Look at these hips - Page 1

This is my first GSD, and he has been whining when going to stand up after walks so I took him in for hip x-rays. Now I know why. This photo was taken from my phone. The vet will put it on a disc for me, but I wanted one immediately. It's a bit crooked, but I'm sure it doesn't take an expert to know how bad these are. I can't afford hip replacement. I already spent a fortune on his teeth. What should I do? I'm at a loss here. I got him from a reputable breeder, but he still got the short end of the genetic stick apparently.

I don't often suggest surgery right off the bat, but I think this poor little guy guy is going to need it. How old is he? Sometimes young dogs learn to compensate and do get past the very painful stage so there is a chance he might do better with some rest and pain meds. Did you get a guarantee when you bought him?  Were both of his parents xrayed clear? I think I'd probably take him to an orthopedic surgeon for an opinion.

I'm really sorry, I know the heatrbreak, been there myself. Most of us have.

Put him down and cut your losses.
Reputable breeder by who's standards?
You can spend a fortune and not change what's real, in the meantime the dog suffers.
Medicating is unrealistic and also expensive, while the dog suffers.
Sorry but that's just the way I feel.
You got screwed and the dogs gonna suffer as opposed to living a quality life and it's not doing anyone any good to spend more money.

He's only 8 months old. The vet said he needs hip replacement, or get the femoral heads cut off. I work for this vet, so I know he's being upfront with me. I did get a hip guarantee for replacement only, but I can't have more then 2 dogs right now. Both parents were rated normal hips. I really don't want to put him down.

Damn, Two Moons.

If you don´t want to put him down, you have to get him a hip surgery. There´s no other way to give him a life without pain.

Sorry,
I just see a not so bright future for owner or dog.
This kind of thing, is why Vets have gotten so expensive.
Even if you can afford the bills, the dog is not having a quality life and that's always my only concern.
Sorry if I'm blunt.

BTW Two Moons, it is possible to get hips this bad out of 3 or more generations of clear parents, it happened to me and I considered myself reputable.

Maybe you could have one hip at at time done? I really feel for you.

If it helps, years ago I bought a very nice puppy, not a GSD, another large breed prone to HD. At 7 months he could barely stand. His xrays were about the same as your dogs and he was out of many generations of clear parents bred by a reputable breeder.  Back then no one did hip surgery on dogs, so the vet I worked for suggested we just try to keep him crated, keep his weight down, give him enough pain med to keep him confortable but not enough to make him so comfortable that he abused himself when he was out of the crate.

It took almost 4 months until he was doing fine. I ended placing him with a young blind boy as his companion. He lived a long life, only needed some meds from time to time. The only complaint I ever heard was that he was jumping their 4 foot fence, so they had to install a 6 foot one. Sometime we get lucky with a dog and they do better than anyone expcects. It might be worth a try?

If you can't afford surgery and don't want to PTS then get your pup swimming, build his muscle tone in his hind quarters, the muscle will compensate and help to support the joint.