My puppy is only 6 months old and has been to the vet a few times, his next appointment is in 2 weeks. I can't wait that long! He is walking just fine, but has trouble getting up, he puts all his wieght on his front legs.
I'm so worried; will I have to put him down?, is he in a lot of pain?, will it get worse?.
2006-11-02 00:45:02 · 8 answers · asked by Mel 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
My puppy is only 6 months old and has been to the vet a few times, his next appointment is in 2 weeks. He has not been dignossed, yet and their are few vets in my area (but, I did find a good one) and they tell me they can't tell me anything until they see him. I can't wait that long! He is walking just fine, but has trouble getting up, he puts all his wieght on his front legs.
I'm so worried; will I have to put him down?, is he in a lot of pain?, will it get worse?.
As far as breeder. The person is not a breeder, they just bought a male puppy and before they got him fixed their female dog got pregnant (it was a freind of mine and know they had good intentions). I am aware of the pedigree and that's why I expect HD and am not worried about my expenses, only the dogs well being. It was not stupid, I just love animals and don't care what breed and would have been just as happy with a dog from the shelter. I wasn't looking to get another do, but fell in love when I saw him.
2006-11-02 02:27:55 · update #1
It seem a little early for hip displasia to show up. In shep's that get it, it doesn't show up until 8 -9 yrs of age. My experience with Shep's. I feel that if the dog is xrayed you'll find he has been injured.
2006-11-02 03:13:47 · answer #1 · answered by wmf936 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
sunflower who says " Unfortunately purebred dogs tend to have more health problems than "mutts" is a GENETIC IGNORAMUS!!
Breed a lab with hip dysplasia to a poodle who just carries the gene for dysplasia but doesn't have it, and 3 out of every 4 puppies will have dysplasia!!! The owners of those mutts may never know that the puppy has a hip dysplasia until the arthtritis sets in from the incorrect joint wear and the owner just assumes "the dog is getting old." They don't exactly pay the $300 per dog to see if they have a health problem with hip and elbow dysplasia before they let their dog get knocked up by whatever male is around.
The genes for all the health problems exist in every breed, Since a mix has to come from some breed, they get the genes -the same ones that would go to purebred puppies.
The reason we know which breeds have more or less of any health problem is becasue the responsible breeders test their dogs and, if they have a condition, don't breed them. Can't say that these backyard mutt breeders do that!
(1) You DO NOT KNOW that it is dysplasia.
Call the vet and move up the appointment.
The only absolute diagnosis is by Xray.
(2) He could have pulled some muscles in his hip or lumboscaral area.
It could be panostetits - growing pains.
Also GSDs haveother rear end problems besides dysplasia.
(3) If it IS dysplasia, the odds are very very very high he can be helped.
Over 30 years ago I salvaged a Golden who came up extremely lame at 8 months. (5 generations of OFA excellent on hips and finally the recessivescameout - just my luck.) Xrays were SO bad that to this day they are still used a major vet school as the example of the worst case of hip dysplasia that made it WITHOUT a hip transplant.
We did a pectinomtomy - it is a cutting some muscles to let the head of the femur drop and form a false socket. Then he and I went to the beach 2-3 days a week and he ran in the sand and swam, and swam and swam...... He would be a little ouchy off and on for about 1- 1 1/2 years and had some pain meds if he needed them. After all that physical therapy, he went sound, and stayed sound the rest of his life. He went backpacking - he caried his own. He could jump straight up in the air as high as your head. He could run for miles.
Exercise after any surgery will be VERY important. Running is sand is low inpact on the joints and high stress work for the muscles. Swimming is the best thing ever.
Now the younger vets aren't as familar with that procedure (pectinotomy) as the older vets (50 and up) who swear by it. The younger ones were trained in the newer (and much more expensive) surgical interventions and are preoccupied with the higher tech surgeries.
Go here to read about the more sophisticated surgical proceedures and hip dysplasiain general.
http://www.offa.org/
Also, keep his weight down - don't add to the stress on the hips.
Glucosamine can help delay the onset of arthritis from the incorrect wear in the joints but it won't fix the hips.
2006-11-02 12:49:35 · answer #2 · answered by ann a 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sorry to hear this. Has he been diagnosed yet? what does the vet recommend?
If you live near a major city there is a good chance that you have a veterinarian teaching hospital nearby. They might be able to give you more options (they usually have the best, most up-to-date info & technology) and sometimes they even have trials that are experimental that you can try.I live outside Philly & Ryan Hospital at University of Pennsylvania is very well thought of. Even the horse than won the Kentucky Derby went there.
The treatments may get very expensive. If you have trouble affording them ask your vet if there are any local or national charities that can assist you in the costs. Personally it is a hard choice but I am a firm believer of quality of life for humans and animals. I would consider my options carefully but if I knew the poor boy would be in constant pain for life I would put him down.
Good Luck :(
I agree with the others to try & get insurance prior to a diagnosis. That way only a small monthly fee will cover your pets medical expenses.
2006-11-02 08:56:01 · answer #3 · answered by kat 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately purebred dogs tend to have more health problems than "mutts." If I were you, I would go to your favorite search engine and put in the keywords "hip dysplasia." I'd print that out and study it and then take your puppy to the vet for its next visit armed with that understanding of the problem. I'd vote for your getting pet insurance as an earlier answerer of your question mentioned. Also, the frog leg description is a good one. Make as many observations as you can and write them down so your vet has as much information as is possible when he sees your puppy.
In the future, if at all possible, bypass the purebred dogs and go for the Humane Shelter's "mutts," as they will live longer and healthier lives, as their genetic makeup includes many breeds and mixes them together, rather than in-breeding problems such as the possible hip dysplasia your puppy might have.
Good luck to both you and your puppy!
2006-11-02 09:26:05 · answer #4 · answered by sunflowerjean63 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi HD in large breeds is quite common & a painful condition for the dog in question...it can be operated on but this is extremely expensive as are the treatments & x-rays which are all things that will be involved with HD...however you don't say if a vet as told you that your puppy has the condition...
If you are really concerned you should call your vet & have a one to one talk with him/her to fill you in about everything...It is fr better to go into something having all the facts laid out before you...
So talk to your vet & get to know where you are in all this before getting too worried about it...but make sure you really know what you are getting into & all the costs of any treatment...Regards Jake
2006-11-02 09:10:30 · answer #5 · answered by Jake 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Seeing as he is only 6 months old when he is at the vets have him x-rayed. Could be a case of Tendonitis or something simple. Hip Dysplasia usually doesn't start to effect them until older, but it is possible. They will be able to tell from the x-ray and there are treatment options now. Used to be that you almost had to put them down because of the pain and they tend to get nasty about it, but there are options and medicine now to help deal with it. Discuss it with your vet.
Also have you ever noticed if he lays on the floor with his back legs out behind him to get his belly on the cool floor. Puppies will sometime do this and if he does he does not have Hip dysplasia. You'll know if he does it as it looks like he's laying like a frog.
2006-11-02 09:00:05 · answer #6 · answered by Jennifer R 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you bought it from a reputable breeder, then take it back immediately. If you weren't smart enough to find out ALL about the dog's pedegree before getting it, or you thought you'd save money by getting a "deal" on it, well, here's a lesson in the making for you. Have your vet diagnoe it immediatley to see exactly what the cause it, and if it is dysplaysia, at such an early age, go after the person you got it from with everything you've got.
2006-11-02 09:55:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Get pet insurance before the animal is diagnosed with hip dysplasia. That way the insurance will actually cover you and it'll save you money along the way. Hope he gets better.
2006-11-02 09:17:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋