it allowed me to be proactive, so I hope Trevor has a similar experience.


----------

